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Chidester Place Apartments in Ypsilanti houses numerous senior citizens and people with disabilities. A number of those residents are unable to leave the facility, which can make their lives lonely and difficult. Chidester resident and community activist Emy Deshotel is working on programming for Chidester Place that creates a more welcoming and enjoyable community. She talks about her efforts and the organizations that have been helping her with Concentrate reporter Sarah Rigg.

Days are getting a bit shorter here in Michigan, but there's always time to catch a flick! WEMU's David Fair meets up again with Marquee Arts executive director Russ Collins to chat about the newest films and special events hitting the big screen!

A reversal in a federal funding initiative could end an effort to preserve another 4,000 acres of land in southeast Michigan. $24.6 million had been granted to the Legacy Land Conservancy and its partners for preservation of farmland, forests, wetland and waterways in our region, including Washtenaw County. But the Trump Administration has rescinded that grant. WEMU's David Fair and Michigan League of Conservation Voters executive director Lisa Wozniak weigh the real and potential impacts with Legacy Land Conservancy executive director, Diana Kern.

Mary Kerr is the doyen of destination marketing. As the doyen of destination marketing, she has led our travel and tourism bureau for the last 27 years putting the greater Ann Arbor area — including Washtenaw County arts and cultural attractions —on the travel and tourism map. Mary joins "creative:impact" host Deb Polich to talk about her career and her upcoming retirement.

June is Pride Month, and the effort to advance equity and equality for the LGBTQ community has a long way to go. There are also areas of foundational progress to celebrate, even while some are under attack. On "Washtenaw United," WEMU's David Fair covers all of that with the deputy director of Movement Advancement Project, Naomi Goldberg. Naomi also serves as LGBTQ Liaison to the Mayor of Ann Arbor.

Some of the significant issues we’re dealing with in Washtenaw County are also issues in communities around the state: affordable housing, senior citizen care, children in foster care and immigration. Samaritas is an organization serving those segments of our population throughout Michigan, including here in Washtenaw County. WEMU's David Fair spoke with its executive director, Heidi Raubenolt, about the local impacts today and the work that lay ahead in the future.

To achieve environmental and sustainability goals, it's going to take contributions from everyone. The city of Ann Arbor has contracted with zerowaste.org to educate and engage the public in a variety of ways, including a 'neighborhood swap' program. Zerowaste.org executive director, Samuel McMullen, joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss the effort and its intended impacts.

Bicycling culture in Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County is growing. As such, there is an increased chance of car versus bike crashes in the area. WEMU's David Fair talked with Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society member Craig Stephann about overcoming safety hurdles as non-motorized transportation is key to sustainability efforts.

In 2003, an organization was founded with a mission of tackling the unmet needs of socially and economically vulnerable young women in Washtenaw County. Now, Girls Group is celebrating 20 years of empowering young women to achieve emotional and economic self-sufficiency by ensuring they graduate from high school and begin their college or career journeys. Sue Schooner is the founder and executive director of Girls Group and shared the organization's story with WEMU's David Fair.

PFAS contamination has already been a significant concern. Now, there may be reason to add to the worry. A study funded by the Ann Arbor-based Ecology Center finds there is an array of PFAS chemical profiles in rainwater falling over Ann Arbor and Southeast Michigan. WEMU's David Fair spoke with the center’s Erica Bloom about the findings and what it means to the environment and public health.