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

MICHIGAN’S GOVERNOR HAS been pushing Lansing lawmakers to craft a long-term solution to address the state’s crumbling roads. He has estimated that Michigan must increase road funding by more than $1 billion a year in order to significantly…

by J.H. Mae A RINGING PHONE is not a welcome thing in my house. It usually heralds a conversation with someone I don’t like, news that someone’s sick or dead, unpleasant family gossip, or maybe – my favorite — a telemarketer or wrong…

by Jessica Wohl WAL-MART IS TRYING to make organic food more accessible to its budget-conscious shoppers. The nation’s largest retailer is making a bigger bet on the fast-growing category, teaming with Wild Oats to sell organic…

by La June Montgomery Tabron RECENT FINDINGS FROM the Kids Count report have been hard to accept. The report titled, “Race for Results: Building a Path to Opportunity for All Children,” by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, indicates that…

ANN ARBOR YMCA Youth Volunteer Corps was named a 2014 Gold Level YVC Affiliate, one of only nine throughout the U.S. and Canada. During 2013 this youth service program offered volunteer opportunities for 236 youth who served more than 6,000…

by Lisa Maatz IN 2012 AFTER the Right-to-Work law signed by Gov. Rick Snyder went into effect, right-to-work supporters said the law would give workers freedom of association and promote job creation. Critics of the legislation said…

by P.D. Lesko IN ANSWER TO how often the officers on Ann Arbor’s police department simply skip the step of filing official police reports, a source within the AAPD said: “Probably four times per month and all of the officers are doing…

by Dave Marsh THE CINETOPIA International Film Festival features feature-length dramas, comedies, and documentaries from the world’s best film festivals (e.g. Sundance, Cannes, Venice, Toronto, Berlin, SXSW, Tribeca, etc.). The festival…

WARD THREE CITY Council member Stephen Kunselman—who’s running for mayor—read aloud from The Ann Arbor Independent at that group’s April 7 meeting. Kunselman read to his Council colleagues and the public from the newspaper’s April 3 article…

IN ITS APRIL 3 issue, The Ann Arbor Independent reported on the firing of city staffer Terry Holman shortly after Holman’s partner, Leon Bryson, announced in January 2014 he intended to run for Ann Arbor City Council against incumbent Chuck…