David Fair

There will be a new Representative in the 12th Congressional District next year, but it won't be current State Senator Rebekah Warren. The Ann Arbor Democrat posted the following statement on her Facebook page:  

Water is one of the most important natural resources in Michigan. As a Great Lakes state, perhaps it's the most important. We are also spoiled with an amazing network of inland lakes, rivers and streams that enhance our quality of life in a myriad of ways. So, protecting this resource is something we think about often.  

Invasive species, pollution and water levels are some of the frequent conversations we engage in. What we discuss less frequently is vast number of oil pipelines that run through the state of Michigan near, and sometimes under our precious waterways. That's the topic in the March edition of WEMU's 1st Friday Focus on the Environment.  

Listen Here: 

An Eastern Michigan University educator wants people to give themselves a 24-hour break from smartphones, text messages and other media-based technology. Professor Christine Tracy is urging students, faculty and others on the Ypsilanti campus and in nearby communities to spend today celebrating the fifth annual National Day of Unplugging.   

Tracy teaches digital journalism and media ecology. She says people have a "mostly unconscious dependence on technology" and a "daylong respite is just the first step toward more enlightened use of" digital tools.

Snowy Owls don't make it to Washtenaw County every winter. They made it this winter in greater numbers than usual. Why? Where might you see one?  In this week's installment of WEMU's Issues of the Environment, David Fair seeks out answers to those questions.

One of the longest serving members of the Washtenaw County Board of commissioners will not seek re-election in 2014.

United States Representative John Dingell (D-Dearborn) has announced he will not seek re-election this year, after serving in Congress for nearly 60-years. His wife, Debbie, last week announced she will seek the Democratic nomination to fill the 12th Congressional seat. Today, an Ypsilanti man announced he will seek to replace the 87-year old political legend, as a Republican.

Debbie Dingell formally announced today she's running for the 12th Congressional seat her husband has held for nearly 60 years.  Dingell had kick-off events in Dearborn, Ann Arbor, and Ypsilanti.

State of Michigan Senator Rebekah Warren has announced today on 89.1 WEMU she will officially launch a Congressional Exploratory Committee for the seat being vacated by Representative John Dingell.

Warren made the announcement herself Friday morning during the Morning Edition with 89.1 WEMU’s David Fair. Listen to Warren’s announcement above.

  There is plenty of Hollywood and movie related news this week, and there are some new films showing this weekend. 89.1 WEMU's David Fair and Michigan Theater Executive Director and CEO, Russ Collins, have the breakdown for you.

It's Cinema Chat and you can listen right here:

There has to be some good that comes from all of the snow, ice and frigid temperatures, right?  In this week's installment of Issues of the Environment, WEMU's David Fair explores how the environment may benefit from these conditions, come the spring and summer.

Listen to David's conversation with LimnoTech Senior Scientist, Dr. John Lenters:

DTE Energy says it's ready if high winds tear through it's service area tonight. A High Wind Watch is in effect from this evening through end of afternoon Friday. Gusts could reach, or exceed, 50-miles per hour.  That kind of wind can break tree branches and knock down power lines. So, what is the utility doing to get ready? This is DTE Spokesperson Erica Donerson.

Wet, heavy snow blanketed portions of the region late this morning. Add in a bit of freezing rain and light rain showers, and you have the makings of a bad weather day.

There is a Winter Weather Advisory in effect until 4pm for Washtenaw and Wayne Counties.  Snowfall totals could exceed two inches and ice accumulation could reach a tenth of an inch. that makes for potentially slippery and hazardous road and sidewalk conditions, so caution is advised. 

There is plenty of Hollywood and movie related news this week, and there are some new films opening this weekend. 89.1 WEMU's David Fair and Michigan Theater Executive Director and CEO, Russ Collins, have the breakdown for you. It's Cinema Chat and you can listen right here:

Drinking tap water in Ann Arbor is common practice. It rates rather highly in terms of quality and taste, and most find it difficult to tell the difference between city water and bottled water. Many may not know that research shows pharmaceutical drugs are making it into the water supply.

In this week's "Issues of the Environment"  89.1 WEMU's David Fair explores the issue and what it may mean for you. The guest this week is Larry Sanford, the city of Ann Arbors' Assistant Manager of Water Treatment Services. 

EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY PRESS RELEASE:

YPSILANTI – Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has reappointed Ted Ligibel, a professor at Eastern Michigan University, to the State Historic Preservation Review Board. The appointment was announced Jan. 28, 2014. 

Ligibel is director of Eastern Michigan’s award-winning Historic Preservation Program, which is the largest such program in the nation, with 90 graduate students and 15 undergraduates currently enrolled.

In this week's edition of Cinema Chat, Michigan Theater Program Director, Amanda Bynum sits down to talk with 89.1 WEMU's David Fair about the latest upcoming movies downtown and around town.

The conversation first covers some news out of The Sundance Film Festival and in Ann Arbor. 

Cinema Chat is a regular feature heard each Thursday during Morning Edition on 89.1 WEMU.

The University of Michigan has named Dr. Mark Schlissel as the school's 14th  President. On a unanimous vote this morning the board chose to hire Brown University Provost, Dr. Mark Schlissel to serve as Mary Sue Coleman's successor.

Schlissel has been Provost at Brown since July of 2011. prior to that post, He served as Dean of Biological Sciences in the College of Letters and Science at the University of California–Berkeley. 

SEE ALSO: New U of M President Mark Schlissel on the role of the University Beyond Campus [AUDIO]

President Mary Sue Coleman announced last year that she would step down when her contract expires this summer. She will leave as Michigan's fourth longest-serving leader. Coleman was hired in 2002 after seven years as president at the University of Iowa. The 70-year-old Coleman also is the university's first female president. 

The Sundance Film Festival is winding down. On this week's installment of  Cinema Chat, David Fair catches up with Michigan Theater Program Director Amanda Bynum to find out what's happening in Park City, Utah. Amanda and Michigan Theater Director Russ Collins have been scouring the festival to identify movies they can bring back to Ann Arbor and the Cinetopia Film Festival.

Have they? Give it a listen to find out!

This week the discussion centers around dispelling the myths of affordable housing. New affordable housing is often equated with being "cheaply built."  We didn't have a definitive answer on the subject, so we went looking. We found that quite opposite is true.  

Our guest this week builds affordable homes in the Metro Detroit Region; quality and efficiency is what makes them affordable. 

Rob Nissly, Housing Director for Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley will discuss the connection between reigning in energy costs and homeownership for lower income residents of Washtenaw County.

Governor Rick Snyder issued his 2014 State of the State Address Thursday, January 17, 2014 and 89.1 WEMU carried it live as a partnership with Michigan Public Radio Network.  This is their coverage of the event and the Democratic response.  

SEE ALSO: Washtenaw County Lawmakers Respond to Governor Rick Snyder's State of State Address

In this week's edition of Cinema Chat, Michigan Theater Program Director, Amanda Bynum sits down to talk with 89.1 WEMU's David Fair about the latest upcoming movies downtown and around town.

The conversation first covers some news out of Hollywood and Ann Arbor. Cinema Chat is a regular feature heard each Thursday during Morning Edition on 89.1 WEMU.

Snow is wet, and made of nothing more than frozen water. So, it may seem strange to consider it a fire hazard. But, it is. Because there has been so much snow, many of the road plows have been creating huge snow mounds that cover up fire hydrants. 

Some property owners also pile up around the hydrants in an effort to clear a path for their vehicles. Ypsilanti Township Fire Chief Eric Copeland tells 89.1 WEMU News, that could delay the time in which the fire department can respond to a fire. If they can’t find the hydrant, they can’t fight the fire on your property. Chief Copeland asks,  if you have a fire hydrant near your property, take a few minutes and shovel it out so it is both visible and accessible.

In additional to the long list of school closings, there are other institutions and business closings their doors today.

The Ann Arbor Hands on Museum

The University of Michigan Credit Union

Eastern Michigan University Financial

Recycle Ann Arbor's Drop-Off Station on Ellsworth Road

All Non-Essential Washtenaw County Government Operations and Buildings are closed.

Pittsfield Township Government offices are closed.

Ypsilanti Township government offices and the 14-B District court are closed. People with scheduled court appearances should contact the court on Tuesday.

The 15th District Court in Ann Arbor is closed and those scheduled to appear at Court today will be contacted by Court representatives to reschedule.

The Ypsilanti Community Schools Board of Education meeting scheduled for tonight has been canceled.

The Ann Arbor Housing Commission is closed

The Ann Arbor and the Monroe Social Security Administration offices are closed 

The Ann Arbor Hands on Museum is closed.

Garbage and recycling will be delayed by a day for Pittsfield Township residents.

The Ann Arbor District Library will open at noon today.

Saint Joseph Mercy Health System is urging all patients who have non-urgent appointments at any of our hospitals and outpatient care centers to stay home. Contact your care provider to cancel your appointment and reschedule for a later date. The Michigan Heart offices are closed through noon today. Radiation Oncology for outpatient services are closed for the day. Most other offices as well as St. Joe's emergency departments will remain open.

The U of M Health System says it will keep all of its hospitals and outpatient care centers open.