Matt Shepard has been a great part of the WEMU family, calling EMU football games for the last 18 seasons.  Now, he just landed the broadcasting job of a lifetime--lead announcer for the Detroit Tigers on Fox Sports Detroit.  Shepard talks all about his plans for the upcoming Tigers season, as well as the challenges he and his family have faced recently, with WEMU's David Fair.

Getting a haircut in Ypsilanti is more than just regular self-maintenance.  Many barbershops and salons serve as pieces of Ypsilanti's history, as well as places that serve the common good.  Among these establishments is Finesse 1 Salon, owned by Shawn and Hala Green.  They talk about their experiences with WEMU's Lisa Barry and Concentrate Media's Sarah Rigg in this week's "On the Ground-Ypsi."

Protecting Michigan's drinking water has becoming even more of a priority in the past year.  However, during the Michigan Legislature's lame-duck session, former Governor Rick Snyder signed into law a measure making protection more difficult. In this week's "Issues of the Environment," WEMU's David Fair talks about this legislation, and its impacts, with Bonnifer Ballard, executive director of the American Water Works Association's Michigan section.

From January 17th through the 22nd, Eastern Michigan University will celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. with a series of special events.  WEMU's Patrick Campion will talk about these events with EMU's assistant vice president of student affairs Ellen Gold and Steve Bryant, who is EMU's director of diversity and community involvement, in this week's "Focus on EMU."

As part of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, dozens of universities are showcasing special projects.  Among them is Eastern Michigan University.  89.1 WEMU's Jorge Avellan attended the show during the press preview days and has the story.
 

"The pARTy 2019," in which the Arts Alliance honors those who have made significant contributions to the arts, is coming up on February 11th.  This year's recepients of the Lifetime Achievement Medal are the musical, husband-and-wife duo, William Bolcom and Joan Morris.  WEMU's David Fair and Arts Alliance President and CEO Deb Polich sat down with Bolcom and Morris to discuss their decades-long career in this week's "creative:impact."

Enrollment at many of Michigan's public universities is down.

In our bi-weekly conversation with the League of Women Voters of the Ann Arbor Area, 89.1 WEMU's Lisa Barry talks with Jan Salsberry, who co-founded a new league in Lenawee County.