The Ann Arbor Independent Editorial Team 2249 posts 224 comments

by P.D. Lesko Fourth Ward Council member Margie Teall has talked a good game for a long time. The incredibly incurious (Ann Arbor News/AnnArbor.com), overly obsequious (Ann Arbor Observer) or just plain naive (Michigan Daily) local media…

by Rob Smith It's been a tough couple of weeks for Governor Rick Snyder in the Michigan courts. First a Wayne County judge declared closed-door meetings of the finance team which had been evaluating whether Detroit should be forced to…

by Nick Leshi I finally saw the movie Chronicle. Although it wasn't perfect, it was still very entertaining. It is another found-footage film, and although it would have probably worked fine (maybe even better) without the gimmick, it…

by P.D. Lesko In November 2011 Second Ward Council member Stephen Rapundalo sent a damaging email to AnnArbor.com in which he painted himself as a disingenuous opportunist, writing that he wanted to “look engaged” prior to the election. …

A2P Notes: In Fall 2010, A123 Systems opened what the company touted as the "world's largest lithium ion automotive battery manufacturing plant in North America" in Livonia, Michigan. According to a September 13, 2010 piece in the New York…

by Rob Smith In the March 13th issue of the New York Times there is an article about the severe economic problems that face Italy. That country, like Michigan, has been in one of the deepest recessions on record. Unemployment in Italy last…

by Nick Leshi I love the coming attractions for movies. Sometimes, the sneak peaks are the best part of the movie-going experience, since some motion pictures don't live up to the hype! Often, though, you can't judge a film by its trailer.…

At Monday's City Council meeting John Hieftje evidently wanted to make sure he understood exactly how deep in his own personal pile of horse manure he was standing. So, Hieftje pointedly asked the new Fire Chief, Chuck Hubbard (below), a…

by Joseph DiSano Dipping your toes into the on-line world of Facebook and Twitter is a bit daunting. But just like in real life, you learn quickly who actually knows what they are talking about. Here are 10 folks you should be paying…

by Rob Smith Federal funding for rail. Federal funding for roads. Federal funding for green energy. Between 2009 and 2011, the state of Michigan has been the recipient of over $17 billion dollars in federal stimulus money also known as…