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.

WEMU is excited to welcome NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! to Rave Cinemas for a live nationwide broadcast, 8pm this Thursday, May 2nd! Get your tickets now.