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

From the opening few pages of reading a Nadeem Aslam novel, I knew his writing was something to treasure and behold. Maps for Lost Lovers won the Kiriyama Prize, was longlisted for the Booker, shortlisted for the IMPAC Dublin Award, and…

by Tom Watkins RAISED AS A Catholic, I experienced a mix of Catholic and public school education while growing up, eventually graduating from a Catholic high school. Yes, the nuns whacked my knuckles a few times, but honestly, that…

ROMAN SENATOR CATO The Elder, who lived in the 2nd century BCE, had a “mantra.” At the end of each speech delivered in the Senate Cato would declaim: “Carthago delenda est,” or “Carthage must be destroyed.” Ignoring a peace treaty, Rome…

OVER THE PAST decade, the city’s Mayor and Council members whom he has endorsed, and with whom he has allied himself, have neglected to tend to the basic infrastructure needs of Ann Arbor’s various neighborhoods. Roads and sidewalks have…

OFFICIALS IN THE Michigan Department of State determined that “WAR SUX” is a vanity plate request that is “offensive to good taste and decency.” David DeVarti, an Ann Arbor resident, former City Council member and former member of the…

Please note: This piece was corrected to reflect the fact that Ward 2 Council member Sally Hart Petersen was not seated on Ann Arbor City Council until November 2012. THE ANN ARBOR INDEPENDENT recently reported that 76 percent of city…

STATE APPROPRIATIONS TO the University of Michigan dropped from $320,662,000 in 2005 to a projected $279,108,700 in 2014, a loss of a total of 12.9 percent over the past descade—some $41.5 million dollars. Drops in state appropriations to…

Dr. Pescovitz owns shares in the company worth $385,000 and accumulated additional shares days before the October 2013 Board of Regents meeting at which the contract between UMHS and Life Technologies was granted approval.  IN THE…

On a path where politics and principles meet.  AT POLITICAL GATHERINGS, Washtenaw County Commissioner Yousef Rabhi is often the tallest man in the room and at 24-years-old, often the youngest. He is serving as the Chair of the BOC, one…

Brought manufacturing back to the United States from overseas. Provided dozens of jobs for area teen workers. IT’S 2013, AND there are 2.5 million Americans ages 16 to 19 who are out of work or underemployed. This group includes teens…