Local

It’s official – the mascot for Ypsilanti Community Schools is the Grizzlies, and the school colors are black and “Vegas” gold.  

The unified school board Thursday night accepted the recommendation of its Name and Identity Advisory Group. 

A new mascot and colors means buying things like new uniforms and signs.  Washtenaw Intermediate School District Superintendent Scott Menzel says that’ll be covered by a six million dollar grant from the state.

Ann Arbor public schools superintendent Pat Green's proposed budget cuts of $8.7 million for next school year include a reduction of 75 employees.  It's the starting point for budget discussions, as we hear from WEMU's Andrew Cluley.

The Ann Arbor school board has approved the timeline, salary range, profile, and advertising strategy it will use in finding the district's next superintendent.  Hear more from WEMU's Andrew Cluley.

Cannes Film Festival set to open,  The Great Gatsby, Cinetopia, and more on this week's Cinema Chat from WEMU.

Ann Arbor State Representative Jeff Irwin is introducing legislation to decriminalize the personal possession of small amounts of marijuana.  Hear more from WEMU's Bob Eccles.

Eastern Michigan University Student Government has decided to fund the recent campus visit of the traveling "Genocide Awareness Project" exhibit. 

EMU Students for Life had requested about $5,000 to help support the exhibit, which uses graphic photos to equate abortion with genocide. 

The request was originally declined, but after a review of student government procedures for funding student organizations prompted by a lawsuit, EMU Student Government decided to provide the funding. 

Students in the Ypsilanti and Willow Run school districts have voted, and it looks like the mascot for the new Ypsilanti Community Schools will be the Grizzlies. 

Students in grades seven through 12 voted, and more than 45 percent chose Grizzlies.  A little over 30 percent liked Trailblazers, and Flyers got less than 20 percent of the vote. 

The unified Willow Run-Ypsilanti school board Thursday night will consider a recommendation from its Name and Identity Advisory Group that it approve Grizzlies as the mascot, along with a black and "Vegas" gold color combination.

Ypsilanti city council Tuesday night approved a contract with the city's police officers union.  The approval followed a tie vote earlier in the meeting that rejected the contract.

Council members Brian Robb, Susan Moeller and Pete Murdock had voted "no" on the contract.  Moeller wasn't happy that the contract didn't include raises.  Robb wanted pension costs for Police Officers Association members capped, similar to the city's contract with the Command Officers Association.  Council member Daniel Vogt was not present at the meeting.