On the Ground Ypsi
89.1 WEMU has forged a partnership with Concentrate Ann Arbor to highlight some of the positive things taking place in Ypsilanti. The sponsored project from Second Wave Media is called "On the Ground Ypsi." Concentrate Media project reporter Rylee Barnsdale discusses her observations and interactions while "On the Ground" in Ypsilanti.
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Losing a loved one can be devastating. For many, it becomes isolating. Finding support and comfort in others is the notion behind the work of Hanna Hasselshwert, who owns Acacia End of Life Services in Ypsilanti and runs a monthly “Death Café” to help offer support and grief education. Learn more about Hanna’s work as a "Death Doula" and how it is helping so many in the Ypsilanti community this week on WEMU’s On the Ground Ypsi with Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale.
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Having a financial plan in place can make a real difference in achieving life goals. Money management can be stressful and emotional. That’s where Eboney Byrne comes in. She is the founder of Liberty Financial Services in Ypsilanti, and she makes it a mission to meet people where they are and deal with the emotions of personal finance in order to find the plan for the future that works. Learn about the difference Eboney is making for people and organizations in Ypsilanti in today's "On the Ground Ypsi" with Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale.
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Not many 19-year-olds decide to start their own business, but with the advent of online sales and the stay-at-home work ethos fostered during the pandemic, more young people are choosing this avenue. That includes Ypsilanti’s Christian Knox. Christian is now 22, and his online vintage clothing business, Thrift Activist, continues to grow and expand. He explains why he has chosen to be own boss with Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale on this week's “On the Ground Ypsi.”
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There are tarantulas in Ypsilanti! Fortunately, they are kept under the close watch of some good folks in the Eastern Michigan University biology department. Studying tarantulas in the lab is one thing, but getting up close and personal with the eight-legged wonders on their territory is an entirely different experience. So, some EMU students are heading out west to see and study the arachnids at work and play in their natural habitat. EMU student Spencer Poscente joins Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale for “On the Ground Ypsi” to talk about his experiences in EMU's arachnid lab and what he hopes to learn out in the field.
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Original Moxie started off as a hair care line out of owner Rachel Blistein’s home. Now, it is part of a the aptly-named “Beauty Block” at the Ridge Center on Michigan Avenue in Ypsilanti Township. Its three businesses support and collaborate with one another and have bigger plans on the horizon with another woman-owned business planning to move in soon. Find out more when Rachel Blistein from Original Moxie joins Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale for this week's "On the Ground Ypsi."
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Independent restaurants serve Ypsilanti in just about every cuisine you can imagine. In fact, for restaurant owners, the city has become a desired location. In choosing Ypsilanti, they also work towards creating community. There are a number of eatery owners working to do just that, and Naj Hammoud is among them. He and his family own and operate Speedy’s Big Burgers, and he shared his story with Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale.
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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.
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Getting an education as an adult can be challenging and costly. But for the last 25 years in Washtenaw County, the organization “Adult Transitions” has been helping adults get their GED, take English as a Second Language classes, and much more. WEMU's Josh Hakala and Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale talk about this path to education with Bonnie Truhn, the program director of Adult Transitions.
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The Michigan Avenue branch of the Ypsilanti District Library flooded during a severe rainstorm back in July. Its closing has been a big loss to the community, but plans are in the works to come back bigger and better. WEMU's Josh Hakala and Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale caught up with downtown branch manager Joy Cichewicz for the latest.
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The Ypsilanti District Library and Eastern Michigan University are working to make menstruation products more accessible. In fact, the tampons and pads are available free of charge. As you’ll learn on WEMU’s 'On the Ground Ypsi,' the hope is to reduce the financial burden of these essential items while also getting rid of the stigma of menstruation. WEMU’s Josh Hakala and Concentrate Media’s Sarah Rigg get all the details in a conversation with Jesse John from EMU’s ‘Changing the Cycle’ program.