Gov. Whitmer Orders All Departments to Review Trump Executive Orders on DEI, Transgender Policies
by Jon King, Michigan Advance
In a little-noticed move, Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued a directive for the heads of state departments and agencies to review executive orders issued by President Donald Trump that would, among…
The Foodist: Parsnip Pathways
by Ari LeVaux
Parsnip Power
One of my son’s first tastes of solid food was dirt licked from a freshly dug parsnip. He didn’t yet have the teeth to chew into the ivory taproot itself, but his attempts to do so sure got it clean.
It…
Washtenaw County Legislator Kathy Schmaltz Co-Sponsors Bill to Establish Child Care Savings Accounts
by Denny Schwarze
In 2023, a bi-partisan group of Michigan legislators introduced House Bill 5265. The group included two Washtenaw County Reps., Democrat Jimmie Wilson, Jr. and Republican Kathy Schmaltz. In Oct. 2023, the then…
Former County Sheriff Conducted Secret Investigation of Free Speech and Free Press at the Request of Local Trial Court Judge
Download and read the Sheriff's Dec. 2023 secret investigation Case Report prepared for Judge Tracy Van den Bergh.
Washtenaw Co. Sheriff Report - Judge Van Den Bergh Report 12.18.2023Download
by P.D. Lesko
1/28/25 Correction:…
U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell on the Presidential Pardon of Jan. 6 Felons, Executive Orders & Birthright Citizenship
by Rep. Debbie Dingell
It’s been quite a busy few days as we have witnessed the peaceful and calm transition of government between Administrations. As the Biden Administration ended and the Trump Administration began, there has been a…
In Final Ruling, Judge Decides in Favor of A2Indy in FOIA Suit Against Washtenaw County
by P.D. Lesko
On Jan. 24, 2025, Washtenaw County Circuit Court Judge Julia B. Owdziej ordered portions of the background check done by the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Special Investigations Unit on Sheriff's Deputy D'Angelo McWilliams…
Michigan ACLU Sues ICE to Obtain Records for Immigrants Being Held in Michigan Jails
by Ann Mullen
The ACLU of Michigan and the national ACLU filed a federal lawsuit on Jan. 22 to force U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Michigan county jails it contracts with, to release records about detained…
County Homeowners May Be Entitled to 25-100 Percent Property Tax Abatements
by P.D. Lesko
In October 2024, Michigan had a foreclosure rate of one in every 3,918 housing units. The counties with the highest foreclosure activity were Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Genesee, and Kent. In 2024, Washtenaw County's Treasurer…
The Main Character of Ann Arbor Author Maria Leonhauser’s “Murder at Twin Beeches” is Good at Investigating, Bad at Relationships
By Martha Stuit
Who killed Michael Porter in the pantry with a candlestick during the preview party for the annual house and garden tour?
This question sets the scene for the cozy mystery novel Murder at Twin Beeches by Ann…
The Foodist: Make Plov, Not War
by Ari LeVaux
Plov is a hearty and meaty rice-based meal from Central Asia. The dish is widely considered the progenitor of rice pilaf and a cousin to paella. Native to present-day Uzbekistan, plov has spread throughout the former…