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

LET’S BE CLEAR: In the U.S., Michigan and Ann Arbor crime rates are down. According to data gathered by the FBI, in Ann Arbor, about 1,300 more crimes, total, were committed in 2009 than in 2013. That means, at a minimum, 1,300 fewer people…

by P.D. Lesko ON DEC. 18, The Ann Arbor Independent turned to the National Freedom of Information Coalition and the Knight Foundation’s FOI Fund for financial support to fund an open records lawsuit against the City of Ann Arbor and the…

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…

WARD 3 COUNCIL member Stephen Kunselman was first threatened with recall by a member of the homeless advocacy group MISSION. A few days later, the same member of MISSION who had announced at a public Council meeting the group was behind the…

The Ann Arbor Independent published a long list of stories that received quite a bit of attention from readers. Below, find links to some of the most compelling and popular articles published in 2014, based on the number of social media…

Julie Weatherbee—U-M IT Systems Trainer, wiles away Monday evenings on Twitter commenting on City Council mmetings. Julie Weatherbee is, in turns, clever, funny, acerbic, rude and politically nerdy. Twice monthly, she watches City…

Dr. Rose Bellanca was hired as the president of Washtenaw Community College in 2011. According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, university presidents, on average, stay in their jobs 8.5 years. With a total compensation package that…

The A2 Indy’s Ann Arbor Locals to Watch in 2014 were: Dr. Jeanice Kerr Swift, Dr. Matthew M. Davis, Council Member Sally Hart Petersen, restaurant entrepreneur Sava Lelcaj, Council member Jack Eaton, County Commissioner Yousef Rabhi,…

THE REDISTRICTING THAT pitted Rep. John D. Dingell, Jr. against Rep. Lynn Rivers caused many bruised feelings when Rep. Rivers lost. To his credit (and that of his wife, soon-to-be U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell) the pair worked mightily to win…

AAATA’S FORMER CEO Michael Ford was hired because he had experience with light rail. In the end, he was unable to do little more than spend money on staff time, studies, marketing and consultants aimed at determining when and how the WALLY…