Features

Grey Grant, Hanna Hasselschwert, and Ken MacGregor.

Healthy Communities

From end of life doulas to opera, Ypsilanti embraces unconventional approaches to death and grief

Rylee BarnsdaleWednesday, January 17, 2024

In Ypsilanti, many community members are using creativity and building community to shift social perspectives on death.

Flint-based THOT SQUAD is organizing Audacity Fest.

Arts and Culture

New Ypsilanti festival to feature hip-hop and rap from Ypsi, Flint, Detroit, and California

Natalia HoltzmanWednesday, January 17, 2024

We recently got on the phone with festival organizer THOT SQUAD to talk about their style, influences, and goals, as well as what audiences can expect from Audacity Fest.

A graphic showing data from a new study on post-COVID recovery in Ann Arbor and other major downtown areas.

Economic Development

Study finds that downtown Ann Arbor's post-COVID recovery surpasses Austin, Chicago, other cities

Natalia HoltzmanWednesday, January 17, 2024

Not only has Ann Arbor’s downtown fully recovered from pandemic-era stagnancy, but it has also surpassed comparable cities.

Young people making music at Neutral Zone.

Kids and Education

Ann Arbor teen center wins $500,000 national award for music programming

Jaishree DrepaulWednesday, January 17, 2024

Ann Arbor nonprofit teen center Neutral Zone recently received $500,000 as a recipient of The Lewis Prize for Music's 2024 Accelerator Awards.

Friends In Deed staffers Carla Wilson, Nikia Smith, Sarah Thornburg, and Elisa Guyton.

Healthy Communities

After disastrous leak, Ypsi Township nonprofit seeks help to provide furniture to those in need

Sarah RiggWednesday, January 17, 2024

Friends In Deed is seeking donations of gently-used furniture and volunteers to move large items in the wake of a roof leak that took out most of the nonprofit's stock.

Partner Content

Metromode - Metro Detroit

How URC is creating a sustainable tomorrow in learning spaces today

Sarah SpohnTuesday, January 16, 2024

An alliance of three leading research institutions in Michigan is producing real-world sustainability education, research, and innovation for a greener tomorrow.

LaTasha Barnes (center, flanked by Lee Holland Jr. and Alain Lauture) is the creator of "The Jazz Continuum."

Arts and Culture

Acclaimed dance performance celebrating jazz's influence will engage local dancers in Ann Arbor stop

Natalia HoltzmanMonday, January 15, 2024

For renowned dancer/choreographer LaTasha Barnes, "dance [is] a manifestation of community." Barnes will build community here in Ann Arbor in a Jan. 19 performance of her celebrated show "The Jazz Continuum" at the Power Center.

Linda Mealing at the NWWNA Community Garden.

Healthy Communities

New oral history project spotlights stories of Ypsi's farmers and gardeners

Sarah RiggWednesday, January 10, 2024

From promoting the importance of land ownership to making sure neighborhoods don't go hungry, Ypsilanti-area food growers' stories are captured in a new oral history project.

Kids and Education

WCC's new esports arena helps students build professional skills, win national gaming competitions

Jaishree DrepaulWednesday, January 10, 2024

Since its soft launch last spring, Washtenaw Community College's (WCC) esports arena – a dedicated facility for competitive video gaming – has been helping to catapult WCC students into the national spotlight.

Mariachi Herencia de México will perform in Ann Arbor this month.

Arts and Culture

Ann Arbor students do deep dive on mariachi music in advance of Chicago mariachi band's performance

Natalia HoltzmanWednesday, January 10, 2024

Students at Ann Arbor's Scarlett Middle School have been exploring the history and cultural significance of mariachi music as they prepare to enjoy a special performance by a chart-topping Chicago-based mariachi group.

Brian Banks (right) interviews Brian Vincent Rhodes on the Your Career Day YouTube channel.

Kids and Education

Ypsi man curates nonprofit archive of "career day"-style interviews to inspire young people

Sarah RiggWednesday, January 10, 2024

Brian Banks' website and YouTube channel now feature dozens of interviews he's conducted with people in careers ranging from barber to COO to shoe designer.

Second Wave - MichiganHealthy Communities

As Oakland County pays off 80,000 residents' doctor bills, how can Michigan solve medical debt?

Estelle SlootmakerWednesday, December 20, 2023

Oakland County's debt relief initiative highlights the overwhelming burden of medical debt for countless others in Michigan and beyond.

The iFFY staff at Natalia Rocafuerte's studio.

Community Development

What are you most excited for in Washtenaw County in 2024?

Concentrate staffWednesday, December 20, 2023

With 2024 upon us, we've asked each of our staffers to weigh in on what they're most excited for in Washtenaw County in the new year.

Rickstar Financial founder Richard Griffin.

Entrepreneurship

Ypsi financial planning business serves athletes and entertainers, gives back to community

Rylee BarnsdaleWednesday, December 20, 2023

Rickstar Financial not only provides personal finance services, but also sponsors events and hosts workshops to teach young people about how investment works.

Arts and Culture

Grand Rapids Symphony to perform "The Godfather" score live in Ann Arbor screening

Natalia HoltzmanWednesday, December 20, 2023

"If something doesn't go right, we can't say, ‘Stop the film — let's start again and take another run at it,'" says conductor John Varineau. "So we're putting the thrill of the victory and the agony of defeat right into real time with the movie."

Liberty FInancial Services founder Eboney Byrne.

Entrepreneurship

Empathy is the secret ingredient in this Ypsi woman's financial services business

Rylee BarnsdaleWednesday, December 20, 2023

Liberty Financial Services founder Eboney Byrne says "financial literacy is 80% emotional and 20% math."

Sustainability

New U-M study finds LED lighting dramatically more efficient than fluorescent tubes

Jaishree DrepaulWednesday, December 20, 2023

The study compared the costs of six replacement options (one fluorescent and five LED) for linear recessed lighting systems.

Kids and Education

Washtenaw Community College tops multiple state and national community college rankings

Rylee BarnsdaleWednesday, December 20, 2023

Earlier this month, Washtenaw Community College was named the best community college in Michigan by two separate rankings, and also ranked the best accelerated online associate's degree program in Michigan.

Healthy Communities

U-M study examines how to best allocate health resources to socioeconomically deprived communities

Natalia HoltzmanWednesday, December 20, 2023

Socioeconomic deprivation refers to factors like income, employment, education, and housing, which can be measured to determine which populations or geographic areas are most in need of additional support.