Concentrate - Features

Speaker Event: The Care & Feeding of Student Entrepreneurs

Concentrate Staff — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Over the last few years TechArb, an incubator for student entrepreneurs, has been quietly nurturing the next generation of tech start-ups. Concentrate's May speaker event will feature the folks behind this innovative effort and student groups pitching their business concepts to the crowd. Sign up now for Thursday's Happy Hour event!

Guest Blogger: Amanda Taylor

Amanda Taylor — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Continuing our series of new college grads giving their post-grad outlooks, EMU alumna Amanda Taylor, who chose to remain rooted in Ann Arbor for her graduate psychology studies, writes on the area's educational and socioeconomic diversity.

50 years, 50 Stories: Story #3 Peter Dobson Fund

Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Peter Dobson cared so deeply about environmental issues that he made sure his will included a gift to create an endowment to help protect and enhance the local ecosystem. Though he died at the young age of 21, Peter's passion for the environment lives on through the Peter Dobson Fund which has awarded more than $226,000 to support local environmental organizations.

Michigan Hosts the Architectural & Industrial Design Event of the Year

Brian Conway, Michigan State Historic Preservation Officer — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

State Historic Preservation Office launches blockbuster show June 14 at Cranbrook Art Museum in Bloomfield Hills.

Happy Memorial Day! Concentrate Takes a Holiday

Concentrate Staff — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Concentrate will be taking next week off to spend time with friends and family, enjoy the start of summer, and pay our respects to those who sacrificed for our country. We'll be back June 5!

Choreographing a New Future for Michigan Dance

Natalie Burg — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Kathy King proves that you don't have to move to the coasts to be an artist. After a stint in L.A., the dancer and choreographer returned to Michigan to start the Michigan Dance Project, an organization that is slowly but surely growing in size and stature.

Thanks for listening, Michigan!

MSHDA — Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

People across the state have helped "the Prosperity Agenda" radio show on Detroit news/talk 760 WJR win international acclaim

How to Get Skooled For Free

Natalie Burg — Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Got a craft you can teach to others? Always wanted to learn an unconventional skill, say, hula-hoop construction or spring foraging? The Ann Arbor Free Skool is dedicated to pairing knowledge with knowledge-seekers, free of charge.

Career Education in the Kitchen

Patrick Dunn — Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

To many, Food Gatherers is an organization that collects and provides sustenance for those in need. But feeding the hungry is only part of the equation. Teaching at-risk young adults to find careers in the food industry is another. And with an 87 percent graduation rate, the program is inching our community toward long-term solutions for hunger.

50 Years, 50 Stories: Story #2 Dawn Farm's Chapin Street Project

Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation — Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

In 1998, the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation awarded a $12,000 grant to Dawn Farm to investigate best practices for establishing recovery-based transitional housing. The next day a crack house on Ann Arbor's Chapin Street was raided and closed, which provided a timely opportunity.

50 years, 50 Stories: Story #6 Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum

Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation — Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Last year, the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum hosted nearly 262,000 visitors from around the region—making it one of Michigan’s premier destinations for informal science education. Since 1980, the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation and our donors have provided more than $170,000 in grants to help the Museum grow.

Guest Blogger: Peter Wagner

Peter Wagner — Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Real Life 101 isn't a class you choose to register for. We're all signed up. New U-M graduate Peter Wagner kicks off a short series of blogs from this year's crop of college grads. Where are they going next, and why? Look for their answers this spring and summer.

Ice Cream Man 2.0

Kim North Shine — Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

To paraphrase David Lee Roth: "He's your Ice Cream Man, stop him when he's passin' by." ...Or pedaling by, as the case may be. Rob Hess is the bicycle-bound peddler (and pedaler) of Go! Ice Cream, the latest addition to Ann Arbor-Ypsi's army of hand-crafted, small-batch food artisans. We, for one, welcome their invading forces.

What I've Learned During Michigan's Fight on Home Foreclosure

Mary Townley — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

MSHDA is partnering with the state's religious leaders and faith communities to help homeowners avoid foreclosure with a program that addresses each homeowner's unique situation.

On Stage With Joseph Zettelmaier

Tanya Muzumdar — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

There are vocations and there are avocations. For Joseph Zettelmaier it's clear which is which. By day the Milan, Mich. resident works in data entry. But on stage he's an award-winning playwright with 30 plays to his name. Concentrate's Tanya Muzumdar puts the spotlight on this theatrical wordsmith.

50 Years, 50 Stories: Story #1 Oscar Reimold Fund

Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

When Oscar Reimold died, he left a gift that never stops giving, an endowment at the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation that supports local programs to help Ann Arbor seniors live independently and with dignity. Since 1981, the Oscar Reimold Fund has awarded more than $1.3 million in grants - more than three times Oscar's original gift!

Bombs Away: The Seed Bombing of Water Street

Patrick Dunn — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Take one ugly, undeveloped piece of land, add a contingent of concerned citizens, give them a whole lotta seeds and a "sexy" community event and what do you get? The folks behind Ypsilanti's "Seed Bomb Water Street" hope it'll be a field full of wildflowers... and, eventually, a local commons.

Guest Blogger: Rishi Moudgil

Rishi Moudgil — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Punching the corporate clock is hardly the only way to success. Rishi Moudgil, director of U-M's Nonprofit and Public Management Center, outlines the great potential of career opportunities beyond the private sector.

Speaker Event: Doing Business in Downtown Ypsilanti

Concentrate Staff — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Maybe you haven't noticed but more and more businesses have been moving into Ypsilanti, fueling a drive to revive the downtown as a vibrant commercial destination. So, how do things look at street level? To answer that question we've invited local business owners to talk about how they're doing and where things are going. Sign up now for this May 2 event!

A Blaze of Innovation

Patrick Dunn — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

While most kids are wasting their time mastering Xbox, high schoolers Albert Foo and Sharath Anand are developing a new fire-fighting technology, one that extinguishes interior flames from outside the building. So far ExtinBreachR has landed them top science fair awards and a couple of small grants. But they've got bigger plans.

Step Back: Michigan Folk School Teaches Old Skills With A New Purpose

Dennis Archambault — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Sometimes a step back in time can be a step into the future. At the Michigan Folk School in Superior Township, back-to-basics living isn't just seen as nostalgia for arts and crafts, but rather a community-based counterbalance to the alienating advances of technology.

The BollyFit Blend: A Q&A with Anuja Rajendra

Natalie Burg — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Some might call it an accidental career, but when a passionate hobby becomes a successful business it seems more like an inevitability. Anuja Rajendra's zeal for fitness and Bollywood-style dance inspired BollyFit, both a lifestyle and growing brand.

Guest Blogger: Tim Colbeck

Tim Colbeck — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

After makeovers from Depot Town to Michigan Avenue, Ypsilanti is rebuilding and renovating its core. And the march continues. Ypsilanti DDA director Tim Colbeck discusses what else he'd like to see in terms of a more perfect downtown.

On the Bleeding Edge of 3D

Patrick Dunn — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

If you're wondering when we'll finally get that holodeck Star Trek promised, the folks at University of Michigan's 3D Lab could probably give you a decent ETA. From 3D printers to digital models to immersive virtual environments, these tech wizards are pushing the 3D envelope. And their technology is accessible to students and members of the public alike.

The Aviary Teaches Students to Take Flight

Patrick Dunn — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Why pedal on an elliptical or curl dumbells when you can fly? The newly opened Ann Arbor Aviary provides acrobatic exercises for those who'd rather soar with eagles than pump iron with gym rats. Silks, ropes, and trapezes are the equipment of choice for this alternative, aerial gym.

Why Ann Arbor Should Go To the Dogs

Richard Retyi — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400

The power of dogonomics is undeniable, and Ann Arbor is finally beginning to recognize the fact. From pup salons to doggie daycare centers to off-leash parks, canines and their owners are expecting more and better accommodations. So, how are we doing when it comes to man's best friend? Concentrate's Richard Retyi looks for answers.

Seeding the Ground for Next-Gen Entrepreneurs

Jon Zemke — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400

The risks to startup culture are a two-way street. Not only must you convince investors to make a calculated leap of faith, you also need talent that's willing to commit sweat equity to an uncertain future. The Adams Entrepreneur Fellowship Program is looking to make the second half of that equation a little easier while applying a slow-food strategy toward fostering local entrepreneurship.

Guest Blogger: Ansgar Strother

Ansgar Strother — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400

What will Ann Arbor have in common with Denver, Minneapolis, and Hangzhou, China? A smart bike share system should be on the road in fall 2013. Ansgar Strother, co-founder of A2B Bikeshare, explains the steering of his company's direction and why people want affordable green transportation for their cities.

From a dying landmark to live music, the Crofoot rocks Downtown Pontiac

Natalie Burg — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Both the building at 1 S. Saginaw in Pontiac and the McGowan family have deep ties to Michigan history. Through their redevelopment of the Crofoot building from abandoned office space to a ballroom, the family proved that the recipe for downtown revitalization is one part historic preservation, one part innovation, and a dash of rock 'n roll.

Old Buildings With New Uses Inspire Development

Natalie Burg — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Sometimes it seems historic preservation and economic development are at odds with one another, but innovative business owners across Michigan are proving otherwise. Learn how entrepreneurs in Pontiac, Ypsilanti and Lansing are blending the two to create neighborhood growth.