Features

Longform Tara Poore, manager of Children’s Services, left, and Megan Ford, manager of Autism and Intellectual

Michigan student loan repayment program helping to tackle mental health workforce shortage

Michigan has long faced a critical shortage of mental health professionals, impacting access to vital care for communities across the state. To address this growing challenge, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) launched the Behavioral Health Now Loan Repayment Program, a strategic initiative aimed at attracting and retaining mental health professionals by alleviating the financial burden of student loans.

Feature Story Nate Rauh-Bieri is Head of Projects for JustAir

Collaboration gets Dearborn air quality data to people who need itNonprofit Journal Project Feature

The City of Dearborn’s air quality monitoring program makes hyper-local air quality data easily accessible to residents. Since its launch last year, people have used it to make decisions about spending time outdoors, and the city has used data to assess options to improve air quality.

Longform T'onna Clemons with her mural at RAC.

Riverside Arts Center bolsters public art in Ypsi with new sculpture and mural by local artists

The mural by Ann Arbor artist T’onna Clemons and the sculpture by Ypsilanti artists Bryant and Sharon Tubbs reflect Riverside Arts Center's mission to make art accessible to the Ypsilanti community.

Longform Luther Blackburn with Katelyn Zak in front of her home that had its lead service lines replaced by YCUA.

Initiative aims to identify lead plumbing in Ypsi-area homes

Ypsi's drinking water itself is safe, but pipes on private property may still contain lead. The Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority is using state and federal funds to change that.

Longform M-36 Coffee Roasters co-owner Ken Pargulski at their Whitmore Lake headquarters.

Whitmore Lake's M-36 coffee roastery carries on legacy of Ann Arbor's Espresso Royale coffee shops

M-36 rose from Espresso Royale's ashes, resulting in the reopening of a former Espresso Royale location in Ann Arbor and the creation of a roastery that serves numerous other businesses.

Partner Content Laura O'Connor.

Small business 101: 7 guiding principles to help your business succeed

We asked four Washtenaw County-based experts to weigh in on the must-know guiding principles to help your business succeed in 2025.

Innovation News A child tests a toy car in the Mobilab exhibit at the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum.

Kids invited to build and test toy vehicles in traveling exhibit at Ann Arbor museum

From now until April, the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum is welcoming visitors of all ages to a new traveling exhibit called Mobilab.

Innovation News Ted Badgerow (left) receives the Tom Burns Award for brewing trailblazers.

Ypsi brewery owner wins state award for being a craft beer trailblazer

Ypsi Alehouse co-founder Ted Badgerow received a Tom Burns Award for brewing trailblazers at the Michigan Brewers Guild Annual Conference on Jan. 9.

Innovation News FutureRoot co-founders Jessica A.S. Letaw and Yodit Mesfin Johnson.

Organization launches educational series on racial injustice in land use planning

The series aims to strengthen relationships, shared learning, and resolve for addressing antiquated land use policies in Ann Arbor, Ypsi, and throughout the county.

Partner Content Expert presenters share evidence-based information traversing the lifespan from early intervention and initial diagnosis to quality of life for older autistic adults.

Navigating Autism Today Conference connects autism community to facts, friendships, and resources

The Autism Alliance of Michigan Navigating Autism Today (NAT) Conference connects autistic people of all ages and their loved ones with education, resources, and community.

Innovation News Stacy Schwartz stands in front of her mural, "Reading Can Take You Places," at Estabrook Elementary School.

Ypsi teacher covers school walls with her paintings

Estabrook Elementary School art teacher Stacy Schwartz has been working for the past seven years to fill the Ypsilanti school’s walls with custom murals and artwork.

Longform Odindi Youth Action Village co-founders Akin and Bambo Oluwadare.

Nonprofit seeks to empower young people in Ypsi Township's West Willow neighborhood

With a mission to nurture positive, healthy, and fulfilling lives, Odindi Youth Action Village envisions a future where every young person has the resources and encouragement to reach their full potential.

Longform Doodles Academy past participant Swara Goyal holding a mug with her artwork that she was awarded.

Ann Arbor nonprofit champions youth arts education, plans lantern walk at Leslie Science Center

Doodles Academy is an Ann Arbor-based nonprofit championing access to high-quality holistic arts education for kids in grades K-5.

Feature Story Fangs and Twang performs.

Ypsi country-rock band's lyrics deal with monsters, both fictional and real-life

Fangs and Twang started out by playing country-rock songs about horror and sci-fi monsters. But as the band has grown, its members have moved on to examine the monsters of modern society.

Development News Garrett's Space program facilitators.

Suicide prevention nonprofit receives county millage funds as it builds Superior Township campus

Ann Arbor-based suicide prevention nonprofit Garrett’s Space has been selected to receive $373,306 from the Washtenaw County Community Mental Health and Public Safety Preservation Millage.

Innovation News People work on a rain garden.

Learn how to make a rain garden in upcoming class hosted by Southeast Michigan watershed councils

The Washtenaw County Water Resources Commission and Huron River Watershed Council are among those hosting the virtual course, which runs for five Thursdays starting Jan. 30. 

Longform Ypsilanti City Manager Andrew Hellenga at the Peninsular Dam.

Ypsi secures funds to remove aging Peninsular Dam in 2026

The Peninsular Dam over the Huron River in Ypsilanti is one step closer to being removed after the city received a $7.5 million grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s National Coastal Resilience Fund.

Longform U-M School of Social Work Assistant Director of Operations Jerome Rork.

U-M School of Social Work houses world-class art collection featuring Haring, Arbus, and more

The school's art collection is hidden in plain sight in the hallways and rooms of the Social Work building, as it has been for more than two decades.

Partner Content Ken Sprinkles, University Bank business banking officer, and Benjamin Bolen, University Bank wealth advisor.

Small business 101: What is the state of your business' financial health?

Good financial health is a crucial part of running a business of any size. There are multiple factors to consider when evaluating the financial health of your business. 

Partner Content Gemstone Nails owner Peridot Burke.

Small business 101: Using tech to manage your company's finances

Using the right financial management technology for your business can be crucial to its success.

Hasini and Harshini Anand are members of Corner Health Center's Youth Leadership Council and mental health advocates.

 


   Voices of Youth
Concentrate's Voices of Youth series features content created by Washtenaw County youth in partnership with Concentrate mentors, as well as feature stories by adult writers that examine issues of importance to local youth. Click here for a full list of the latest content from this series.