Featured Stories
Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation
Wednesday, May 01, 2013
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!
Patrick Dunn
Wednesday, May 01, 2013
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.
Rishi Moudgil
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
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.
Concentrate Staff
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
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!
Patrick Dunn
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
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.
Dennis Archambault
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
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.
Natalie Burg
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
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.
Tim Colbeck
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
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.
Patrick Dunn
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
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.
Patrick Dunn
Wednesday, April 03, 2013
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.
Richard Retyi
Wednesday, April 03, 2013
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.
Jon Zemke
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
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.
Ansgar Strother
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
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.
Natalie Burg
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
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.
Tanya Muzumdar
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
When people talk about paving the way for the next generation of community leaders and activists they're talking about someone like D'Real Graham. Born and raised in Ypsilanti, Graham ran for his local school board, serves on the city's Recreation Commission, taught science at Ann Arbor's Hands On Museum and is the program coordinator for 826Michigan. And he's only 26.