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

by Nick Leshi I love the coming attractions for movies. Sometimes, the sneak peaks are the best part of the movie-going experience, since some motion pictures don't live up to the hype! Often, though, you can't judge a film by its trailer.…

At Monday's City Council meeting John Hieftje evidently wanted to make sure he understood exactly how deep in his own personal pile of horse manure he was standing. So, Hieftje pointedly asked the new Fire Chief, Chuck Hubbard (below), a…

by Joseph DiSano Dipping your toes into the on-line world of Facebook and Twitter is a bit daunting. But just like in real life, you learn quickly who actually knows what they are talking about. Here are 10 folks you should be paying…

by Betsy McMillin If you had told me, in the first twelve years as a parent, that I would be one to partake in the Family Bed (a.k.a. co-sleeping), I would have flatly said that you were without a doubt wrong, wrong, wrong. I remember…

by Rob Smith Federal funding for rail. Federal funding for roads. Federal funding for green energy. Between 2009 and 2011, the state of Michigan has been the recipient of over $17 billion dollars in federal stimulus money also known as…

BRENDA LAWRENCE (LEFT) grew up on the northeast side of Detroit  and was raised by her grandparents; her mother died when she was three-years-old. She graduated from Detroit's Pershing High School, and earned her bachelor's degree in public…

A2Politico Notes: At A2Politico.com everyone is a political insider. That's the way it should be. Local, state and national politics have increasingly become the baileywick of professionals: candidates, their staffers, ad agencies, and…

by Kristina Lakes I will admit that I avoided looking at what was happening at first.  I am a positive, hopeful, can-do type of person. After the pediatrician prescribed a second round of antibiotics for my son who had strep throat, I…

by F. Zakaria Remember Mitt Romney's infamous "poor" comment? If not, here it is again: "I'm not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there. If it needs repair, I'll fix it. I'm not concerned about the very rich; they're…

Governor Rick Snyder has repeatedly claimed he has no interest in starting a Right-To-Work war in Michigan. Whether he has been telling the truth may become very clear, very soon. The Michigan House quickly approved SB 0971, legislation…