One Man’s Quest to Find the Wild Origins of the Chile Pepper
Wandering the Sonoran Desert in search of the chiltepin—the ancestor to domesticated chile peppers—with MacArthur genius Gary Paul Nabhan
by Ari LeVaux
Since he started hunting for chile peppers, more than 40 years ago, Gary Paul…
Former City Administrator Takes First Step Toward Suing Mayor and Council Members for Defamation
by P.D. Lesko
In August 2021, former Ann Arbor City Administrator Tom Crawford resigned. Seven members of Ann Arbor City Council (Taylor, Disch, Song, Grand, Radina, Eyer and Briggs) had voted to terminate Crawford's employment based on…
The Foodist: Garlic Powder Is Awesome
I missed out on years of enhanced flavor because of foodie prejudice against the dehydrated ingredient.
by Ari LeVaux
Many foodies look down on garlic powder as a stale, cheap substitute for the real thing. It’s a shortcut for lazy…
City Council’s Universal Basic Income Program Could Hurt Low-Income Recipients
by P.D. Lesko
Since Linh Song (D-Ward 2) was elected to Ann Arbor City Council in 2020, the average median household income in the city has risen to $104,000. There are 5,500 people on Ann Arbor's public housing waitlist for 150…
Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Deputy to be Sentenced in May for Using Neck Hold on Inmate
In August 2021, a Washtenaw County deputy headed to trial in connection with an assault involving an inmate last summer.
According to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, Cpl. Christopher Ellul was arraigned on an assault…
FDA Authorizes Second COVID Booster for Those 50 and Older
by Jennifer Shutt--Michigan Advance
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized another round of COVID-19 booster shots for people 50 and older, as well as those who are immunocompromised.
The decision to amend an earlier…
Study From the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education Reveals U-M Policies Used to Police Student Speech Are Unconstitutional
In a recently released report, the University of Michigan earned a failing grade (a yellow light) for its campus policies that seek to regulate student speech. Officials from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE)…
Ann Arbor’s First Adult Marijuana Consumption Lounge Bogged Down by Licensing Process
Ann Arbor plans on issuing 28 licenses for marijuana consumption lounges within the city limits.
According to a press release, a new business called Hot Box Social announced that it is the first licensed adult-use…
What’s the 411 on the New 988 National Mental Health Hotline?
by Derek Lee
Beginning July 16, 2022, people struggling with mental health crises can call 988, a new number focused on providing lifesaving suicide prevention and crisis services. But 988 is not just a shorter, easier-to-remember…
Former Ann Arbor City Attorney Files Suit to Force City to Identify Staff Members in Report Used to Fire City Administrator
by P.D. Lesko
R. Bruce Laidlaw, the Ann Arbor City Attorney between 1978 and 1991 and an Assistant City Attorney for six years before that, sent an email on Feb. 25 to Ann Arbor’s Mayor Chris Taylor, City Attorney Stephen Postema and…