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Further investing in environmental sustainability will be a part of Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s budget for the 2025 fiscal year. The governor is to formally introduce her budget proposal today at 11 AM. WEMU's David Fair invited State Senator Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) to discuss some of what lay ahead in 2024 when it comes to environmental legislation and policy.

Though the residents of the West Willow neighborhood in Ypsilanti Township are predominantly people of color, a document affecting about 196 homes on a parcel in the neighborhood is still on the books that bans anyone who isn't white from living there. In an effort to change that, the New West Willow Neighborhood Association (NWWNA) has partnered with the Justice InDeed project at the University of Michigan Law School's Civil Rights Litigation Initiative to repeal the race-restrictive covenant covering that plat of land. Concentrate Media’s Rylee Barnsdale discusses the work being done to repeal this document with NWWNA president JoAnn McCollum.

The 2nd annual Black History Month art exhibition is on display at the Riverside Arts Center in Ypsilanti. This year’s theme is taken from the title of a book written by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: "Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or community?" The exhibition is sponsored by former State Representative Ronnie Peterson and his wife, Ypsilanti Township trustee Gloria Peterson, and is put forth by the African American Cultural and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County. AACHM board chair, Dr. Debby Covington, and Mr. Peterson joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss the exhibit and its impacts.

Awards season is reaching its peak, and there's still time to catch the award-worthy films on the big screen! WEMU's Mat Hopson talks about the new flicks and special screenings coming your favorite theaters with Michigan Theater Foundation executive director Russ Collins.

Icy roads are synonymous with Michigan winter, and the Washtenaw County Road Commission uses about 18,000 tons of salt in an average year to keep the roads safe. It is the most cost-effective way to treat the roads, but it is horrible for the environment. A new University of Michigan-led research project seeks to find solutions in the natural environment. WEMU's David Fair was joined by Anish Tuteja. He is a professor of materials science and engineering at the University of Michigan and is serving as the project’s principal investigator.

Food and housing insecurity continue to grow in our community. For the unhoused, it is a constant struggle to stay warm and fed. That's where FedUp Ministries steps in. During the summer, it provides food to those in need with a mobile food truck, while in the winters, it visits area warming centers to provide food. Now, FedUp is providing its WashUp services with a mobile shower vehicle to provide hygiene and dignity to the unhoused. FedUp Ministries board president Tajalli Hodge joins Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale to discuss new services and the plan for more in the near future.

As a recording artist and music producer, Dr. Rod Wallace amplifies hip hop. He is an educator who applies the study of music technology to ignite and inspire youth. Rod is busy planning the March 2nd Detroit Electronic Music Conference at Washtenaw Community College. Meet him when he joins Deb Polich on this edition of WEMU’s "creative:impact."

There is an exhibit that will be available from March through the month of May called, “Family Foundations: Four Stories of Black Washtenaw County Community Building.” It is an interactive exhibit put forth by the African American Cultural and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County. There is a long, rich African American history in our community, and much of it is never taught or widely shared. Museum president and CEO Joyce Hunter joins WEMU's David Fair with some lessons and knowledge we can all benefit from in this final Black History Month 2024 installment of "Washtenaw United."

Our spaces—the places we live and spend most of our time—can be our happy place. Designing happy spaces is what Kami Michels does. As the director of interiors at Center Design Build, she helps people create a place where they can renew and restore. Kami joins Deb Polich on this edition of WEMU’s "creative:impact" to talk about the art of interior design.

The U.S. Department of Defense is finally going to take meaningful action to protect Lake Huron from PFAS contamination emanating from the Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda. This action in Michigan may serve as a template for clean-ups at nearly 400 other bases across the country. The progress can be attributed to the efforts of concerned Michigan residents. Tony Spaniola is an Oscoda resident and co-chair of the Great Lakes PFAS Action Network. He joined WEMU's David Fair and Michigan League of Conservation Voters executive director Lisa Wozniak to discuss the latest information and what comes next.