Ann Arbor Spark

Many businesses located in the Ypsilanti area have a global impact even though they are located in Washtenaw County. WEMU's Lisa Barry and On the Ground Ypsi project manager Sarah Rigg talk with Bill Mayer of Ann Arbor SPARK about the many successful local businesses in the Ypsilanti area they've helped support and nurture to reach this level of success.

Washtenaw and Wayne Counties were devastated by heavy rains and flooding during late June storms.  FEMA and the federal Small Business Administration are setting up camp in the area to help those in need. 12th District Congressional representative Debbie Dingell joined WEMU's David Fair to highlight the  available assistance while pushing for approval of the federal infrastructure bill. 

This week for "On The Ground Ypsi", WEMU's Lisa Barry and On the Ground Ypsi project manager Sarah Rigg talk to an area mother of one who started her own business. She shares how she stays motivated and involves her young daughter in her work while setting a positive example of having a good work/life balance.

In this week's "On The Ground Ypsi," Lisa Barry and project manager Sarah Rigg talk to Scott Heister, Southeast Regional Director for Mi STEM and a co-founder of the American Center for Innovation.  He talks about the proposed program to work with kids and encourage them to pursue real jobs in STEM fields and providing "cradle-to-career opportunities."

Ann Arbor Spark is now using 100% renewable energy to power its office buildings.  

Four months after taking office, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer painted a not-so-pretty picture of Michigan’s infrastructure and education system, while speaking to a group of Ann Arbor area business and community leaders on the Eastern Michigan University campus.

There was a groundbreaking ceremony Monday at the former Willow Run Bomber Plant in Ypsilanti Township which will soon be a center for driverless vehicle testing, the American Center for Mobility.

Among the elected officials on hand for the ceremony was 12th District Congresswoman Debbie Dingell.  She says the facility will be a great step forward for Michigan and the auto industry.

Voters in Washtenaw and three other counties will decide the Regional Transit Authority proposal  that, if approved, would create a mass transit system in Southeast Michigan.  Their goal is to make the region more connected and accessible. Whether that is of benefit to local businesses is a matter of opinion. 

The former Willow Run Powertrain Plant in Ypsilanti Township will soon be the site of a new autonomous vehicle testing facility. The project took a step forward Friday with the creation of a non-profit to manage the site.

The former president and CEO of Ann Arbor Spark has a new position now-- finding jobs for the mostly unemployable.

To help attract new companies to Ypsilanti, the city partnered with the Ann Arbor economic development organization, SPARK for a special real estate tour.