News

By Bob Eccles

Ann Arbor, MI – From 1997 through 2001, the number of fatal and serious injury accidents dropped significantly in Michigan. WEMU's Bob Eccles has more on this latest study by the University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute:

Ann Arbor – Demolition crews today will knock down what's left of the old, Ann Arbor Technology Center. Investigators will wade through the rubble in an effort to determine the cause of the blaze.

Ann Arbor – Ann Arbor City Council has o-k'd plans to mandate the placement of garbage "curbcarts" at locations where there is no room for dumpsters, and an excessive number of garbage cans create an eyesore. The City's Solid Waste Educational Services Coordinator says the move is part of Ann Arbor's "Clean Communities Initiative." Nancy Stone says the 95-gallon "curbcarts" will be sold at cost to those in need of trash consolidation. The cost runs about 60-dollars.

Ann Arbor – The City of Ann Arbor this fall will begin charging local businesses that contract with the city to empty their garbage dumpsters. City Council approved the plan at last night's meeting. Solid Waste Educational Services Coordinator Nancy Stone says about 200-locations throughout the city will be affected. She says the dumpster "tip" fees will generate about 200-thousand dollars a year for the city and promote business recycling.

Ypsilanti, MI – WEMU (891.FM), Eastern Michigan University's public radio station, in cooperation with the South University Area Association, Pfizer, and the Michigan Council of Arts and Cultural Affairs will present four days of live music at the South University Art Fair, July 16 through 19. The stage is located on Church Street at Willard and all performances will be broadcast live on WEMU and webcast at wemu.org.

Ann Arbor – The Ann Arbor Board of Education has approved the re-financing of just over 32-and-a-half million dollars in bonds. It's a move expected to save the district between two-point-nine and three-point-three million dollars over the next ten years. The savings will also result in a lower tax bill for district residents.

Ann Arbor – Karen Cross is the new President of the Ann Arbor Board of Education. Cross was elected on a nearly unanimous vote at Wednesday night's school board meeting. She lists among her priorities, student achievement and addressing the problem of high school overcrowding. Cross was the lone nominee for the Presidency, and was elected on a paper ballot vote of 8-1. The ballot was requested by out-going President Theresa Han-Markey. She left her ballot blank.

By Andrew Cluley

Ann Arbor, MI – Ann Arbor, Michigan has become the 137th city in the country to officially oppose the U-S Patriot Act. WEMU's Andrew Cluley has details on last night's vote.

By Bob Eccles

Ann Arbor, MI – Race issues took center stage again on the University of Michigan campus Tuesday, as proponents of a ballot issue to ban the use of racial preferences in public education, employment and contracting announced their petition drive. WEMU's Bob Eccles has details:

June 25, 2003 – Andy Cluley can't believe his idol is coming to town...

By Andrew Cluley

By Andrew Cluley

By Bob Eccles

89.1, WEMU, and Music Director Linda Yohn, pick up awards at JazzWeek summit in Rochester NY.

89.1, WEMU was named Station of the Year and Music Director, Linda Yohn, was named Music Director of the Year, in the small market category, at the 2003 JazzWeek Jazz Summit in Rochester NY, June 5-7.

By Andrew Cluley

Dexter – By a nearly four-to-one margin, voters in the Dexter School District approved a Headlee rollback. The final tally was 956-to-276. In the school board race, Incumbant Dick Lundy was re-elected to a four-year term. He'll be joined on the board by newcomer Julie Schumaker.

Chelsea – The Chelsea Board of Education will have a new member. Voters in the district Monday Elected Lorel McDevett to a four-year term. McDevett beat out incumbant Conrad Knutsen on a vote of 454-274.

By Andrew Cluley

Ypsilanti, Michigan – Incumbents Floyd Brumfield and Andy Fanta will keep their seats on the Ypsilanti Board of Education. The two incumbents easily defeated challengers Melodie Gable and Allen Thompson.
District voters also approved restoring the millage on non-homestead property that was exempted under the Headlee tax limitation amendment to the state's constitution. That will bring at least another 200-thousand dollars to the district in the coming school year.

Lincoln-Consolidated Schools – Just over seven-hundred voters turned out for the school election in the Lincoln-Consolidated School District. 351-of them voted in favor of the Headlee rollback. 262-voted against. Jeffrey Stokes and Kimberly Samuelson won election to the school board.

By Bob Eccles

Ypsilanti, Michigan – Voters in the Saline school district have returned Art Trapp and David Phillips to the district's board of education. Both were unopposed in yesterday's election.
In the Willow Run school district, incumbent Scott Wilson was unopposed for another four-year term. Newcomer Avery Hanningberg was unopposed for the remainder of a one-year term on the school board.

By Andrew Cluley

Manchester, Michigan – Incumbents Polly Jo Deacons and Lyndon Uphaus were re-elected to four-year terms in yesterday's Manchester school board election. The pair defeated challengers Dan Burch, Homer Meeks, Brad Roberts, and Gary Shear.

By Bob Eccles

Milan, Michigan – Voters in the Milan School District have rejected a three-year sinking fund millage. The vote was 654 against to 353 in favor of the tax increase.
Milan voters also returned two incumbents to the school board. David Johnson and Ronald Tairant were re-elected to four-year terms.

Ypsilanti – Ypsilanti City Council has followed Ann Arbor's lead and approved an increase in water rates. Ypsilanti rates will climb five-percent to help offset increases passed on by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department. There will also be a 22-percent increase in the surcharge that's used to pay for system improvements. Additionally, Ypsilanti water customers will no longer enjoy a discount for promptly paying bills, and a late fee will be assessed if the payment isn't received by the due date.

Ypsilanti – Ypsilanti City Council has approved a budget for the coming fiscal year that includes no funding for the Recreation Department. There is enough money left to keep open the Rutherford Municpal Pool, the Senior Center and the Parkridge Center through the summer months. The historic Freighthouse will be kept open through July of next year. Residents urged council Tuesday night to find the money to keep recreation programs for children and seniors in place. Council says funding simply isn't available, given the tight budget situation.

Ypsilanti – The Ypsilanti Board of Education election is approaching. The two challengers in the race are working as a team and using the slogan, "Continue the Excellence." The incumbants are stressing the need for change in the district.

Incumbants Floyd Brumfield and Andy Fanta, and challengers Melodie Gable and Allen Thompson all appeared at Monday night's "Meet the Candidates" forum. The event was sponsored by the Ypsilanti Education Association, the union representing district teachers.

Ann Arbor – Ann Arbor City Council has agreed to spend 114-thousand dollars to treat the city's stormwater system to kill mosquitos that could transmit the West Nile Virus. The money will be used to purchase and apply a larvacide. The larvacide will be applied this month, and again in June, July, and August. The allocation will cover the expense of a September application, if necessary. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Washtenaw County Health Department had suggested the treatments.

Ann Arbor – Ann Arbor City Council has held it's first vote on proposed changes to the way water customers are billed. The city says changes, and corresponding rate increases, are necessary to maintain the system. The changes would have residential customers charged a fee for being connected to the system, Rates would be increased as water usage increases. A public hearing on the changes has been set for June 16th.

By Andrew Cluley

By Andrew Cluley

Ann Arbor, MI – The Ann Arbor Board of Education today unanimously approved a new two-year contract with the district's teachers.
Tentative agreement was reached two weeks ago. Teachers approved the agreement yesterday.
The new contract includes wage increases of four percent in the first year and three-and-a-half percent in the second.
Teachers will also see higher out-of-pocket expenses for health care and other reductions in fringe benefits.
The district employs approximately 12-hundred teachers.