The Ann Arbor Independent Editorial Team 2257 posts 224 comments

by Mark Coker SMASHWORDS IS THE world’s largest distributor of self-published ebooks. The company has helped over 50,000 authors around the world publish and distribute over 200,000 ebooks to major retailers such as the Apple iBookstore,…

by Jill Richardson FLORENCE OGENDI AND her family have no refrigerator. They live in a tiny village in Kenya near Lake Victoria (and near Barack Obama’s step-grandmother, his Granny Sarah), but over 40 miles from the nearest city.…

A HIGHER PROPORTION of U.S. adults are reading ebooks than ever before, according to new data from the Pew Internet & American Life project. Some 28 percent of Americans read an ebook last year, up from 23 percent in 2012. Even as…

ACCORDING TO FIGURES released by the State of Michigan, seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates in February increased in 15 of the state’s 17 major labor market regions, according to the Michigan Department of Technology, Management &…

THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF Community Health (MDCH) recently became aware of a breach of protected health information under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and is notifying 2,595 individuals and the Department…

APRIL THE 15TH: In the United States, it’s a date dreaded by many, as the date to file income taxes — or beg for an extension — looms large. But this year, Tax Day gives lovers of the sky something to look forward to, as the first of four…

by P.D. Lesko THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES had taken the majority of the chairs out of the waiting room and into a conference room, where a gaggle of them were gathered around a table having a meeting. The waiting room was full of people…

DESPITE U.S. POPULATION growth, fuel consumption by American drivers of light-duty vehicles is now lower than it was 15 years ago, says a University of Michigan researcher. In a follow-up to a series of reports released last year,…

NANCY KAPLAN, A current member of the Ann Arbor District Library Board of Trustees, recently launched a run for Ann Arbor City Council to represent Ward 2. Kaplan, a retired physical therapist, was elected to the AADL Board of Trustees in…

by Rene Ghert-Zand We are fortunate that while Passover commemorates events of a very ancient era, we live in extremely modern times. As we rush around shopping and cooking for the holiday this year, we don’t even need to turn on our…