On the Ground helps to tell the story of the people, projects, and innovations that are creating “what’s next” for communities. The intended impact is for “solutions-oriented” media coverage, engagement, and ultimately understanding of the community, resulting in awareness and investments that can contribute to the vitality and prosperity of the district covered.
The concept of On the Ground is to use an “embedded journalism” model to maintain a presence in a specific community. During this time the publication focuses weekly coverage on those neighborhoods to tell the story of the people, organizations, and businesses working and living there.
On the Ground has been embedded in the city of Ypsilanti since July 2017.
On the Ground is supported by Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission, Washtenaw Community College, Destination Ann Arbor, Eastern Michigan University, Ann Arbor SPARK, Washtenaw ISD, and Center for Health and Research Transformation.
To learn more about On the Ground program, click here.
Many Ypsilanti residents don't know that the tangle of shrubs, saplings, and wildflowers in Prospect Park was once a showcase crescent-shaped pond and, decades later, a native plant garden.
For the past two years, the Ypsilanti-based nonprofit Odindi Youth Action Village has collaborated with the New West Willow Neighborhood Association to develop a renovation plan for West Willow Park.
As of Monday, Aug. 26, Ypsilanti Community Middle School's new home is the former Willow Run Middle School's 175,000-square-foot campus at 235 Spencer Lane in Ypsilanti Township.
USRowing's RowFest will come to Ford Lake in Ypsilanti Township for the first time next July, bringing infrastructure improvements to the lake and surrounding parks.
From grooming to high-end food and treats, pets are a booming business in Ypsi.
Historic Ypsilanti restaurant The Bomber will soon be featured on America’s Best Restaurants, a popular YouTube channel that has spotlighted restaurants across the U.S. in over 1,000 videos since 2021.
The Ypsilanti District Library will host photographer Jeanine Michna-Bales’s exhibition "Through Darkness to Light," showcasing photographs that represent what enslaved people might have witnessed on their journey along the Underground Railroad.
A new oral history archive at Eastern Michigan University features 33 interviews with women journalists from across the globe who reported on the COVID-19 pandemic at its peak.
Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti Community Schools, and Lincoln Consolidated Schools established the Institute for STEM Education, Outreach, and Workforce Development earlier this year.
Rumble of the Bumble, a pollinator-themed street festival featuring wrestling, music, and art, will return to Ypsilanti's Depot Town Sept. 7 from 2-10 p.m.
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