Features

A poster for the Django Reinhardt Festival.

Arts and Culture

Django Reinhardt Festival brings celebration of French Romani jazz to Ann Arbor

Natalia HoltzmanWednesday, August 28, 2024

Organizer Andrew Brown says what he loves most about Django Reinhardt’s music, and the French Romani musical style Reinhardt inspired, is "its unbridled, joyous, infectious energy."

a2Tech360's Women in Tech event in 2022.

Technology and Innovation

a2Tech360 brings expanded week of tech events back to Ann Arbor, including new sustainability forum

Jaishree DrepaulWednesday, August 28, 2024

Registration is now open for Ann Arbor SPARK's a2Tech360, a weeklong series of events celebrating local innovation, which will take place at various Washtenaw County venues Sept. 20-27.

The Bomber owner Johanna McCoy at her restaurant.

Entrepreneurship

Ypsi's Bomber restaurant featured as one of "America's Best Restaurants" on popular YouTube channel

Rylee BarnsdaleWednesday, August 28, 2024

Historic Ypsilanti restaurant The Bomber will soon be featured on America’s Best Restaurants, a popular YouTube channel that has spotlighted restaurants across the U.S. in over 1,000 videos since 2021.

A new segment of the Border to Border Trail at Barton Nature Area.

Transportation

New B2B trail segment and playground open in Ann Arbor's Barton Nature Area

Rylee BarnsdaleWednesday, August 28, 2024

Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation has opened a new 0.6-mile segment of the Border to Border Trail through Barton Nature Area, featuring a paved, accessible pathway and reconstructed canoe livery drop-off area.

Solar powered EV charging stations at 4th Avenue and Catherine Street in Ann Arbor.

Transportation

Ann Arbor offers free electric vehicle chargers for commercial and multifamily buildings

Jaishree DrepaulWednesday, August 28, 2024

The city of Ann Arbor has launched a new Commercial Electric Vehicle (EV) Charger Program, which allows commercial and multifamily property owners in the city to receive up to four free level-2 EV chargers.

PHN-Sinan-Mikhael-administers -MMR-VaccineLIST

Second Wave - MichiganHealthy Communities

Immunizations have long spared Michiganders from disease and death

Rylee BarnsdaleTuesday, August 27, 2024

In March 2024, Michigan experienced its first confirmed case of measles since 2019, reporting five unrelated cases throughout the state as of April 10. These cases were only some of many throughout sixteen other states, leading public health officials across Michigan to quickly respond.

Austin McDonald works on a robot with Lincoln High School's Linc-Bots team in 2019.

Kids and Education

EMU, Ypsi school districts partner to create new institute promoting STEM education and careers

Sarah RiggWednesday, August 21, 2024

Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti Community Schools, and Lincoln Consolidated Schools established the Institute for STEM Education, Outreach, and Workforce Development earlier this year.

Brooke Mason and Brandon Wong are the COO and CEO, respectively, of HyFi, a flood response tech startup that has office space at Office Evolution's Ann Arbor coworking space.

Entrepreneurship

Coworking is booming in Washtenaw County as remote workers seek community and work-life balance

Sarah RiggWednesday, August 21, 2024

We recently spoke to three local businesses about how the coworking landscape has changed since the COVID-19 pandemic, and they report that coworking is hotter than ever in Washtenaw County.

"Color Real and Imagined" by Carrie Mae Weems will be featured in "Silver Linings" at UMMA.

Arts and Culture

UMMA to exhibit works from Spelman College's collection of Black women's art

Natalia HoltzmanWednesday, August 21, 2024

"Silver Linings" will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Atlanta's Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, one of the nation’s only museums to focus exclusively on art by and for women of the African diaspora.

An infographic showing where the women journalists spotlighted in a new oral history archive reported on COVID.

Kids and Education

Women journalists share COVID reporting experiences in new EMU oral history archive

Rylee BarnsdaleWednesday, August 21, 2024

A new oral history archive at Eastern Michigan University features 33 interviews with women journalists from across the globe who reported on the COVID-19 pandemic at its peak.

Entrepreneurship

Ann Arbor software company makes Inc. 5000 list for fifth time

Jaishree DrepaulWednesday, August 21, 2024

InfoReady's products are used by 20 of the top 30 universities in the U.S. to manage competitive grant processes.

U-M researchers' study on green hydrogen is published in the new edition of the journal Joule.

Sustainability

Green hydrogen could efficiently power heavy-duty transportation, according to new U-M study

Jaishree DrepaulWednesday, August 21, 2024

A study published today by University of Michigan researchers asserts that green hydrogen could be used strategically to fuel heavy-duty road, rail, aviation, and marine transportation where electric alternatives are limited.

A professional wrestler performs as "Bruce Buzzbee" at the first Rumble of the Bumble in 2022.

Arts and Culture

Wrestling bees will return to Ypsi's Depot Town for Rumble of the Bumble street festival

Sarah RiggWednesday, August 21, 2024

Rumble of the Bumble, a pollinator-themed street festival featuring wrestling, music, and art, will return to Ypsilanti's Depot Town Sept. 7 from 2-10 p.m.

Chelsea Area Fire Authority Chief Robert Arbini.

Community Development

Chelsea firefighters seek help to restore aging fire station

Jaishree DrepaulWednesday, August 14, 2024

Chelsea Area Fire Authority Chief Robert Arbini is sounding an alarm – but it's not for the type of emergency that most community members might imagine. This time Chelsea's fire station at 200 W. Middle St. is in urgent need of rescue.

Community Development

From bingo to free meals, Ypsi residents collaborate to restore programming at senior living complex

Rylee BarnsdaleWednesday, August 14, 2024

Chidester Place resident Emy Deshotel has been partnering with local business and nonprofit leaders to restore a sense of community that was lost after COVID-19 hit.

Arts and Culture

Author Gina María Balibrera examines sisterhood and Latin American identity in acclaimed new novel

Natalia HoltzmanWednesday, August 14, 2024

Novelist Gina María Balibrera, who will give a reading at Ann Arbor's Literati Bookstore at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 20, says she's always been "drawn to stories of families, and [particularly] of sisters."

Gery and Sarah Kreiner at The Mix Fitness Studios Harriet St. location.

Entrepreneurship

Youth theatre, fitness studio fill former Michigan Works! building in Ypsi

Sarah RiggWednesday, August 7, 2024

Local businesses are revitalizing the building that formerly housed Michigan Works! Southeast at 332 Harriet St. in Ypsilanti.

A detail of Brian Whitfield's new mural at 122 W. Washington St. in Ann Arbor.

Arts and Culture

New Ann Arbor mural honors Thelonious Monk and beloved Del Rio Bar

Natalia HoltzmanWednesday, August 7, 2024

Chera Piehutkoski, co-owner of 122 W. Washington St. in Ann Arbor, says a new mural there is an "ode" to her stepfather, Rick Burgess, who for decades owned the building best known as the home of the Del Rio Bar.

Economic Development

Ann Arbor joins Big 10 digital "passport" program encouraging tourism beyond sports

Jaishree DrepaulWednesday, August 7, 2024

Destination Ann Arbor and Choose Lansing have teamed up with other Big Ten cities to launch the Cities of the Big Ten Passport, which helps visitors and residents explore the unique attractions each city has to offer beyond athletic events.