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For those who need to take a payday loan to help meet financial obligations, it can be crippling. With interest rates averaging 370% in Michigan, just paying the loan back creates a cycle of debt that can be near impossible to escape. The "Stop the Debt Trap" petition drive is seeking to limit those interest loan rates to a maximum of 36%. WEMU's David Fair spoke with the group's Josh Hovey about the effort to get the initiative on the November ballot and why it's so important for all too many in Washtenaw County and around the state.

'Tis the season for new movies to start springing up! WEMU's David Fair and Russ Collins from the Michigan Theater cover a new animation film and the latest from Nicolas Cage and more of your movie options in this week's edition of 'Cinema Chat.'

Expanding access to meaningful STEM Education: That's the mission behind UniteSTEM in Ypsilanti. The non-profit describes education as "an adventure," and it wants to create real-world career opportunities by working with local kids and giving them access to the tools required to be a success. UniteSTEM co-founder, Frank Norton, provides an insider's look at the program in this week's "On the Ground-Ypsi" with WEMU's David Fair and Concentrate Media's Sarah Rigg.

A Washtenaw County development is to become one of the nation’s first mixed-income, net-zero-energy communities. We’ll look at Veridian at County Farm in Ann Arbor as it prepares to begin construction and has entered pre-sales of its first units. THRIVE Collaborative founder Matt Grocoff joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss how years of planning are now moving from concept to reality in what, he hopes, will serve as the model for all future housing developments.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has released her MI Healthy Climate Plan. It is considered by many to be the boldest climate action proposal in state history. On this month’s edition of WEMU’s "1st Friday Focus on the Environment," we look at key components of the plan and its potential impact on under-served communities and the overall health of our air, land, and water. David Fair is joined by Derrell Slaughter of the Natural Resources Defense Council and Michigan League of Conservation Voters executive director, Lisa Wozniak.

Our four-day spring fundraiser was a huge success, so let's celebrate with a good flick! WEMU's David Fair and Michigan Theater Foundation executive director Russ Collins cover the latest films coming to downtown Ann Arbor and to your local multiplex.

“Tree Town” is moving to take next steps to better protect the source of its nickname. Ann Arbor is working on an update to its Urban and Community Forest Management Plan to address climate change challenges and other issues. Urban Forestry and Natural Resources Planning Coordinator Tiffany Giacobazzi joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss what’s on the table and how the public can help make present and future determinations on Ann Arbor’s urban forest.

If you feel the air getting warmer, that means the movies are warming up, too. WEMU's David Fair and Michigan Theater executive director Russ Collins get together to chat all about this weekend's cinematic offerings.

Voters in Ann Arbor will decide an issue in November that could very well determine the success of the city's A2Zero plan to reach carbon neutrality by the year 2030. WEMU's David Fair and Michigan League of Conservation Voters executive director, Lisa Wozniak, discussed the stakes with Kris Olsson, who is part of a group advocating for passage of the Community Climate Action ballot proposal.

Butterflies are an important pollinator and are of great help in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. A variety of factors are contributing to a decline in some their numbers. Marcy Breslow is co-author of a new book focused on 17 years of research and observation at Greenview Nature Area in Ann Arbor. She joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss the findings in the book, “The Butterflies of Our Local Park."