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Michigan Council for the Arts Awards Grants Worth $749K to Washtenaw County Organizations
by Rob Smith
THE MICHIGAN COUNCIL for Arts and Cultural Affairs recently announced that the organization had awarded $9.7 million to cultural organizations in Michigan. That’s up 27 percent over the $7.6 million in grant money awarded…
At Nov. 19 Meeting County Commissioners to Debate Policy That Gives Local Businesses Preference
The Washtenaw County Commissioners Ways and Means Committee recently gave the thumbs up to a proposal which gives a financial boost to local, county and state businesses which bid on contracts bid out by Washtenaw County.
The Local…
With New City Charter, Dexter Adopts Non-Partisan Elections
THE PROPOSAL THAT Dexter adopt a new Charter and move from a village in the State of Michigan to a city just barely passed on Nov. 5. The vote was a squeaker: 955-814. The new Dexter City Charter calls for non-partisan elections in Section…
Washtenaw County Clerk’s Office Lags Hours Behind Wayne, Oakland and Livingston Clerks in Posting Election Results
by P.D. Lesko
ANN ARBOR NEWS reporter Ben Freed posted a graphic of Cookie Monster tapping his fingers, then deleted the posting. Once again, the Washtenaw County Clerk finds himself at the center of a debate about handling ballots.…
Saline Mayor Announces Endorsements, Challenger Releases Statement Touting “Successes”
IN SALINE, THE race for mayor has been contentious. Just days after Mayor Brian Marl released a statement in which he announced the endorsements of several elected officials, including county commissioners.
Challenger Lee Bourgoin shot…
Washtenaw County Among Agencies That Will Receive a Portion of $6.8M in Michigan State Housing Development Authority Grant
ACTING EXECUTIVE Director Wayne Workman last week announced nearly $6.8 million in Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) monies to help Michigan’s 92,000 homeless.
Washtenaw County is set to receive $310,975 in funding. The county has an…
County Employee Credit Card Records Show Las Vegas Trips, Stays at Luxury Hotels Curtailed
by P.D. Lesko
In 2013, The Ann Arbor Independent published articles detailing county employee stays at Las Vegas casinos, resorts and 4-star hotels at taxpayer expense. Analysis of 3,600 credit card charges made in 2014 show no trips to…
Restaurant Inspections Reveal Even Ann Arbor’s Priciest, Well-Known Eateries Cited By Washtenaw County Health Dept.
IT’S EASY TO conclude that pricey meals and national media coverage might guarantee that a restaurant would be free from the most serious violations of a state’s restaurant health code. In March 2014, New York’s Per Se, with its $310…
Digital First Media, Publisher of “Washtenaw Now,” Weighs Sale of Assets
THE ANN ARBOR Independent reported that the Heritage Media Group, owned by Digital First Media shuttered the A2 Journal and pulled out of the Ann Arbor marketplace shortly after The A2 Indy was launched in October 2013. Out-county…
Main Street Restaurant Health Code Violations Increase Between 2013 and 2014
IN 2013, THE newspaper did a comprehensive look at the restaurant inspection reports for Ann Arbor’s Main Street restaurants. The number of priority violations (violations, such as holding food at improper temperatures, or lack of…