Monster Mash: Broad’s Michigan museum plans; Fresno museum on death watch; Hirshhorn’s balloon

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-- Inching forward: Michigan State University has set a March start date for the construction Eli Broad’s long-planned art museum. (The Chicago Tribune)

-- End is near: The Fresno Metropolitan Museum appears to be on verge of shutting down as its financial problems worsen. (The Fresno Bee)

-- Labor dispute: Broadway’s service workers -- including porters, cleaners and bathroom attendants at major Broadway theaters -- have given their union the authority to strike. (Playbill)

-- Inflated hopes: The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington is considering a 145-foot-tall balloon structure for its main courtyard. (The Washington Post)

-- Not in a buying mood: Annual sales of contemporary art dropped 75% at evening sales in 2009 for Sotheby’s and Christie’s. (Bloomberg)

-- Stage fright: Keira Knightly expresses fear over what critics will say about her upcoming stage debut in the West End revival of ‘The Misanthrope.’ (BBC News)

-- Potentially offensive: Cover art for the latest edition of Publisher’s Weekly magazine is causing a bit of a controversy. (The New York Times)

-- Honored: L.A. architect Eric Owen Moss has been chosen to curate the Austrian pavilion at the next Venice Architecture Biennale. (ArchDaily)

-- Do-si-do: Square-dancing enthusiasts are trying to attract a younger demographic. (The Wall Street Journal)

-- Mood for modern: San Francisco’s new Historic Preservation Commission is raising eyebrows among the city’s architectural community for its decision to champion certain mid-century buildings. (The Architect’s Newspaper)

-- And in the L.A. Times: Colorado’s Supreme Court upholds ban on onstage smoking; art critic Christopher Knight on New York magazine and Jerry Saltz.

-- David Ng