University of Michigan and Ann Arbor community members are mourning the news that local breakfast staple Angelo’s will close its doors at the end of this year. The restaurant, owned by husband-wife duo Steve and Jennifer Vangelatos, first opened in 1956 under the management of Steve Vangelatos’s father, Angelo. Since then, the business has not only expanded to include an in-house bakery and Angelo’s on the Side, an adjacent location exclusively for takeout and coffee, but has also grown into a beloved classic for students, alumni and Ann Arbor residents alike. 

Rising LSA junior Rachel Cohn, a frequent Angelo’s customer, said she was saddened to hear the news of its closing because it is her and her friends’ go-to breakfast spot.

“Me and my friends, that was our one brunch spot that we always went to,” Cohn said. “(Angelo’s) just meant a lot to us, so it’s a little bittersweet.”

For homesick college students, a family-run diner like Angelo’s can be just what they need. Cohn said she believes Angelo’s is a favorite among U-M students in part because it feels like a homemade breakfast.

“The vibes of (Angelo’s) are very wholesome and I think some of the other brunch spots in Ann Arbor just have very different vibes and feel,” Cohn said. “Angelo’s feels more like I’m getting a homemade breakfast at my house with my friends.”

Rising LSA junior Madison Brown said she believes it is this comforting energy that makes Angelo’s stand out among Ann Arbor’s many restaurants.

“(Angelo’s) is your quintessential college diner, and I don’t think there is really something similar on campus,” Brown said. “It has this charm about it that doesn’t really have to do with flashy decor or a more modern or millennial style. It is its own little thing.”

Angelo’s is set to close in December following a $4.5 million purchase by the University of Michigan of 1100 Catherine Street, which includes the restaurant, as well as two residential apartments. The University plans to use this land to expand the Michigan Medicine campus. 

In an interview with The Michigan Daily, Steve Vangelatos said he made the decision to sell the property to the University because of a promise he made to his wife when they got married. 

“I’ve been working seven days a week for 43 years,” Vangelatos said. “I promised my wife when we got married that if she allowed me to work as much as I needed to work to make this place successful that someday I would stop working. And there was nobody that wanted to take the restaurant over and so that resulted in selling the property.”

Helping Vangelatos run this brunch spot is a team of dedicated staff. Amy Marzka, long time Angelo’s employee, told The Daily the staff is sad to see the restaurant close but recognizes how much Vangelatos dedicated to its operation.

“Everyone is sad to see the place go,” Marzka said. “But we’re happy for the owner because he has worked so hard.”

At the University’s Board of Regents meeting on May 18, Geoffrey Chatas, U-M executive vice president and chief financial officer, said the purchase made sense as the University already owns the surrounding land and could give the Vangelatos family time to close the business.

“The University has been presented with an opportunity to purchase property from the Vangelatos family who, for decades, have been running Angelo’s, a beloved icon in Ann Arbor,” Chatas said. “When the family approached the University about the possibility of selling (the property), they explained that they want to close the business on their own terms … The property makes sense for the University to acquire since it will further the University’s options for development in the Catherine Street area.” 

The sale is set to close no later than March 31, 2024 to give Vangelatos time to close Angelo’s and vacate the property. Vangelatos said the restaurant will likely close on December 23 — like they do every year — but this time, come January, they will not reopen their doors.

“I feel like it’s going to be like we usually do every other year,” Vangelatos said. “We’ve closed on December 23 (for) the holidays and we usually would reopen either January 1 or January 2. It’ll be just like that this year, except we’re not going to reopen in January.”

Vangelatos said he would consider the possibility of reopening Angelo’s in a new location if he was able to find someone else to run it.

“I would definitely consider doing that if it was somebody that I knew would be willing to put the work in and I thought could maybe be successful,” Vangelatos said. “It’s possible, (but) it won’t be somewhere that I will be running or that I want to be really involved in.”

At the regents meeting, University President Santa Ono recognized how much the U-M community would miss Angelo’s.

“I must say that thousands of Wolverines will miss that wonderful place for brunch and for other meals,” Ono said.

Although Angelo’s has fans throughout Ann Arbor, it holds a special place in the hearts of many U-M students. Vangelatos said he is grateful for all that the University and its students have done for him, but it is time for him to end this chapter of his career.

“I really appreciate the University of Michigan and the students and, I mean, they’re a big part of our success here and then the whole town of Ann Arbor really,” Vangelatos said. “I was very fortunate to be in this position … (but now I want to focus on) spending time with my wife and my family.”

Summer News Editor Rebecca Lewis can be reached at rebeccl@umich.edu. Summer Managing News Editor Mary Corey can be reached at mcorey@umich.edu.

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A recent study conducted by a team of University of Michigan medical researchers may help to identify which patients suffering from acute liver failure need liver transplants to live and which can survive without them, helping hospitals more effectively allocate organ donations. With the overall mortality rate of acute liver failure reaching almost 50%, the researchers set out to find a way to tell which patients most urgently need a liver transplant and which can likely survive without.

The study observed blood samples and medical records from 270 patients admitted to hospitals with acute liver failure. Through their research, the team discovered that concentrations of a protein called carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1, or CPS1, helped predict which patients would survive without a liver transplant.

Robert Fontana, professor of internal medicine and one of the lead researchers of the study, told The Michigan Daily in an interview about what he hoped to accomplish through this research.

“We collected blood samples from patients who got admitted to the hospital (at the University of Michigan) and in 13 other major medical centers, and then we tested the blood samples from the day of admission and day three of the hospitalization and so on,” Fontana said. “We wanted to see if we could come up with a blood test that might predict who’s going to likely recover and leave the hospital without needing a transplant or dying, and those who are at high risk of needing a transplant or dying.”

Fontana said the study found that CPS1 levels helped indicate who would need a liver transplant in the near future.

“The bottom line of what we found is that the patients who had a higher level of the CPS1 protein in their blood are more likely to die or need a liver transplant over the next three weeks compared to people who have lower levels (of CPS1),” Fontana said.

Bishr Omary, professor of biomedical science at Rutgers University and adjunct professor of molecular & integrative physiology and internal medicine at the University of Michigan, also helped conduct the research. Omary told The Daily that measuring CPS1 levels has the potential to help more patients survive acute liver failure.

“If (CPS1 levels) are high when (patients) first come to the hospital, or if it’s higher on day three versus on day one, those individuals unfortunately are quite sick,” Omary said. “So measuring this protein, that’s really one of the major findings (of the study). It’s a good marker for those patients with (acute liver failure) who are most likely to survive because the levels are low, or most likely to need a liver transplant or unfortunately die because CPS1 levels are high.”

Although there is potential for an independent blood test to come out of this research, Fontana told The Daily that this research is still in its initial stages.

“This is not something that, if you came to the hospital tomorrow, that we would be using, because to get a new blood test from the ground up, it has to go through all kinds of rigorous validation and testing in multiple patient groups by the FDA,” Fontana said. “The first part of this process is discovering the protein, developing the test and then getting it to the point of testing it in a couple hundred people.”

Rising Pharmacy senior Alex Dodson worked under Dr. Fontana on this research at the University. In an email to The Daily, Dodson said participating in undergraduate research has helped him realize his passion for the healthcare industry.

“Working in undergraduate research has really helped me find my passion in medicine,” Dodson wrote. “It allows you to work in a comprehensive healthcare environment and learn what each person’s role in the process involves.”

Dodson said he encourages other undergraduate students to participate in research, especially if they have yet to find their academic passion.

“Other undergrads should definitely be excited about the research at U-M because, not only does it provide valuable work experience, but it also allows you to stay connected with professionals in your field,” Dodson wrote. “Networking with these individuals will help you find where your passions are, and getting to the bottom of why each person chose their career path can be a lightbulb moment for undergraduate students who have not completely decided on their career.”

Summer Managing News Editor Mary Corey can be reached at mcorey@umich.edu.

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The University of Michigan’s Big House was full of excitement and energy Saturday morning as graduates and their loved ones filled the stadium for the University’s annual Spring Commencement. The U-M Men’s Glee Club and Women’s Glee Club performed the national anthem as graduates filtered through the tunnel entrance to the stadium and commencement attendees took their seats.

University Provost Laurie McCauley welcomed students and families to the ceremony and congratulated graduates in a set of opening remarks.

“Graduates, today marks an important milestone,” McCauley said. “Today marks the day when people stop asking you what you’re studying and start asking you what you plan to do now that you’re entering the real world. As far as small talk goes, it’s a pretty drastic shift.”

From virtual classes due to COVID-19 to surges in political unrest on campus and beyond, the class of 2023 has not had the traditional college experience. McCauley said these challenges will better equip graduates for whatever they may face in the next stage of their life.

“Through your presence here today, you have proven that you are more than equal to the challenge,” McCauley said. “You already live in the real world, and you have earned your place. We who remain at the University can’t wait to see what you do next. As you join a global community of (U-M) alumni, we will be watching and cheering you on.”

McCauley then introduced the ceremony’s first student speaker, graduating Art & Design senior Nicholos Daniel. In his speech, Daniel said the hardships he and the class of 2023 faced have shaped him as a student and a person.

“During this journey, I have come to truly understand that life is not always cheerful and joyful; it’s hard but fair,” Daniel said. “Graduates, I stand here today to pour my heart out so that yours may be filled with a new fire, a new passion and drive to carry you through life as you enter a new chapter in your own worlds.”

The next opening speaker, LSA Dean Anne Curzan, was interrupted by a passing plane during the beginning of her remarks. The plane, carrying a banner that read “Congrats! So proud! Love from striking GSIs” was a part of the Graduate Employees’ Organization’s plans for protesting at commencement. In addition to the banner, GEO held an informational picket outside of the stadium. After the disruption, Curzan continued with her remarks. In her speech, she said a U-M degree comes with great potential and responsibility. 

“You all now have this remarkable education from one of the best universities in the world,” Curzan said. “Look at your friends and classmates who are sitting around you who have learned and led through some of the most challenging years in American history. Your many accomplishments and your Michigan degree will open doors for you, and with those open doors comes responsibility. Others are going to look to you as leaders and models, and your words will carry weight.”

University President Santa Ono then addressed the stadium and said their college experience was unique from every previous graduating class.

“Remember back to when you came to Ann Arbor four years ago,” Ono said. “You knew that your lives would be changed. I suspect that you expected education steeped in tradition and shaped in excellence … But you have also been tested in unexpected ways. Through COVID-19 you found unexpected reservoirs of adaptability, endurance and resilience.”

The Board of Regents then presented honorary degrees to former University President Mary Sue Coleman; Wynton Marsalis, artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center; and playwright Dominique Morisseau. In his commencement address, Marsalis called upon graduates to use their education for good.

“Each and every one of you dreamt, at some point, of this day,” Marsalis said. “Now here we are. From engineering to public policy, from business to nursing, all the disciplines represented here are an important part of the whole … You all are needed out here … Loudly declare your intentions and spend your life making those dreams, whatever they may be, a reality.”

To conclude the ceremony, Ono and the Regents officially confirmed the class of 2023 as recipients of bachelor’s degrees from the University. As Ono began to confirm the graduates, the clouded sky opened up and sunlight blanketed the Big House.

“The sun is shining on you, do you notice that?” Ono said. “Congratulations and go blue!”

Summer Managing News Editor Mary Corey can be reached at mcorey@umich.edu. 

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Family, friends, faculty and graduates of the Ford School of Public Policy gathered at Hill Auditorium Sunday afternoon to celebrate this year’s graduating classes. The school awarded four doctorate degrees, 107 Master’s degrees and 78 Bachelor’s degrees. 

The commencement ceremony opened with remarks from Celeste Watkins-Hayes, interim dean of the Public Policy School. Watkins-Hayes began by commending graduates for their achievements.

“We gather here today in this beautiful space to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of our 189 outstanding graduates,” Watkins-Hayes said. “Smart, resilient, public-minded people who will be leading —  and more importantly serving — our communities.”

Watkins-Hayes then described the mission of the Public Policy School and said she hopes the graduates continue to embody the University’s values after graduation. She highlighted the achievements of former President Gerald Ford, for whom the Public Policy School is named, as a source of inspiration for students.

“We inspire and prepare diverse leaders grounded in service, conduct transformational research and collaborate on evidence-based policymaking to take on our communities and our world’s most difficult challenges,” Watkins-Hayes said. “Service is at the core of the legacy of our nation’s 38th president and one of the University of Michigan’s most distinguished graduates.”

U-M alum Annie Maxwell delivered an address to the graduating classes on how a U-M education will prepare them for the shifting nature of the current political landscape. Maxwell said she admires graduates for choosing a public policy degree during a time of political unrest and turmoil.

“When I applied (to the Public Policy School) in the spring of 2000, the world was a very different place, and, in many ways, a more stable place,” Maxwell said. “I decided on a public policy degree in about as optimistic and naive a way as possible. But you, as a class, made a very different decision. The world is a much more dynamic and, dare I say, chaotic place than it was 20 years ago.”

The undergraduate and graduate student classes at the Public Policy School each elected a student speaker to represent them at commencement. Graduating Public Policy senior Joe Timmer represented the undergraduate class of 2023 and said he enjoyed watching himself and his classmates grow into the people they are today.

“Our graduation is a big deal, worthy of the pomp and circumstance of this ceremony and all the celebrations with family and friends that happen after, but the ceremony isn’t really about anything we actually did today,” Timmer said. “Every day leading up to this day is the reason that we got here. I hope today can be a celebration beyond your graduation. I hope that it can be a celebration of the person who walked in your shoes every day leading up to it.”

Public Policy graduate student Aissa Wandarama, speaker for the Master’s graduating classes, said despite struggling during her time at the Public Policy School, she came out the other side a stronger person.

“I hold a sense of pride and accomplishment for the personal growth and learning experiences I have gained here,” Wandarama said. “I recognize that this moment would not be possible without overcoming the challenges that I face as a woman, a woman of Color, an African, a Muslim and an immigrant. I felt the demands of grad school on top of the demands of being a full-time parent.”

At the closing of the ceremony, Watkins-Hayes presented the 2023 graduates of the Public Policy School. 

“Graduates, we’re grateful to have served you and we know that you’ll continue to serve others.,” Watkins-Hayes said. “I believe in you, I’m proud of you and I know that what we taught here will serve you well. Never forget that the Ford School is your home in Ann Arbor. Go forward and go blue.”

Summer Managing News Editor Mary Corey can be reached at mcorey@umich.edu.

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The University of Michigan has long been considered one of the most bike-friendly campuses in the country, with over 50% of U-M students having ridden a bike in the past year. However, bike theft has plagued the campus for years, raising questions about whether bringing a bike to campus is worth the risk. The Michigan Daily spoke with students and campus safety officials to understand the current state of this enduring problem. 

U-M students looking to report a stolen bike can turn to either of two law enforcement agencies: the Division of Public Safety and Security and the Ann Arbor Police Department. Melissa Overton, deputy chief of police of DPSS, told The Daily in an email that it is not uncommon for DPSS to receive reports of stolen bikes.

“We had 88 bike thefts reported in 2022,” Overton wrote. “I am sure some go unreported — we don’t know what we don’t know.”

In an email to The Daily, AAPD spokesperson Chris Page said they also receive reports of bike theft throughout the school year, both on and off campus.

“In 2021, we had 193 bikes/mountain bikes reported stolen; and in 2022, we had 155 bikes/mountain bikes reported stolen,” Page wrote. “This year (so far), we’ve had 14 bikes/mountain bikes reported stolen. Typically, from May through September is when we get the most bikes reported stolen during the year.” 

Despite the efforts of DPSS and the AAPD, the vast majority of bike thefts go unreported. Rising LSA senior Phoebe Yi said she chose to accept that her bike was gone once it was stolen rather than report it to the appropriate authorities.

“I had that bike for a really long time,” Yi said. “It was a secondhand bike to begin with, and I just kind of let it go. Sometimes I go around looking at bike racks and go ‘oh, that kind of looks like my bike,’ but I just (decided to) accept it was gone.”

Rising LSA junior Maria Wajahat told The Daily she has had her bike stolen twice and did not report either of the thefts to DPSS. Wajahat said she doubted DPSS could do anything to help her get her bike back because she did not register it.

“The second time, I got a newer bike, a more expensive bike, (and) I did lock it,” Wajahat said. “Someone cut through the lock and stole the bike. So that time I also did not contact DPSS, although I did think about doing it more (than the first time). I don’t think there was anything they could do because I didn’t register the bike.”

Page said many bike thefts are the result of people improperly locking their bikes.

“A lot of the cases involve the bicycle not being properly secured,” Page wrote. “The bike’s owner should make sure the lock goes through the actual frame and not just a wheel.”

Overton echoed these sentiments and said people often use the wrong lock to secure bikes on campus. 

“The most common mistake is using the wrong lock,” Overton wrote. “Do not use a cable type lock or secure it via the wheel, etc. (Instead), use a U-bolt type lock.”

Neither Yi nor Wajahat used a U-bolt type lock to secure their bikes. Yi said she used a hard plastic lock, and thinks that the lock was cut through.

“I was using one of those hard plastic locks (with) a key to it,” Yi said. “Those (are) the ones people don’t recommend using because you can cut it off really easily, and I just assumed that was the case (with my bike). I think that they cut it off and took the lock with them.”

Page said one of the most important steps people can take to help AAPD track down their stolen bike as quickly as possible is knowing their bike’s serial number.

“The best way to (remember it) would be to flip the bike upside down and take a picture of the serial number,” Page wrote. “In most cases the bike that is stolen is mass produced, so knowing the serial number drastically increases the chances of the owner getting their bike back.”

To report a bike theft on campus, students can call DPSS at 734-763-1131 or report the theft online. For bikes stolen off campus, students can call the AAPD at 734-794-6911 or file a report in person at the police station on the second floor of 301 E. Huron St.

Summer Managing News Editor Mary Corey can be reached at mcorey@umich.edu. Daily Staff Reporter Joshua Nicholson can be reached at joshuni@umich.edu. 

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About 60 finance industry scholars and professionals gathered in the Tauber Colloquium of the Ross School of Business Friday afternoon for the Future of Fintech conference. The conference focused on the possible roles of financial technology and artificial intelligence in the future of the finance and banking industries. Organized by the University of Michigan Center on Finance, Law & Policy and the Michigan Ross Fintech Initiative, the event consisted of the presentation of four recent research papers and panel discussions on the papers’ findings and real-world implications.

In the opening remarks, Tom Buchmueller, senior associate dean for Faculty and Research at the Business School, welcomed attendees to the conference and highlighted the importance of bringing experts together for these kinds of discussions.

“As a leading public institution, the University of Michigan has an important role to play in bringing together researchers, policymakers and leaders of industry to talk about important societal issues,” Buchmueller said. “It’s this type of interdisciplinary project that makes the University of Michigan very unique and special.”

Researchers then presented on the topics of consumer protection, open banking, artificial intelligence and financial inclusion. At the request of event organizers to preserve research integrity, The Michigan Daily will not be quoting these panel discussions. 

The first paper, presented by Ansgar Walther, associate professor of finance at Imperial College London, focused on the potential impacts of machine learning on credit markets. Following a panel discussion, the second paper was then presented by Greg Buchak, assistant professor of finance at Stanford University, on the practice of open banking, or sharing financial information with third parties. The third paper, presented by Isil Erel, professor of finance at The Ohio State University, provided strategies to reduce disparities in access to financial services for marginalized communities. The final paper of the conference, presented by Wei Jiang, professor of finance at Emory University, focused on how companies can change their reporting of financial data in response to the rise of artificial intelligence. 

In his remarks at the event, Buchmueller highlighted the potential of these new technologies while also warning attendees about their possible consequences. Buchmueller said that although advancements in financial technology can spur progress in the banking industry, they may also result in discrimination against marginalized groups because of algorithmic bias.

“I think there’s lots of reasons to see the promise of these new technologies, both for financial inclusion and to create products that create consumer value at the same time,” Buchmueller said. “Obviously, we need to be alert to possible unintended consequences especially as it relates to diversity and inclusion.”

Nadya Malenko, director of the Michigan Ross Fintech Initiative, said the conference was intended to highlight topics that are often overshadowed. 

“We asked ourselves what conversations are not happening enough … and we realized that cryptocurrency was dominating the media coverage in a way that prevented any other important financial technologies from being discussed,” Malenko said. “These technologies have important policy consequences.”

Jeremy Kress, co-director of the Center on Finance, Law & Policy, led the planning of the conference and thanked the event team and their partners in his remarks for organizing Friday’s event. 

“I want to say thank you to the Ford School staff who are volunteering today downstairs at the registration table to make sure that everybody finds where they’re going,” Kress said. “I also want to say thank you to Law School staff who have been incredibly helpful throughout this whole process.”

Summer News Editor Mary Corey can be reached at mcorey@umich.edu.

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For the past two years, the Ann Arbor-based nonprofit Live Zero Waste has been on a mission to promote sustainability through its returnable container program for zero-waste takeout. The program allows customers to order carry-out from participating restaurants in reusable containers instead of disposable packaging. After use, customers can return the containers to participating businesses where the containers are then cleaned and reused.

Founded in 2015 by brother-sister duo and U-M alums Samuel and Lydia McMullen, Live Zero Waste provides information and resources to those interested in adopting a zero-waste lifestyle. After Ann Arbor’s Office of Sustainability and Innovations developed a plan for a pilot program, Live Zero Waste started running the reusable container program in February 2021. The returnable containers program also contributes to Ann Arbor’s A2ZERO​​ plan to reach community-wide carbon neutrality by 2030.

Samuel McMullen told The Michigan Daily he believes the reusable container program has mostly been successful in reducing waste and promoting sustainability.

“I think this is a really exciting project,” McMullen said. “I think for a lot of people … this will be the beginning of a conversation and the start of a road to larger discussions (about sustainability).”

A recent study conducted by U-M researchers found that if even a small percentage of customers make extra car trips to return their reusable containers, the program could contribute more greenhouse gasses to the atmosphere than single-use containers. Because Ann Arbor is a walkable city, with 15% of employees walking to work on a daily basis, Samuel McMullen said he still believes the program may function well without creating additional emissions. 

“(We have) a handful of restaurants that are super committed, and a handful of customers that are super committed to doing (the returnable containers program), which is great,” McMullen said. “It’s a really good start and … it’s proof of concept for certain things.”

Businesses currently participating in the program include Zingerman’s Deli, Ginger Deli, El Harissa and Cinnaholic. Samuel McMullen said the returnable container program offers consumers a tangible way to reduce their carbon footprint.

“One of the places we see a lot of waste come up is in food packaging, and typically takeout packaging,” McMullen said. “The program started at a handful of restaurants and continues to operate at a handful of restaurants with no fee for the service to the restaurants (and) no fee to the consumers.”

Live Zero Waste recently partnered with the Environmental Consulting Organization at the University of Michigan, which has been helping with marketing and outreach efforts. LSA sophomore Gavin Lichtenberg, a project manager at ECO-UM, told The Daily he was excited to work with Live Zero Waste because it aligns with his organization’s mission.

“Generally, we work with sustainably-oriented organizations whose pillars surround sustainability and we work to improve their operations,” Lichtenberg said. “In that same vein, we work with different organizations who are looking to transition into more sustainable practices.”

Yusef Houamed, manager and co-founder of El Harissa, told The Daily he was excited to participate in the program, especially as  the restaurant continues to bounce back from primarily serving takeout during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“During the pandemic, we, — and most other restaurants — had to double down on our most wasteful practices,” Houamed said. “We pivoted to exclusively takeout until just recently, and so the amount of containers and single-use plastics we were using skyrocketed … So it was just kind of serendipitous that (Live Zero Waste) reached out to us; I jumped at the opportunity. Now, for the past two years, we’ve been working on making this a real thing, a citywide thing.”

Evelyn Patrell-Fazio, head of business management and sustainable development at Ginger Deli, told The Daily she believes Ann Arbor is an ideal site to pilot the program.

“We had a lot of belief that (the program) could be used really effectively, especially in Ann Arbor, just because the community is so primed and ready for this type of circular economy program,” Patrell-Fazio said. “Especially since we have such a large and very vibrant local food movement in Ann Arbor.”

Patrell-Fazio said she has noticed that while customers seem excited about the idea of the program getting people to participate can be difficult.

“We have a lot of interest, but I think where it’s hard is a lot of the people who are interested in learning more about it, it’s not necessarily a given that they’re going to then use the program,” Patrell-Fazio said. “That’s kind of the disconnect that I think we’re struggling with the most right now.”

Doug Moeller, owner of the Ann Arbor location of Cinnaholic, told The Daily their customers are not as interested in trying out the program as he had originally hoped.

“It’s a mixed reaction,” Moeller said. “I think people are (excited) once you explain it to them, but initially, if you don’t explain it to them, they are worried about ‘What if I lose it? Do I really have to bring it back?’ They’re worried about that stuff, but once you explain how a (the) program works, they’re interested.”

According to Jennifer Santi, marketing and communications director at Zingerman’s Deli, the Deli has had a similar experience as the other businesses participating in the program. While some customers have started using the program, Santi told The Daily raising community awareness about the program has been challenging.

“Customers do really like the program, and we’ve used it in a couple of different ways in our business,” Santi said. “Where we’ve struggled is to try to get people to choose the program without our asking or to raise awareness in the community in general so that more people are using the program across a variety of businesses.”

Despite these challenges, Samuel McMullen said Live Zero Waste remains hopeful about the future of their returnable container program. In the next few months, he said the program is set to expand to its next stage, which will be focused on collecting community input.

“We’re on a three-year timeline with the (returnable container) project right now,” McMullen said. “In the next couple of months, we’re going to be doing public engagement and figuring out … what people are thinking about all these ideas that we’ve had in a vacuum.”

Daily Staff Reporters Mary Corey and Emma Spring can be reached at mcorey@umich.edu and sprinemm@umich.edu. 

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Government officials from across the country have been pushing for climate legislation over the past decade to try and turn things around before it is too late. The city of Ann Arbor is among those dedicated to reducing carbon emissions locally through A2ZERO, a plan to reach carbon neutrality in Ann Arbor by 2030. One aspect of the A2ZERO plan is Solarize, a community-based program that sources solar panels and infrastructure to make clean energy more accessible in residents’ homes. 

Founded by Julie Roth, senior energy analyst at Ann Arbor’s Office of Sustainability and Innovations, Solarize connects homeowners interested in purchasing solar panels with contractors to make group buys that reduce the price of solar infrastructure for residents. In late 2019, Roth hosted a group buy and was shocked by the turnout, with over a dozen purchases after a single meeting. Seeing the interest in group buying solar panels, she worked with the Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovations to start Solarize and make it a city-wide program. Roth told The Michigan Daily that once things got started, the Solarize program just kept expanding.

“I reached out to someone who had been in the first group and asked if they were interested in paying it forward and creating a new group and they were … then there was so much momentum,” Roth said. “It’s just kind of grown and snowballed from there.”

Zach Waas Smith, a Community Engagement Specialist at OSI, also played a big role in the development and implementation of the Solarize program and A2ZERO. Smith was originally cautious about attempting a program such as Solarize, because the federal government attempted a similar program with the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act with limited success. Critics claimed the act came too late and didn’t have a broad scope to have any real impact.

“(The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) was proposed by Obama, but it didn’t take off,” Smith said. “So (Roth) just took that toolkit and said, ‘I’m doing this and I’m gonna do it in Ann Arbor,’ and it took off and it’s been wildly, wildly successful, and it’s now an official program of the city of Ann Arbor.”

Smith said though he and his teammates at OSI are still solidifying the details of A2ZERO, they remain dedicated to reaching its goals in innovative ways.

“We expect that we’re going to reevaluate,” Smith said. “We’re going to revisit some of these things. And there are going to be new technologies that emerge that we couldn’t have imagined when we wrote this and we’re going to need to utilize those technologies to help get us to zero net emissions.”

The Solarize program has warranted an overall positive response from local environmental activists. Public Health junior Joseph Cerniglia is the president of the University of Michigan chapter of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby, a group dedicated to passing climate legislation at all levels of government. In an interview with The Daily, Cerniglia said his group approves of the Solarize program and its goals. 

“(In) our opinion, the Solarize initiative is a great initiative and an important part of the renewable energy solution to climate change,” Cerniglia said. “It really serves the goal of making solar more accessible … I think any way that you can make renewable energy more affordable and more accessible is a very important part of the climate solution.”

However, Ceriglia said he believes the Solarize program has its limitations, citing its focus on providing more accessible clean energy access for solely homeowners. 

“It still leaves renters, for example, which are a large portion of the population here in Ann Arbor, out of the equation,” Cerniglia said. 

Smith said he believes Solarize has been a huge overall success in Ann Arbor thus far.

“Solarize has been really successful in Ann Arbor,” Smith said. “We just passed four megawatts of installed solar on rooftops throughout the city, which, for the layperson, is a lot of solar.” 

Solarize meetings are not only for people interested in participating in a group buy; they also serve as learning opportunities for people interested in the environment and how they can reduce their carbon footprint. Roth said she welcomes any Washtenaw County resident interested in clean energy to get involved with Solarize.

“There’s absolutely no obligation or pressure (to buy solar panels) or anything,” Roth said. “You could just come and learn about solar and how it works and your energy grid and electrification and greenhouse gas emissions. The meetings are a lot of fun, they’re extremely informative and anybody can come.”

Daily Staff Reporter Mary Corey can be reached at mcorey@umich.edu.

The post Ann Arbor Solarize program seeks to make solar power more accessible appeared first on The Michigan Daily.

Women are at the forefront of a new wave in entrepreneurship, with one survey finding that nearly half of all new businesses in the United States in 2021 were founded by women. Despite this growth, women continue to face barriers to entry and growth while women business owners remain underrepresented at large. To celebrate Women’s History Month, The Michigan Daily’s business beat spent March sitting down with five female business owners based in Ann Arbor to discuss their stories and experiences.

Phillis Engelbert – Detroit Street Filling Station / The Lunch Room / North Star Lounge

You may not know her name, but there’s a good chance you’ve wined and dined at one of the three prominent Ann Arbor establishments run by Phillis Engelbert: Kerrytown staple Detroit Street Filling Station, the recently-opened North Star Lounge and The Lunch Room Bakery & Cafe in Huron Towers. With a focus on locally-sourced produce and community organizing, Engelbert’s restaurants provide an assortment of eclectic vegan fare for their patrons.

Read more from our interview with Phillis Engelbert.

Ji Hye Kim – Miss Kim

Nestled in the heart of Kerrytown, Miss Kim, an award-winning restaurant operated by Ji Hye Kim, serves traditional Korean cuisine with a contemporary twist. Kim opened the restaurant in 2016 as a part of Zingerman’s Community of Businesses through their Path to Partnership program, which allows anyone, regardless of previous business experience, to apply to either join an existing Zingerman’s business as a partner or, in Kim’s case, start their own. 

Read more from our interview with Ji Hye Kim.

Jessie Lipkowitz – aUM Yoga / Polarity

Jessie Lipkowitz has a journey full of twists and turns that led her to become the owner of aUM Yoga and Polarity, a yoga and pole studio located on South University Avenue in Ann Arbor. 

Read more from our interview with Jessie Lipkowitz.

Eve Aronoff Fernandez – Frita Batidos

Floor-to-ceiling glass panels and a stark white interior beckon Main Street passersby into the Cuban-inspired burger and “batido” joint, Frita Batidos, owned by Eve Aronoff Fernandez. The indoor picnic tables, reminiscent of a cozy backyard gathering, are often completely filled with patrons indulging in Cuban comfort food, including the signature frita burgers and batidos milkshakes the restaurant is named after.

Read more from our interview with Eve Aronoff Fernandez.

Diana Marsh – Thistle & Bess

Whether you are shopping for classy gold jewelry, sparkly cocktail-themed Christmas ornaments or realistic food-shaped candles, owner Diana Marsh promises that you don’t have to look any further than Thistle & Bess, a funky store full of surprises. Located on Ann Arbor’s 4th Avenue on the outskirts of the Kerrytown District, Thistle & Bess opened a physical location in 2015 after making its mark as an online antique jewelry store.

Read more from our interview with Diana Marsh.

The post Celebrating Women’s History Month with Ann Arbor businesses, from yoga to tteokbokki appeared first on The Michigan Daily.

In honor of Women’s History Month, The Michigan Daily’s business beat spent the month speaking with women business owners throughout Ann Arbor about their journey, their connection to the community and their legacy. Read the other stories here.

Nestled in the heart of Kerrytown, Miss Kim, an award-winning restaurant operated by Ji Hye Kim, serves traditional Korean cuisine with a contemporary twist. Kim opened the restaurant in 2016 as a part of Zingerman’s Community of Businesses through their Path to Partnership program, which allows anyone, regardless of previous business experience, to apply to either join an existing Zingerman’s business as a partner or, in Kim’s case, start their own. 

Miss Kim is a unique Korean restaurant in more ways than one. For instance, the sliding pay scale business model means that customers can choose what to pay for 17 of the restaurant’s most popular dishes, with price options ranging from free to 1.5 times the regular price of the dishes. The restaurant was also recently involved in Ann Arbor’s 2023 Restaurant Week, and offers a variety of popular Korean dishes from kimchi to tteokbokki

In her time as a business owner, Kim said she has had to learn how to command respect in an industry where women and people of Color are underrepresented.

“There were times where the cooks would be hired and (it) would be extra challenging because they’re straight male — sometimes straight, white male — cooks and they’re used to working in male-dominated kitchens,” Kim said. “They don’t want to listen to female chefs. But at the end of the day, it is my kitchen and my business and if they cannot respect women or a woman boss. So that’s another positive thing about owning a business of your own — you can create an environment that you yourself want to be in.”

Across the country about 60% of restaurants close within a year after they first open, making it clear that starting a new restaurant is no easy task. Kim said Zingerman’s Path to Partnership program helped provide her with the resources she needed as a new business owner. Kim started working for Zingerman’s in 2007, after she decided to leave her previous office job and make the leap into the food industry.  So when she wanted to open a restaurant of her own, she said Zingerman’s helped her navigate all of the challenges that came with that decision.

“Being a small business owner is also challenging because sometimes the resources are not available to you, it’s not really easy or cheap to have your own HR department or legal advice or accounting help,” Kim said. “I am lucky because I can get (that sort of) help through Zingerman’s network. If I were not part of Zingerman’s network, those things would be very challenging.”

But even with the support of Zingerman’s Community of Businesses, Kim has still faced challenges. The loneliness and isolation that accompany being a small business owner can take a toll on entrepreneurs, she said, so creating a community of women chefs was key to her personal success.

“You can often feel like you’re isolated because you’re running your own business, but you can remedy that by being a part of a community,” Kim said. “For me, it’s being a part of Zingerman’s and connecting with other chefs, especially women of Color chefs, in this area of Southeast Michigan, but also all over the country and sharing our common challenges together. That always helps.”

When asked if she had any advice for fellow women entrepreneurs, Kim told The Daily what she tells all of the female staff at Miss Kim: to challenge every expectation people may have for women in the kitchen.

“You cannot behave like patriarchy expects you to,” Kim said. “Don’t take no for an answer. Work with the team. Be strong and speak up and don’t be afraid of leaving (an) environment if that’s not the right environment for you. I think the short way to describe it is, you don’t have to follow what society has set up as an expectation for women.” 

Daily Staff Reporter Mary Corey can be reached at mcorey@umich.edu.

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