News across Washtenaw County

Chelsea Heritage Home Program Puts History Right at the Front Door
Chelsea is often promoted as “historic Chelsea”. Signs around town tell Chelsea’s history due to the efforts of the Chelsea Area Historical Society (CAHS), Preservation Chelsea, and the Chelsea Depot Association. In 2011, the downtown was recognized by the National Register of…

Paralives is still in progress
Dollhouses were a true and persistent fascination of my youth. Maybe it is the tiny furniture or the little rooms you can rearrange endlessly, or maybe it is the power of getting to decide exactly where everything belongs. Life simulator games have promised a similar feeling for…

Ann Arbor Parks & Recreation launches community survey
Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation has launched a new community needs survey and assessment. It seeks comment on the future of the city’s recreation programs and open spaces. WEMU’s Kevin Meerschaert reports.
TIFF 2026: Caleb Hearon tugs at our indie hearts with ‘Trash Mountain’
After starting out in the comedy scene around 2017, making some brief appearances in “The Devil Wears Prada 2” and “Pizza Movie” and finding great success in his podcast “So True,” Caleb Hearon makes his feature-film writing and lead acting debut in “Trash Mountain.” Based on his…
TIFF 2026: ‘Paradise Lost’ loses its audience mid-premiere
One year after the premiere of his film “The Ugly” at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival — which received minimal critical praise and a 56% on Rotten Tomatoes — director and screenwriter Yeon Sang-ho had the chance to redeem himself with the premiere of his new film at…

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream needs an update
With more than 1,000 hours of Tomodachi Life logged onto my childhood Nintendo 3DS, I was painfully ecstatic for its Switch sequel. I didn’t think I could wait for Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream. Out of desperation, I even downloaded the European version of Tomodachi Life to…
Pretty Sick revolts against genre labels on ‘Anarchy’
If there’s one person in independent music who knows about evolution, it’s Sabrina Fuentes. Having started the band Pretty Sick at just 13, her 2017 eponymous debut EP seemed like a clear-cut revival of ’90s grunge, alternative indie rock and riot grrrl. Subsequent albums, like…

North Lake United Methodist Church Celebrates 190 Years
North Lake United Methodist Church recently celebrated a remarkable milestone—190 years of ministry with a joyful anniversary celebration on September 20th that honored the church’s deep roots while looking toward its future. The special worship brought together members and…

UMich awards Wallenberg Medal to Haitian American activist Guerline Jozef
The University of Michigan presented Haitian American activist Guerline Jozef with the 31st annual Wallenberg Medal Tuesday evening at the Rackham Auditorium. Jozef — who co-founded the Haitian Bridge Alliance and is recognized for her advocacy work with Haitian and Black…

Author Colum McCann discusses heading Narrative 4 event
Author Colum McCann is set to sit down with Michigan Public’s April Baer on Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 5:30 p.m. in the University of Michigan Museum of Art’s Helmut Stern Auditorium. The talk will cover the power of storytelling, focusing on the role of literature in building…

Milan Resident Holds Book Signing for WWII Memoir
At age 90, Milan resident Elaine Ferrington Cousino published her first book, a memoir of her childhood in southeast Michigan during World War II called “Tap Dancing on Tombstones.” The book takes place at a time when most young men—including her three older brothers—were away…
Join the Dexter Wellness Coalition to Support Dementia Friendly Dexter
The Dexter Wellness Coalition, led by co-motivators Anna Pekrul and Marianne Wendt, invites all community members to join their efforts to make Dexter a dementia friendly city. In partnership with Dementia Friendly Services, a nonprofit organization based in Saline, the coalition…