The Ann Arbor Independent - A locally owned newspaper in Ann Arbor

Both Republican and Democratic U.S. Congressional leaders want to see colleges and universities, such Washtenaw Community College, have more skin in the game when it comes to paying for defaulted student loans. Such a policy shift could put…

WASHTENAW COMMUNITY COLLEGE Board of Trustees President Richard Landau was recently quoted in the media as saying that televised broadcasts of the community college’s Board of Trustee meetings are a “silly” idea and “a product no one has…

by Donna Iadipaolo A TEAM OF high school students from Ann Arbor recently won the regional competition for the 2015 National Science Bowl® (NSB) and will next compete at the National Finals in Washington D.C. at the end of April.…

by Bryan Kelly AFTER MONTHS DORMANT, Ann Arbor officials have rekindled the effort to market for development the Library Lot, a parcel of land about the size of the parking lot that used to be adjacent to the downtown library. I have…

by Brian Cook JIM HACKETT TALKED to the Michigan Daily last week, and the words that he said were as encouraging as possible for a fan who likes college football to be as distinct as possible from the pro experience: The topic of…

by Ari LeVaux WE KNOW FOODS like donuts and soda can make you fat, but the effects of sugar on the liver and brain are less well-known. Dietary sugar can fry your liver in much the same way alcohol can. This in turn can hurt your brain,…

THE ANNUAL independent Ann Arbor Jewish Film Festival runs April 12-16 at the Michigan Theater, hosted by the Jewish Community Center of Greater Ann Arbor. Every film has been chosen by the Ann Arbor Jewish Film Festival committee in…

by Philip A. Bassett FOR A LESSON in bigotry, lies and sheer negativity, you could try the Berrien County courthouse in St. Joseph, Michigan. I wouldn’t recommend it, though. Since 2006, I’ve been a witness there to many of the legal…

by P.D. Lesko NATHAN VOGHT IS the project manager who wants us to Reimagine Washtenaw Ave. as an economic development opportunity. Like the controversial WALLY commuter train project on which over $32 million in local and state funds…

by John Ball THE UNIVERSITY OF Michigan is showing a positive impact on sustainability as highlighted in the university’s 2014 sustainability report released last week. However, even with the gains, U-M’s efforts to divert trash from…