The Ann Arbor Independent Editorial Team 2253 posts 224 comments

by Jon King, Michigan Advance In a little-noticed move, Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued a directive for the heads of state departments and agencies to review executive orders issued by President Donald Trump that would, among…

by Ari LeVaux Parsnip Power One of my son’s first tastes of solid food was dirt licked from a freshly dug parsnip. He didn’t yet have the teeth to chew into the ivory taproot itself, but his attempts to do so sure got it clean. It…

by Denny Schwarze In 2023, a bi-partisan group of Michigan legislators introduced House Bill 5265. The group included two Washtenaw County Reps., Democrat Jimmie Wilson, Jr. and Republican Kathy Schmaltz. In Oct. 2023, the then…

Download and read the Sheriff's Dec. 2023 secret investigation Case Report prepared for Judge Tracy Van den Bergh. Washtenaw Co. Sheriff Report - Judge Van Den Bergh Report 12.18.2023Download by P.D. Lesko 1/28/25 Correction:…

by Rep. Debbie Dingell It’s been quite a busy few days as we have witnessed the peaceful and calm transition of government between Administrations. As the Biden Administration ended and the Trump Administration began, there has been a…

by P.D. Lesko On Jan. 24, 2025, Washtenaw County Circuit Court Judge Julia B. Owdziej ordered portions of the background check done by the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Special Investigations Unit on Sheriff's Deputy D'Angelo McWilliams…

by Ann Mullen The ACLU of Michigan and the national ACLU filed a federal lawsuit on Jan. 22 to force U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Michigan county jails it contracts with, to release records about detained…

by P.D. Lesko In October 2024, Michigan had a foreclosure rate of one in every 3,918 housing units. The counties with the highest foreclosure activity were Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Genesee, and Kent. In 2024, Washtenaw County's Treasurer…

By Martha Stuit Who killed Michael Porter in the pantry with a candlestick during the preview party for the annual house and garden tour? This question sets the scene for the cozy mystery novel Murder at Twin Beeches by Ann…

by Ari LeVaux Plov is a hearty and meaty rice-based meal from Central Asia. The dish is widely considered the progenitor of rice pilaf and a cousin to paella. Native to present-day Uzbekistan, plov has spread throughout the former…