Issue 1 – Spring 2019
Why is it important to track City Council and Commission meetings? 1. Information Gathering – There is a conspicuous lack of media coverage of local government in the city of Ypsilanti. By attending and/or reviewing the minutes of City Council and Commission meetings, residents can…
The word “retrograde” may be unsettling to some people — it is commonly known as a difficult time for communication and relationships. However, it is helpful to also consider the opportunity for growth and transformation during retrograde seasons. When a planet is in retrograde it…
Rest in Power to our friend Lisa Leggio, AKA Brooklyn, AKA Ditch Witch, who passed away last month. She was an important activist for environmental justice in Michigan, and she will be dearly missed. As those of us who had the privilege of fighting and…
An underground plume of dioxane miles wide is traveling underneath the city of Ann Arbor, and more recently the Huron River. Dioxane, or 1,4 dioxane, is a synthetic chemical which is flammable at high temperatures. It leaches rapidly into the ground, which is a process…
There was once a little girl that was going on a trip with her family. She was excited because she was going to fly and had never flown before. She spent her time getting ready — carefully packing for her trip. She packed summer clothes,…
It was the best of times for Ypsilanti, the worst for much of the world. Bombs were needed to bomb the bad guys and planes for the good guys to do it. During World War II folks came from far and wide, but mostly whites…
I first learned about Community Land Trusts (CLTs) while living in Boston, MA. The Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI) was created to “empower residents to organize, plan for, create and control a vibrant, diverse, and high quality neighborhood.” The community worked to reclaim land that…
Today, the Peninsular Paper Dam sits on the northern edge of Ypsilanti next to Pen Park and a shell of the old Paper Company. In ten years, it may not. In one of two high-profile decisions under consideration at the moment, City Council may choose…
Late last month What’s Left sent (me) an attaché to cover what may have been THE MOST convoluted and Xtreme press release. I joined some of the organizers on the hallowed floors of Zap Zone where we blasted each other with laser rifles, and got…
