OP-ED: Special Fees For Driving Green are an Unfair Penalty Imposed by States
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…
Artificial Light—Is it Wreaking Havoc on Our Health?
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+ Info Nights—AAPS Holds Informational Meetings for Those Interested in Online Learning
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. …
What’s Cookin’ Good Lookin’? Ann Arbor Democratic Club Holds Its Annual Chili Cook Off
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,…
County Seeks Volunteers to Fill Board & Commission Openings
THE WASHTENAW COUNTY Board of Commissioners is looking for citizens to volunteer for a slate of positions with the various Boards, Committees and Commissions. The Board of Commissioners will make these appointments at their upcoming session…
Recycle Ann Arbor “Government Liaison” Gives Up Seat on Environmental Commission
A GROUP OF Ann Arbor City Council members including Ward 1 Council member Sumi Kailasapathy, Ward 2 Council members Jane Lumm and Sally Hart Petersen, Ward 4 Council member Jack Eaton and Ward 5 Council member Mike Anglin have been vocal…
Lives Forever Changed—Juvenile Diabetes, A Two Part Series: Part One, Diagnosis, The 0.00042 Percent
Part One: Diagnosis, The 0.00042 Percent
by David Alexander
FOR ROUGHLY TWO months last fall, Ann Arbor 8th grader Bram Lesko was urinating about once an hour. But he didn’t know why.
“I wasn’t drinking that much water,” he said.…
The Microbes Living in Your Gut Might Be Making You Anxious or Depressed
by Jill Richardson
MICROBES ARE IN the news these days. Specifically, the microbes that live in and on the human body, making up our “microbiome.” Michael Pollan made a splash with a column titled “Some of My Best Friends are Germs”…
EDITORIAL: AAATA Millage Proposal Drive—Expensive, Deceptive and Manipulative
Please note: Editorial Board member Katherine Griswold did not participate in shaping this editorial.
STAFF AT AAATA first agreed to a meeting with The Ann Arbor Independent’s Editorial Board concerning the proposed millage. Then, after…
Adventures Of A Grown-Up: Home Decorating—Why Everything in My House Will Never Match
by J.H. Mae
EVERYTHING IN MY mother’s house matches. The curtains match the furniture, the furniture matches the carpet, the pictures on the wall were carefully chosen, and even the TV stand is elegant.
She is now on the market for…

