News

As we search for the best new music on  WEMU, we will often feature someone you’ve never heard before but think is worth your time. 

The Washtenaw County Office of Community and Economic Development is funding a survey of small and home-based businesses in our area to find out what they need to be successful. 

WEMU's Bob Eccles spoke with Jessica Meissner about the survey.  Jessica is an economic anthropologist and an advocate for sustainable, community-based economies with The Shed, a business and employment collaborative.

Here's a link to the survey:
http://theshedbec.com

Rattlesnakes in Washtenaw County! They're here, and they serve a purpose. Unfortunately their habitat has been threatened, but a project is underway to help. Joining WEMU's David Fair on Issues of the Environment is Steven Parrish, Steven is the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake Habitat Restoration Project Manager and Natural Areas Specialist at Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum.  Together, David and Steven discuss  work in Washtenaw County on the Eastern Massasauga Habitat Restoration and Education Project.

Ypsilanti City Council has approved a purchase agreement for a portion of the Water Street Property. As WEMU's Bob Eccles reports, the action will result in a new, Family Dollar Store.

There has been no shortage of input from the community at public forums on the Ann Arbor School District's budget proposal. The latest hearing was held Tuesday night at Pioneer High school. The budget proposal calls for eight-point-seven million dollars in cuts for the upcoming academic year. As WEMU's Andrew Cluley reports, attendees are also suggesting ways to enhance district revenue.

Residents in the Village of Dexter have voted to continue on the path to becoming a city. WEMU's Andrew Cluley has more on the vote in Tuesday's election.

Ypsilanti City Council has approved a purchase agreement for a Family Dollar store to be built on the northeast corner of the Water Street re-development area.

The approval came after the developer agreed to some changes to make the store fit better with the city’s vision for the property, including moving the store to the northwest corner of the point-eight-five acre parcel.

The city is selling the parcel for $210,000. 

A light ballot in Washtenaw County on Tuesday day means relatively quick results. The results, keep in mind, are unofficial until certified by the Board of Canvassers.

Voters in Dexter Village have opted to continue moving forward with the process of becoming a city. The measure passed on a vote of 460-to-408. The next step will be the election of a nine-member charter commission. Once a draft charter is adopted and passed by the state, incorporation into city-hood will go before a vote of the people.

Washtenaw Community College is the first community college in Michigan to put a textbook-free learning program in place. 

The Kaleidoscope Project uses open educational resources - basically online textbooks - to help make higher education more affordable. 

Linda Blakey is WCC's Vice-President of Student and Academic Services.  She says the fall semester will be WCC's first time participating in the program, but the Kaleidoscope Project is in its second year.

Lengthy public hearings on a proposed apartment complex development at 413 East Huron have prevented Ann Arbor City Council from taking action on the matter. As WEMU's Andrew Cluley reports, for a second meeting in a row, council last night halted its session prior to finishing up the nights agenda.

A decision on ordinances effecting the way the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority operates has been postponed until September. As WEMU's Andrew Cluley reports, Ann Arbor City Council last night voted unanimously to delay consideration of the issues.

Ypsilanti Community Schools will have a former National Football League player as its first Athletic Director. 

Lamanzer Williams has approved an offer to assume the position when the district is officially created on July 1st. 

Williams played football with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins, along with the Berlin Thunder in NFL Europe. 

He's a Willow Run High School Hall-of-Fame inductee who has earned degrees from Eastern Michigan University, Concordia Chicago University and Grand Valley State University. 

Supporters and opponents of the Village of Dexter continue to discuss the possibility of becoming a city. Both sides share a love for Dexter, but they are unsure of what becoming a city will mean for them individually, or as a community.

Ultimately, voters are asked to decide if they want to find out what proposals the City Council Commission would make, or if they definitely want to remain a village and end the process now. Hear the full story from WEMU's Andrew Cluley. 

The Obama administration wants to continue funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative at its current level of $300 million, but is it enough?  This month's First Friday Focus on the Environment from WEMU examines how the initiative has helped the Great Lakes.  Our guest is the Executive Director of the National Wildlife Federation's Great Lakes Regional Center, Andy Buchsbaum.

Washtenaw County agencies have received just over $4 million in federal funds for programs battling the problem of homelessness.  The second round of grants from the U-S Department of Housing and Urban development was announced Thursday.  Hear more from WEMU's Andrew Cluley.

For the first time ever,  Washtenaw County officials will be preparing a four-year budget proposal.   County commissioners voted 7 to 2 Wednesday night in favor of a resolution directing the county's administration to develop a quadrennial budget.   Hear more from WEMU's Andrew Cluley.

Film festivals galore, including Cinetopia, Jewish Film Festival; Iron Man 3, new openings downtown, and much more on this week's Cinema Chat from WEMU.

Ann Arbor's Commuter Challenge is underway, encouraging  the use of alternative transportation methods to get to work in Ann Arbor.  Hear more from WEMU's Andrew Cluley.

Program Director, Clark Smith, is retiring after 30 years at the station. His last day was Friday, May 3.

Originally hired as News Director in May of 1983, Smith was named Program Director in 2007 and filled both positions until Morning Edition anchor, David Fair, was named News Director in August of 2012.

Under Smith’s direction the WEMU news department expanded its coverage of Washtenaw County to include the city councils and school boards in Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor, the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners, AATA, and many other civic groups.

Hidden dangers posed by underground oil pipelines could threaten the Huron River.  Laura Rubin is Executive Director of the Huron River Watershed Council, and she's our guest on this week's Issues of Environment from WEMU.