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The Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation is under new direction. Shannon Polk took over as president and CEO late last year. The foundation is a trusted philanthropic resource in Washtenaw County. WEMU's David Fair caught up with Dr. Polk for a look at what the future holds for the foundation.

Small businesses are the lifeblood of any community, and Ypsilanti is no exception. WEMU's Josh Hakala and Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale talk about what makes Ypsilanti's small business community unique with their guest, former city council member and current small business owner Brian Jones-Chance.

We just wrapped up a fantastic fall fundraiser a few days ago, so let's celebrate with a good movie! WEMU's Mat Hopson steps in for David Fair this week to chat about all of the cinematic offerings coming soon to your favorite movie houses with Marquee Arts executive director, Russ Collins!

The Ypsilanti-based residential real estate company Yarrow hopes to uplift local business in downtown Ypsi with its recent purchase of 114 West Michigan Avenue. This building was formerly occupied by the Unicorn Feed and Supply Gift Shop and is currently home to the event venue Yours Truly. Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale was joined by Yarrow co-founder Dylan Cinti to talk about this expansion and what it means for both his company and for Ypsilanti's downtown spaces and small business owners.

A recent study from Washtenaw Optimal Wellness is shedding new light on a long-standing reality in Ypsilanti: where residents live, the opportunities available to them and the color of their skin can all influence how long they are expected to live. Jeff Tritten, the President of Washtenaw Optimal Wellness, authored the study. He joined Lee Van Roth to discuss it in detail and what can be done to improve the lives of all Ypsilanti residents.

There is growing support for an alternative to police response to a mental health crisis in the community. The question is: Can it be a safer and more effective tool in dealing with such incidents for the person involved and the community at large? Care-Based Safety is an organization pushing for such operations in Washtenaw County, Southeast Michigan and beyond. The organization's co-director of culture and operations, Liz Kennedy, talks to WEMU's David Fair about why she believes it could and would work in our community.

Michigan Theater Foundation executive director Russ Collins has returned from an exciting two weeks at the Cannes Film Festival! He rejoins WEMU's David Fair to talk about his experience and the latest films coming to your favorite movie houses this weekend.

The U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, is a familiar face to many Iraqis -- some say too familiar. As the constitution is being drafted, there are concerns among Iraqis that Khalilzad's omnipresence is a sign of excessive U.S. influence.

Many colleges have adopted a "common reads" program, where freshmen read the same book during the summer and then discuss it when they get to campus. Jared Diamond, author of the popular common read Guns, Germs, and Steel, talks about what his book can offer young readers.

How do you attract a more diverse audience at the opera? One answer is to produce operas with characters that look more like the general citizenry.