The Ann Arbor Independent Editorial Team 2229 posts 224 comments

On May 15, 2023 the Society of Professional Journalists announced that The Ann Arbor Independent had won an excellence in reporting award for its investigative series about a $1.2 million grant handed over to a Washtenaw County non-profit…

by Scott McClallen The Michigan Senate passed bills aiming to require hands-free cellphone use while driving. The goal is to reduce distracted driving and, therefore, fatalities. House Bills 4250, 4251, and 4252 aim to prohibit…

by P.D. Lesko Over the past months, I've received photos of Derrick Jackson's face plastered on the side of Ann Arbor buses and Jackson's face plastered on billboards along I-94, ads paid for with Mental Health Millage money and funds…

Tired of being disrespected in her day-to-day life, an Italian American mom discovers she’s tougher than she thought when her estranged grandfather dies, leaving her to manage his criminal operation. by Peter Debruge In her own home,…

Michigan residents pay outsized rates for some of the least reliable electric service in the country. by Jason Hayes The February ice storm that struck the state of Michigan took out the electric utility services of as many…

Dear President Ono and Provost McCauley: We are writing as University of Michigan faculty members to express our solidarity with the Graduate Employees’ Organization (GEO). Like so many others in our community, we are horrified by the…

by P.D. Lesko Public records revealed that the Lincoln Consolidated Schools in Ypsilanti has no policies or procedures that require background checks on volunteers. State law requires public schools to background check employees,…

by Sam Killian Get ready for more STEM at the Ypsilanti District Library. A $30,000 grant from Toyota will fund Project STEM@YDL, and will bring more kits, activities, and talks from experts in the areas of science, technology,…

Kelly Fremon Craig directs a kinder, gentler take on the Judy Blume classic that skips some of the straight talk about growing up. by Amy Nicholson Judy Blume’s landmark 1970 young adult novel “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret”…

by Jon King A state administrative law judge ruled that the University of Michigan Graduate Employees’ Organization (GEO) AFT Local 3550 violated the no-strike clause in its current contract when they walked off the job on March 29.  …