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

by Melissa Walker WHILE I’M NOT a full-makeup girl most days of the week (or really ever), I’d be hard-pressed to abandon my daily lipstick and mascara habit—it really does brighten my face so that I can avoid the dreaded “You look…

by Jill Richardson I MET MY friend Rachel because we were both in the same situation: We each had neighbors who inexplicably hated our chickens. Rachel and I each had small flocks of hens, no roosters, and sprawling, fertile, organic…

K. INGRID AULT ran for Ann Arbor City Council and lost to incumbent Stephen Kunselman. Ms. Ault’s ideas and vision for the city did not appeal to the voters of her Ward. Ms. Ault was then appointed to the Parks Advisory Commission. The…

By Paul Gordon BUYING A CELL phone plan could make you powerless to sue your phone company if it defrauds you. Using a coupon to buy a box of cereal may mean you give up your right to sue if the food is tainted. Checking your grandmother…

“Gabriel” Rory Culkin stars as a mentally unstable youth convinced that tracking down his first love is the answer to his problems in director Lou Howe’s debut feature. by Dave Rooney Venue: Tribeca Film Festival (World Narrative…

DR. MARY SUE COLEMAN went to Lansing in 2011 to sing the praises of her university and to stave off threatened cuts to the $316 million dollar allocation the state of Michigan made to the University of Michigan in 2010. In her testimony,…

by Rita Beamish A TAX ON virtue or a matter of fairness? The question ripples through states trying to prop up their ever-shrinking highway funds while eyeing the “free ride” enjoyed by green vehicle owners. The fast-growing cohort of…

by Tina Lohan If you live in the developed world, darkness can be hard to find. Our plugged-in, 24-7 lifestyles deliver a barrage of not just technology, but also light. All the time. And this may have negative health consequences that…

 A2 Virtual+ is offering information nights regarding online course offerings for summer and fall 2014, the enrollment process, and everything Ann Arbor parents and their students need to know to be successful when taking online courses. …

By David Alexander INSIDE THE ANN ARBOR Community Center last Sunday afternoon, volunteers peeled covers from shiny aluminum tins, revealing a plethora of corn bread, coleslaw and chili. The scent of food — chili powder, vegetables,…