It's more than just Michiganders vs. Michiganian. There's a whole lexicon of words out there that are specific to our mitten state. You may know some of them already. The Freep takes a look at a few of the more common words of our Michiganian tongues.

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WHAT ABOUT VERBS?

"Dethaw" is a native combo of "defrost" and "thaw." "Pank" means pack or tamp down snow.

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A.J.'s Cafe in Ferndale is looking to break the world record for a nonstop concert while simultaneously getting support for the ailing U.S. auto industry. Governor Jennifer Granholm showed up to pledge her support to owner A.J. O'Neil and the auto industry.

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"A.J. has really done a public service, bringing attention to this industry and its importance to all of us," Granholm said. The café's Assembly Line Concert has played nonstop since 5 p.m. Friday.

O'Neil aims to break a Guinness record of 216 hours for a nonstop concert while getting listeners -- in person and online at www.ipromiseAmerica.com -- to sign pledges promising their next car will be one built by the Detroit's Three. Guinness World Records publishes an annual list of record-breaking achievements.

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Motown was more than just music, it was a movement. And though it left Detroit for Los Angeles in 1972, it never really left Detroit. Still standing is Motown's studio A, later incorporated as a Motown museum.

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The Motown Historical Museum in Detroit, which celebrates its 24th anniversary this year, when Motown Records is celebrating its 50th, includes a tiny white house known as Hitsville, where singers were discovered by Berry Gordy and trained by studio executives to become the hottest thing in music.

The house, where groups like the Four Tops and the Temptations and artists like Stevie Wonder recorded their greatest hits, is a time capsule of the glory years of Motown.

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No, it's not Hollywood. It's not Los Angeles. It's Ypsi. If you've seen someone who looks like Hillary Swank or Minnie Driver or Sam Rockwell hanging around Ypsi and the Ann Arbor area lately, you're not seeing stars (literally). They are shooting a new movie in and around town.

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Starring Hilary Swank, Minnie Driver and Sam Rockwell, "Betty Anne Waters" has already been filmed in Ann Arbor, Chelsea and Ypsilanti. It was announced in February that filming would begin Monday in the Freeman Bunting Insurance building on Michigan Avenue in Downtown Ypsilanti.

The movie is based on the true story of a working mother in Massachusetts who puts herself through law school to represent her brother after his murder conviction.

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Although Michigan tourism is expecting a drop this year, promising signs have been discovered in an analysis by Michigan State University, which finds that leisure travel should hold up to this tourism decline.

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Michigan tourism is likely to drop slightly this year, but travel experts say they are seeing promising signs that things are starting to look up for the state's third-largest industry.

A new analysis by Michigan State University, released Monday, said tourism is expected to drop 3% to 4% this year after sinking 6% last year. But one of the authors, Donald Holecek, warned against "irrational pessimism," saying that even if business travel stays in the doldrums, leisure travel should hold up well.

"It looks like we're beginning to turn the corner," said Holecek, professor emeritus of tourism at MSU. Among the reasons are lower travel and gas prices.

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Over the last year, foreclosed and vacant properties have catapulted themselves into the forefront of major issues for Americans. Here in Michigan, the federal government has granted a number of cities a good chunk of change to try and solve the issue, and people on the front lines are optimistic.

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Waterford, which received a $2-million allocation, plans to use the money to help people with down payment assistance and closing costs.

It is one of several communities that have received allocations separate from Oakland, Wayne, and Macomb counties. Most programs are set up to assist low- and moderate-income individuals to purchase and rehab the foreclosed homes and are accepting applications now.

The Wayne County and Detroit programs differ in that they are looking for proposals from developers and nonprofit groups.

In Waterford, 71% of its funds will go to down payment assistance to help roughly 100 families purchase homes, said Bob Vallina, director of the township's community planning and development department.

The rest will go toward acquiring and demolishing derelict homes.

"The $2 million only addresses one-eighth of the problem here," Vallina said. "I am very appreciative of the resources to do something."

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Michigan was a big winner in the stimulus department, from transit to potential recycling programs. It also grabbed funding to improve energy efficiencies in the home to help lower heating and cooling bills. Bonus: It's also good for the environment.

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The White House announced today that Michigan is set to get more than $325 million in funds to help people weatherize their home and make them more energy efficient. It’s part of an $8-billion slice of the stimulus bill Congress passed earlier this year to get the economy moving again.

The idea is that by making homes and buildings more energy efficient, the nation will not only cut down on greenhouse gases but also put people to work. It also allows people to cut their heating and cooling bills.

Michigan’s allotment includes $243 million for programs that allow people to weatherize their homes, with an average investment of up to $6,500 per home in energy-efficiency upgrades. The money will be available for families making up to twice the federal poverty level – or about $44,000 a year for a family of four, according to the White House.

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Bob Dylan, dudes! He's coming to Michigan to play the Rothbury festival. And though the lineup is jam-packed with acclaimed artists, his presence jacks up the cred of the young festival.

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Still, his presence on Rothbury's bill lends a crucial gravitas to the fledgling fest. Bands such as EOTO and Chromeo may tickle the antennae of fans who live and breathe music, but Dylan brings a broad, built-in credibility that lifts the event's visibility among more casual onlookers.

That said, it would be a mistake to think Rothbury is aiming to fill 2,200 acres with peers of the 67-year-old musician. As last year's debut festival demonstrated, Rothbury is a commitment -- four long days and nights in the elements, on a sprawling site that can leave even the heartiest young souls spent by the end. Tickets are sold only as four-day passes, and while it's not implausible to buy a weekend pass for an afternoon visit, Rothbury is designed as a live-in camping event.

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Transit just doesn't exist in a vacuum. And for it to work it must have guidance (and a clear train of thought) as well as cooperation. Well, finally - though it isn't set in stone yet, a regional transit authority is nearly flesh and blood. Such an authority should get things moving along, so to speak, in the regional transit department.

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After decades of missed chances, southeast Michigan appears closer than ever to getting what other major cities already enjoy -- a true regional transportation system.

The first link in that potential system got a major boost last week when the Kresge Foundation and Detroit's Downtown Development Authority pledged a combined $44 million to the proposed M1-RAIL light-rail line on Woodward in Detroit.

The potential is big. Beyond actually moving people from place to place, regional transit systems tend to spur nearby creation of residential, retail and other development. The regional transit plan being considered for southeast Michigan envisions 30,000 new jobs, $1.4 billion in annual payroll and almost 11,000 housing units built near the transit lines, as well as boosted retail sales and other benefits, all spurred by the year 2035 if a regional transit system is built.

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For a university student sticking around Ann Arbor for the summer, they shouldn't have any trouble locating a summer job.

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As unemployment rates across the country soar, University students who plan to spend their vacation months in Ann Arbor can rest assured that their summer job options are intact — for the most part.

While some local businesses are downsizing their summer staffs, a number of owners said they plan on hiring at rates similar to past years and, as the economy tumbles, don’t feel the need to cut back.

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After years of speculation and meetings, the Detroit to Ann Arbor light rail should begin in October. Some communities, like Dearborn, are hoping to get a jump on the process to expedite the ride.

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A three-year trial system of a proposed intermodal rail passenger station that would allow passengers to ride from Ann Arbor to Detroit is slated to begin next October.

Officials in the city of Dearborn are looking to get a jump on the process, as on March 2, the Dearborn City Council unanimously approved a resolution authorizing Mayor Jack O'Reilly to execute an amendment to renew and extend a contract with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) through Sept. 30 for site selection, environmental assessment and preliminary engineering and design of an intermodal station in Dearborn.

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Metro Detroit has a long, rich history of television and television personalities. Legends from Soupy Sales to Bill Bonds get another shot of your attention through a new exhibit at the Detroit Historical Museum.

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The love affair between metro Detroit and its vintage TV stars is a devoted one. Even in the YouTube era, the men and women who used to rule the cathode-ray tube are still the kings and queens of our hearts.

That's one reason the exhibit opening today at the Detroit Historical Museum feels so right.

"Detroit's Classic TV Personalities" pays tribute to a cross-section of broadcasting legends through the years -- entertainer Soupy Sales, the late movie host Bill Kennedy, local anchors Bill Bonds, Emery King and Amyre Makupson, and a duo that switched over from news to talk, John Kelly and Marilyn Turner.

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With a new president comes new ideas (sometimes), and support for new ideas, and that's what we have here with stem cell research. President Barack Obama has doled out a pretty penny of cash and a large chunk of it is coming to Michigan to research stem cells.

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Millions of dollars are slated for an embryonic stem cell consortium at the University of Michigan. And the addition of any money from the National Institutes of Health -- possibly as soon as September -- will open the door for jobs.

"As of today, we can truly use all the resources we have," said Eva Feldman, director of the A. Alfred Taubman Medical Research Institute at U-M. While cautioning against false hope for immediate cures, she will use embryonic stem cells to study Lou Gehrig's disease.

As Obama announced his decision Monday morning, applause erupted at the White House for both the overturned ban and his directive to White House science officials to end an era of political influence on scientific progress and information.

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Cheap never goes out of style and it never dies. And as for a book written 15 years ago about about living cheap in Ann Arbor, not only has it not gone out of style, it hasn't changed much and the tips in the pages are still worth their salt.

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The book "Cheap Living In & Around Ann Arbor" is 15 years old, but the tips are still so relevant, it could have been written yesterday.

It was 1994 when Annie Zirkel, then a local stay-at-home mother, decided to put her thrifty ideas into print. She published 2,000 copies of her book and sold them around town for $5 each. Maybe you or someone you know has one stashed away somewhere.

"It wasn't a great big book, but it was a great accomplishment," Zirkel, who is now a therapist, told me this week.

"Cheap Living" has three parts: Part I is advice from experts. Part II is a second-hand directory, which lists more than 20 resale shops in the area with tips on each. Part III is called Cheap Deals.

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Put your seat backs in their upright positions please... 'cause the Aerotropolis initiative is gaining some steam. More cities have jumped on board with the airport city that is expected to create 64,000 jobs and $10 billion in economic impact.

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Officials estimate the Aerotropolis initiative is expected to create 64,000 new jobs, $10 billion in annual economic impact and millions of dollars in tax revenue for local communities.

"The Aerotropolis is a great concept for job creation, a necessary step for the economy of this region," Taylor Mayor Cameron Priebe said in a statement released today. "Taylor has always been a leader in economic development initiatives and the vote confirms the (Taylor) council's commitment to being ahead of the curve."

The airport city concept involves the clustering of air-commerce linked businesses adjacent to and surrounding the airports.

Nine local governments have been invited to join the Detroit Region Aerotropolis Initiative, a public-private sector partnership to spearhead the development. They include: Wayne County, Romulus, Taylor, Belleville, Van Buren and Huron Townships, Washtenaw County, Ypsilanti and Ypsilanti Township.

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Who needs the mass produced/mall style jewelry when you have Ferndale's Naka boutique? All this shop needs is a healthy stock of local artists and crafters.

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"I was already making my own jewelry, and most of my friends are artists of one kind or another," she says, as she sits with the shop's mascot, a black rescue dog named Ava, in Naka's sunny front window. "I thought it would be cool to have a place where we could sell our goods at a reasonable price point."

"Cool" is definitely the word for it. Pettibone LaPointe's penchant for attractive, unusual objects has made Naka the "go to" boutique for one-of-a-kind gifts, clothing and jewelry. Named for the Shona, Zimbabwe, word for "beautiful" (Pettibone LaPointe studied abroad in Africa), the shop features the work of more than 140 artists, many of them based in and around the Detroit area.

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Birmingham's newest loft development is pretty slick... and green.

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Take 735 Forest, a new 35,000-square-foot, three-story, brick-and-steel-panel "green" building in Birmingham's evolving Triangle District, for instance.

Today, the three-story structure houses the contemporary, street-level Forest Grill manned by chef Brian Polcyn; the offices of developers Mosher, Dolan, Cataldo & Kelly Inc.; Templeton Building Co.; and 10 chic urban lofts, which range in size from 763 to 1,236 square feet, on the third level. But it's taken four years of planning, designing, campaigning, negotiating and redesigning to get the green project off the ground.

Interior designer Ann Heath, a co-owner of the property (near the intersection of Woodward Avenue and Maple Road) and wife of builder Steve Templeton, took Homestyle on a tour of the model lofts, including her own, and explained what makes the building green.

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For some people there is nothing more glorious than pulling up to the giant blue and yellow IKEA building. It's kind of like that scene in "2001: A Space Odyssey," minus the violent imagery. It is that monumental. And now you can get there without your car. IKEA shuttle service has been implemented for your IKEA shopping pleasures.

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IKEA Canton's hourly destination shuttle will start Thursday, transporting patrons from the store at Ford and Haggerty to Campus Martius Park in Detroit and back.

The 40-seat bus, covered with IKEA's logo and a picture of its iconic Poäng chair, will run four consecutive days each month in conjunction with various events at the park to generate interest and revenue for both communities, said Kelly Frieze, store manager of IKEA Canton.

"While the IKEA store sits here in Canton, it was built to serve the entire Metro Detroit market," he said. "We're looking to broaden that appeal."

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Not everyone goes to Cancun for spring break. Some people don't go anywhere. And some other people stick around and volunteer their time to improving metro Detroit. It's called Alternative Spring Break. And instead of sunscreen and sand in the shorts these kids have a hammer and nails and toolbelts.

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Alternative Spring Break participants not only give up potential time in the sun relaxing, they also forego trips to volunteer in hurricane-damaged areas along the Gulf Coast. Instead, they perform service projects to help those in need elsewhere. Detroit is one of several non-disaster locations.

About 50 students are working in metro Detroit, building wheelchair ramps in Detroit and Warren and performing service projects at Vista Maria in Dearborn, the Lighthouse Path in Pontiac and Franklin Wright Settlements in Detroit.

The student volunteers are from several different states. Many were here last year for the inaugural program and are returning this year as project site leaders.

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Born to be wild? Or not? That's the question Royal Oak city officials want to know about the city's downtown. Would the possible introduction of a bistro license turn up the volume on the city?

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For some, new bistro licenses could be a way to let already established local businesses add beer or wine to their menu. For others, a bistro license should include the option for a full liquor bar.

And for others, bistro licenses are a way of allowing quiet restaurants to serve booze, and keep out the bigger bars that may change a town from quaint to wild. One-hundred seats or less is about what Andrzejak, for now, considers good bistro licenses.

"Each commissioner has a different perspective on bistro licenses," Commissioner Mike Andrzejak said. "To some, there's a misnomer that the goal is to bring more smaller liquor establishments into the city. That's not my desire. I see it as a defense against the next mega-bar proposal."

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