Friends of Belle Isle Aquarium

- Dedicated to the continuity and preservation of the Belle Isle Aquarium -

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News

2008

02/02/01 - WDET airing winter FOBIA spots - Listen to spot - MP3 file
02/02/08 - Shiver on the River Saturday, February 2, 2008 Help keep mercury out of our environment by bringing old mercury thermometers to exchange for a FREE
Family Fun All Day Long, Exhibits, Displays and Refreshments, Belle Isle Historical Slide Presentation, Magic John's Magic Show, Characatures by BobKat,
Environmental Arts and Crafts for kids, Detroit Puppet Theater, Fun All Around Belle Isle *Conservatory 10:00a.m.- 5:00p.m.*U.S. Coast Guard Station 10:00a.m.-3:00p.m.*Belle Isle Nature Zoo 10:00a.m.-4:00a.m.*Old Belle Isle Boat Club 12:00pm-4:00pm*Dossin Maritime Museum 11:00a.m.-4:00p.m.
01/07/08 - WDET Airing winter FOBIA spots
01/12/08 - Film Series: "Saving the Aquarium"
Saturday and Sunday, January 12 and 13, 2008, 1pm.
WSU graduate Elizabeth Greene’s documentary chronicling the Belle Isle Aquarium in the months before its scheduled closure.
The film will be shown in the Detroit Historical Museum Auditorium. Run time is 20 minutes.
Free to Detroit Historical Society members; free with paid Museum admission.

2007

11/26/07 - Upcoming events on Belle Isle
11/15/07 - Great day for a parade
10/05/07 - Old Miami holds Benefit for FOBIA
07/06/07 - Share your memories of Belle Isle Aquarium
0702/07 - Zoo board will keep Kagan
06/27/07 - Zoo chief on hot seat over resume
06/16/07 - Coming up - River Days! Sunday, June 24 and Monday, June 25th, 10 am - 10 pm
05/23/07 - Articles on Shark "Virgin Birth" at the BIA & Nebraska aquarium
03/04/07 - Grand Prix review mentions Aquarium

2006

11/08/06 - Friends of Belle Isle Annual Meeting

09/09/06 - FOBIA members service the info booth at the Dally in the Alley

08/21/06 - Model D - Belle Isle's conservatory getting renovations

07/24/06 - Detroit News - Detroit woos Hollywood filmmakers

07/08/06 - Hats off to the Belle Isle Women’s Committee!

06/29/06 - DESIREE COOPER: World's richest should focus on help at home - Free Press

06/21/06 - Northern Kentucky aquarium rivals Chicago's famed Shedd - Free Press

05/30/06 - Kilpatrick addresses Academy on value of diversity in Detroit area - Oakland Press

05/27/06 - Belle Isle Revival: The Aquarium - The Detroiter/Leyland DeVito

05/25/06 - New Orleans Aquarium reopens

04/21/06 - FOBIA Fundraiser in Redford, April 28th

02/22/06 - The Annual FOBIA Meeting - Feb. 28th

01/06/06 - FOBIA obtains non-profit tax exempt status.

2005

12/31/05 - Pictures of the Belle Isle New Year's Eve Family Fun
Run / Walk
12/29/05 - Belle Isle New Year's Eve Family Fun Run / Walk
10/14/05 - WWJ Mayoral interviews - Subject: Belle Isle Aquarium
10/11/05 - Detroit Free Press - Zoo faces uncertain future as city struggles to fund it
09/11/05 - Detroit News - Detroit News, Hendrix: Revitalize but don't sell Belle Isle
09/11/05 - Katrina - Sharks and other sea life die in their polluted tanks
09/10/05 - Detroit News - Ailing Detroit spends $1 million on deer
08/03/05 - Aquarium? 87.8% of Detroit Citizens say "YES!"
08/01/05 - FOBIA Committee formation - Join in the struggle to get the Aquarium back up and running!
07/22/05 - Detroit News - Summer heat puts Detroit's election in the cool shade
07/14/05 - WDET - "All things Considered" Detroit Voters to Get a Say on Aquarium Closure
07/14/05 - Pre-committee meeting on Monday. Click for details
07/11/05 - Gramps, the gourami is sent away.
06/28/05 - Finally! FOBIA Board created convenes! See pictures
05/27/05 - Free Press - THE DEATH OF AN AQUARIUM CELEBRITY: Belle Isle's beloved curiosity doesn't make it to new home.
05/26/05 - Channel 4 - Belle Isle's Alligator Gar Dies In Transit
05/25/05 - Hal, the giant alligator gar who made BIA his home for more than 20 years, died in transit to his new home in Colorado. Cause of death unknown, died approximately 8 hours into the trip.
05/18/05 - “AquaBits” is designed to share brief updates
05/16/05 - Aquarists question time" on Forum
05/14/05 - Aquarium pictures by Diane Dubbeld
05/23/05 - FOBIA status report: The Friends of Belle Isle Aquarium are in the process of convening a board which will direct and govern the actions of FOBIA.
A logistical plan of action is being devised so that the Aquarium can be rapidly re-opened.
05/17/05 - New Gallery pictures by Diana Dubbeld
05/07/05 - "Aquarists question time" now open
04/20/05 - Clawson Mirror - Oakland looks into buying Detroit Zoo
04/20/05 - MP3 Tribute to the Belle Isle Aquarium by Michael Hoshaw
04/20/05 - State News - Animal instincts
04/16/05 - Detroit News - Zoo faces money crunch, seeks long-term solutions
04/13/05 - Detroit News - Suburbs Have a Stake in Detroit's Budget Woes
04/13/05 - Free Press - The impact: Zoo, museums fight to thrive
04/13/05 - Free Press - Mayor's cuts go deep in Detroit budget plan
04/13/05 - Oakland Press - Detroit mayor plans to pull zoo funding
04/12/05 - Detroit Free Press - Kilpatrick ready to overhaul, cut, merge
04/10/05 - Detroit News - Detroit edges closer to crisis
04/10/05 - Free Press - Site's panoramic shots show Michigan to world
04/10/05 - Detroit Free Press letter - Unique to Detroit
04/09/05 - Detroit Free Press - Kilpatrick shares blame for Detroit's budget crisis
04/09/05 - The Mayor will give his Budget Address at 10:00 am Tuesday. More
04/08/05 - Zoo Audit, Misappropriations during Kagan's custodianship ( .pdf file)
04/07/05 - Canada, Toronto Globe and Mail - How Motown lost its bounce
04/07/05 - FOBIA members official action; attempt but find doors closed. Press release.
04/05/05 - DESIREE COOPER: Nothing fishy in report on city's decline
04/04/05 - Letter from Representative Steve Beida, 25th District added to site
04/04/05 - Channel 7 - Detroit's Aquarium Closes After 101 Years
04/04/05 - Channel 4 - Belle Isle Aquarium Closed, For Now - Yazaki, Greektown Pitch In To Save Historic Site
04/04/05 - Free Press - Visitors bid aquarium farewell - Group is rebuffed in bid to save Detroit's fish
04/04/05 - Detroit Free Press - Detroit's aquarium closes after 101 years
04/04/05 - Detroit News - No life preserver for landmark Belle Isle Aquarium fans say goodbye to an institution that Detroit can't afford.
04/03/05 - Closing Day. Administration Closes Belle Isle Aquarium.
04/01/05 - Sold out! Benefit bash at the Detroit Yacht Club - Pictures
04/01/05 - Creain's Weekly - Yazaki donates $10,000 to Belle Isle Aquarium group
04/01/05 - Detroit News - Belle Isle's luster fades - Residents worry park could lose more than aquarium, but improvements slated.
04/01/05 - Free Press - DETROIT BUDGET CRISIS: Aquarium supporters fight to turn the tide
03/31/05 - See the Aquarium in 360! - from 360Michigan.net
03/31/04 - Letter to MAYOR from Rep. Steve Bieda, 25th District
03/31/05 - SaneDetroit.com - Belle Isle Aquarium Political Action Committee created.
03/30/05 - Aquarium on Channel 7 6:00pm
03/30/05 - FOBIA on WWJ Radio 2:30pm
03/30/05 - Metro Times - Looking into the Abyss
03/29/05 - 4739 Aquarium Visitors in 2 DAYS! (Photos)
03/29/05 - Channel 4 - Protesters Won't Give Up On Belle Isle Aquarium
03/29/05 - Preservation Online - Detroit To Close 101-Year-Old Aquarium
03/29/05 - Rally for the Belle Isle Aquarium at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center
03/28/05 - WXYZ - Belle Isle Aquarium to Close Doors Sunday
03/28/05 - Governor Granholm response to FOBIA supporter
03/27/05 - Detroit News - Fans of aquarium race against clock
03/26/05 - Mayoral candidate Sharon McPhail visits the Belle Isle Aquarium
03/26/05 - BBC Visits Belle Isle Aquarium, to air in two weeks. Stay posted!
03/25/05 - Letter from Germany
03/24/05 - FOBIA before City Council - Resolution
03/23/05 - Michigan United Conservation Clubs letter to Detroit Council
03/23/05 - At a the DYC luncheon this Wednesday, mayoral candidate Freman Hendrix told the audience that upon becoming mayor he would re-open the Aquarium if it is shuttered by this administration.
03/23/05 - Detroit City Council today - FOBIA progress report. If doors close April 3rd, is Council empowered to transfer lease to FOBIA?
03/23/05 - Metro Times, Letters to the editor
03/23/05 - Detroit News - Kilpatrick asserts Progress
03/22/05 - Free Press - City is near top of list of spenders
03/20/05 - Detroit News- Kilpatrick's challenges grow
03/20/05 - Eileen & Phil Wullschleger of Grosse Pointe Farms represented our cause on Channel 5 on the Grosse Pointes' cable station. They appeared on Robert Taylor's show "Out of the Ordinary, into the Extraordinary." The show will be aired starting the week of March 20, 2005.
03/19/05 - BBC To interview FOBIA this coming week!
03/19/05 - WOMC 104.3 interviews FOBIA. To air Sunday 7:00AM
03/19/05 - Radio FOBIA interviewed by WWJ 950
03/19/05 - Benefit for FOBIA April 1st 6:30PM - 1:30AM at the Detroit Yacht Club - $100.00/ticket
03/16/05 - FOBIA'S Kate Alan and Jennifer Boardman appear on Comcast Cable Channel 10, 6:30 p.m.
03/15/05 - Belle Isle Aquarium benefit dinner at Charley's Grilled
Sub at Macomb Mall
03/14/05 - Macomb Daily - Without donor, Detroit may lose aquarium
03/14/05 - Salute to the establishments that take donations for FOBIA
03/12/05 - Free Press - Who's next to give?
03/10/05 - Bumper-sticker image - soon for sale
03/10/05 - FOBIA President Kate Alan meets with City Administration; earning projections
03/10/05 - Jennifer Boardman of FOBIA meets with Detroit Synergy. Here are the notes of her speech
03/10/05 - FOBIA Meeting
03/09/05 - the Detroit City Council today over rode Mayor Kilpatrick's veto relative to the Resolution urging that the Belle Isle Aquarium remain open for two months to allow time for supporters to raise money to bridge the funding gap. Tragically, this is not an automatic halt on the Mayor's plans; but the action does place on record the will of the legislative body.
03/09/05 - Metro Times - The tragedy of the aquarium
03/08/05 - FOBIA Vs. Zoo Dir Ron Kagan - WJR 760am at 7:20am
03/07/05 - Link to Aquarium on Zoo web site; really well hidden. Also, no history.
03/07/05 - International observers notice Detroit closing is it's cultural institutions: Kerala, India
03/07/05 - New! Frequently asked Questions (FAQ's)
03/07/05 - Detroit News - Will aquarium be one more Detroit treasure that will end up hidden?
03/06/05 - Collateral damage for Detroit - Effort to save Detroit aquarium fails - Australia
03/06/05 - Record crowds at Aquarium this weekend
03/05/05 - If it closes - Flee or Fight? Vote!
03/05/05 - Record crowds at the Aquarium
03/04/05 - Free Press - Belle Isle Aquarium to close in April
03/04/05 - Channel 7 - Officials Set Closing Date for Belle Isle Aquarium
03/04/05 - Letter; Governor Granholm lends moral support to FOBIA
03/04/05 - Channal 4 - It's Official! City Says Belle Isle Aquarium Will Close
03/03/05 - A notable donation
03/03/05 - Detroit free Press - Officials set closing date for Belle Isle Aquarium
03/03/05 - Crains Detroit - Aquarium
03/02/05 - WWJ Radio, Channel 7 news
03/01/05 - "Hey Mayor" - Something light-hearted
03/01/05 - Detroit News - Aquarium treads water on Belle Isle, while help frets on shore
03/01/05 - Donations are tax deductible.
02/28/05 - Fox News - 10 pm
02/28/05 - Will a new aquarium save the city?
02/27/05 - Regularly updated pledge results now online
02/27/05 - DNR offer refused by Mayor's office?
02/27/05 - Unprecedented numbers attend the Aquarium on weekend; more than 3,300
02/27/05 - Oakland Press - Aquarium in danger of sinking
02/27/05 - WWJ Radio FOBIA interview
02/26/05 - FOBIA pledge - have your company place a temporary button on their site.
02/26/05 - Attendance up %100+
02/25/05 - WDET Local News Battle Over Belle Isle Aquarium
by Celeste Headlee
02/25/05 - We're tapped out - Fobia War chest created, PayPal
02/25/05 - FOBIA small change drive Label
02/25/05 - Free Press - Belle Isle Aquarium needs $500,000
02/25/05 - Do we need a new Super Aquarium?
02/25/05 - Free Press - BUDGET DENIAL: Detroit City Council should offer options, not roadblocks
02/24/05 - Detroit News - Aquarium may earn reprieve
02/24/05 - Free Press - Belle Isle aquarium gets 8-week reprieve
02/23/05 - Detroit Council gives FOBIA 2 months to come up with the dough for the aquarium. Pledge drive started.
02/23/05 - FOBIA interviewed by WWJ
02/23/05 - Washington Times - Analysis: Budget crisis stalls Detroit
02/23/05 - South End - Aquarium closure not recommended by city council.
02/23/05 - aquarium, Fox 2 Morning News
02/22/05 - Detroit News - Group puts pressure on to save aquarium
02/22/05 - Free Press - PAYING FOR BELLE ISLE
02/21/05 - FOBIA goes before City Council -TRUCE!. FOBIA to meet with Detroit Zoo Director Ron Kagan on Thursday to discuss funding campaign.
02/21/05 - Free Press - Activists fight closing of Detroit's Belle Isle Aquarium
02/21/05 - Channel 4
02/21/05 - WXYZ Local News
02/21/05 - Free Press: BELLE ISLE AQUARIUM GETS A BOOST: Fighting to save the fish
02/20/05 - Aquarium gathering in driving snow, News 2, News 4, News 7 Pictures
02/19/05 - Letters, Detroit Free Press
02/17/05 - "Exceptional writings" expand considerably.
02/16/05 - Detroit Free Press "Belle Isle Aquarium worth keeping" by Karen Pope
02/16/05 - FOBIA goes before City Council 9:00am today.
02/15/05 - Metro Times "We have his number"
02/14/05 - Oakland Press - Supporters say aquarium is worth saving
02/12/05 - Meeting at the Coffee Beanery
02/11/05 - Detroit News article by Betty DeRamus
02/11/05 - FOBIA on WDET
02/11/05 - Meeting at U of Detroit
02/10/05 - Losing Nemo - Detroit Free Press
02/10/05 - 'Fish Sticks' - signs for today's media event 1:30PM at the Aquarium!
02/09/05 - Metro Times article by Nancy Kaffer
02/09/05 - Palmer Woods resolution
02/08/05 - Photo opportunity; Oakland Press needs a photo for their article on the Belle Isle Aquarium. Thursday, 1:30PM at the Aquarium. Please come!
02/08/05 - Forum; Mayor Kilpatrick confirms closure. Claims Aquarium costs one million Dollars a year to maintain. Says he'll build new one.
02/08/05 - Mayor's Forum at 6:00pm - Be there!!!
02/07/05 - We are not alone any more - Maryann Mahaffey, Council President, Council Members Alonzo W. Bates and Joann Watson join us in the campaign to keep the Belle Isle Aquarium open.
02/07/05 - Golden sawfin - saved from extinction by the Belle Isle Aquarium
02/05/05 - Opinion Poll who much would you spend to keep it open?
02/04/05 - Poster Gallery added - download documents and distribute info.
02/03/05 - Detroit News, Detroit's zoo boss denies rift & FOBIA response
02/03/05 - FOBIA representatives confer with Zoological Society today.
02/03/05 - The Kagan Press Release - and rebuttal
02/03/05 - FOBIA letter to Governor Granholm
02/03/05 - FOBIA member gives petition to Council Members.
02/03/05 - Mayor Kilpatrick & FORUMS
02/02/05 - Zoo Director on Kagan removed from Detroit Zoological Society! Details.
02/02005 - Channel 4, Group Hopes To Keep Belle Isle Aquarium Open
02/02/05 - FOBIA meeting calls for accelerated activity; focus shifts to Governor, Mayor & City Council. Covered by Channel 4, Metro Times, Detroit Free Press.
02/01/05 - Free Press - Letter to the Editor
02/01/05 - Fox TV Channel 2 News at 5:30pm interviews FOBIA.
02/01/05 - FOBIA meeting tonight!
01/29/05 - Zoo Boycott proposal
01/29/05 - Dismantling accelerated, closure expected March 4th.
01/29/05 - Shiver on the River - Feb 5th
01/27/05 - General assembly, FOBIA Meeting,
February 1, 2005 7:00pm - 8:30pm - Agenda
Coffee Beanery (Woodward & 9 Mile) – Ferndale
01/27/05 - Zoo Director Ron Kagan accelerating closure of Aquarium: tank raided by Zoo; now empty!
01/26/05 - "Ron said we said"
01/25/05 - Petition approaches 600!
01/24/05 - Article By Betty DeRamus / The Detroit News
01/24/05 - Snow writing
01/24/05 - The petition list escalates - check out the opinions
01/23/05 - People braved the snow and freezing temperatures to show their support for the Aquarium. Afterwards, we went for coffee to organize. Stay tuned for the next activity.
01/22/05 - Resistance to the closing is spreading
01/22/05 - Aquarium - Ricardo Rodgers writes a song
01/21/05 - In progress: Letters - Webmasters choice (in progress)
01/21/05 - Support; The Aquarium Society of Ann Arbor will be represented at the 'walk-about'
01/21/05 - Councilwoman Alberta Tinsley Talabi responds
01/21/05 - Local businesses join the fight
01/20/05 - Open letter to Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick
01/20/05 - Shiver on the River Friends of the Detroit River Feb 5th
01/19/05 - FOBIA T-Shirt available $9.99 (No profit)
01/19/05 - You can see a draft of the FoBC's proposal at
http://igorfilms.com/FoBC/Endangered.Detroit.pdf, compliments of Frank Nemecek
The National Trust for Historic Preservation publishes an annual list of "America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places." It highlights historic sites that are in jeopardy -- either through neglect, vandalism or outright demolition.
01/19/05 - Detroit Free Press opinion, "Save the Aquarium"
01/19/05 - New, powerful forum software added to site
01/15/05 - Detroit Zoo announces the Aquarium is to be closed! FOBIA fights back - sign up to help!
01/15/05 - Gathering clouds...
Belle Isle Aquarium closing after 101 years - Free Press