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Ann Arbor Residents Submitted More Freedom of Information Act Requests Than Local News Media in 2013
by Rob Smith
ACCORDING TO THE City of Ann Arbor’s log of FOIA requests submitted between January 2013 and May 2014 519 FOIA requests were submitted to the Ann Arbor City Clerk’s office. Thirty-three of the 519 requests came from The Ann…
Charity Watchdog Group Gives Humane Society 4-Star Rating
CHARITY NAVIGATOR, AMERICA’S largest and most-utilized independent evaluator of charities, has awarded the Humane Society of Huron Valley (HSHV) the prestigious 4-star rating for good governance, sound fiscal management and commitment to…
Company Gearing up to Drill for Oil One Mile from the Source of the City’s Water
by Donna Iadipaolo
About one mile from majority of Ann Arbor’s water supply, a Traverse-city based oil company—West Bay Exploration Co—is gearing up to start oil drilling.
Correction: Senator Rebekah Warren took office in November…
EDITORIAL: WCC Graduation Rate
“COUNTY TAXPAYERS PAY $345 per $100,000 in taxable home value to support Washtenaw Community College. In 2012-2013, county taxpayers paid $45.9 million to WCC officials. In return the two-year college’s President Bellanca graduated just…
Crime Report: June 16-25—Vehicle Break-ins, Assaults and Larceny Top Crimes Reported by AAPD
DURING THE WEEK of June 16-June 25, the AAPD reported a total of 75 crimes. In comparison, Dearborn Police, who patrol a city with a population just slightly smaller than Ann Arbor’s (101,000), but which is also home to a U-M campus,…
Treasury Officials Confirm Local Economic Development Entities Divert Public School Funding
by P.D. Lesko
While AAPS Superintendent Dr. Jeanice Kerr Swift publicly challenges Gov. Snyder and legislators over cuts to K-12 funding, local economic development groups siphon away millions of public school dollars through tax…
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Incumbent Judges
It was a pleasant surprise to read that The Ann Arbor Independent doesn’t endorse in elections. I’m not sure, after years of Ann Arbor News endorsements of right-wing candidates including George Bush, how much trust the…
Apple, Google, Samsung Race to Bring Health Apps to Wearables
by Christina Farr
FOR DECADES, MEDICAL technology firms have searched for ways to let diabetics check blood sugar easily, with scant success. Now, the world’s largest mobile technology firms are getting in on the act.
Apple Inc,…
EDITORIAL: Money for Lansing Lobbyist a Questionable Expense
AT ITS JUNE 16th meeting, Ann Arbor City Council members once again approved a contract with Governmental Consultant Services Inc. for lobbying services. GCSI has been paid to lobby in Lansing on behalf of the city of Arbor since 2001. Kirk…
