ypsilanti

Ypsilanti's Matt Jones finds salvation in his music

Stateside Staff — Mon, 06 May 2013 19:20:42 +0000

His name is Matt Jones. He's 35 and he's based in Ypsilanti. He's been writing songs and performing around Michigan for the past 15 years. He has growing audience of fans and has received more critical acclaim.

And his story is one of overcoming personal demons and finding salvation in the thing he loves best: making music.

Matt joined us in the studio today to talk about his music.

Click the link above to hear Cyndy's conversation with Matt.

Matt also performed for our "Songs from Studio East" series. You can check out that performance here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgzIQ77wkbc

You can check out more of Matt's music here: http://mattjones.bandcamp.com/

US education secretary, governor to visit 3 Michigan schools

The Associated Press — Sun, 05 May 2013 20:39:33 +0000

DETROIT (AP) - President Obama's education secretary will be in Detroit on Monday for a town hall meeting on education issues and visits to three area schools.

The Detroit Public Schools and Gov. Rick Snyder's office say Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Snyder will visit a fifth-grade class at Thirkell Elementary School.

The school has about 490 students from preschool to eighth grade. It's about 31/2 northwest of downtown Detroit.

Additional Staff Cuts for Ypsilanti Schools

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 20:50:12 +0000

Ypsilanti’s Public Schools continue to battle red ink before consolidating with Willow Run Community Schools this summer.

Dedrick Martin is Superintendent of Ypsilanti schools and says his job may even go away as part of the consolidation process this summer.

Fire at apartments in Ypsilanti leaves 12 families homeless

The Associated Press — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 02:54:42 +0000

YPSILANTI TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) - A fire has heavily damaged a building at a Washtenaw County apartment complex, displacing 12 families.

The fire broke out Monday afternoon at the Schooner Cove apartment complex in Ypsilanti Township, east of Ann Arbor.

Township Fire Chief Eric Copeland tells AnnArbor.com that the fire started in a second- or third-floor apartment at the front of the building.

Copeland says the cause of the fire isn't yet known.

How a Nobel Prize-winning economist became an advocate for preschool

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 14:00:00 +0000

There's a growing consensus that more needs to be done to prepare children for kindergarten.

But does preschool really have a significant impact on the lives of children? State of Opportunity's Dustin Dwyer recently sat down with economist James Heckman to find out.

Board being named for Ypsilanti-Willow Run schools

Kyle Norris — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 20:55:26 +0000

A school board will be appointed Monday for the merging Ypsilanti and Willow Run school districts.

Ypsilanti Voters May Have Absentee Ballots But No Instructions

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 20:53:33 +0000

As many as 650 voters in Ypsilanti may have received absentee ballots in the mail without any instructions.

Francis McMullen, the Ypsilanti City Clerk, says only two voters have contacted her office so far, but she wants all voters to have what they need. So her team is mailing instructions to everyone who received an absentee ballot.

Stateside for Thursday, September 20, 2012

Mark Brush — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 22:04:21 +0000

On today's show we talk with Secretary of State Ruth Johnson, Michigan Radio's Tracy Samilton updates on CAW negotiations. We talk with University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman about her upcoming trip to Brazil. We get an update on Michigan wines and the Detroit Film Festival. We talk with Rick Devos about ArtPrize. We visit Ypsilanti and tour "Pianos around Town.

Stateside: Pianos 'Round Town in Ypsilanti

Stateside Staff — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 17:37:51 +0000

"Basically, it's just free and fun."

That's the motto of Pianos 'Round Town, an event beginning today through Oct. 9th in Ypsilanti. Pianos are set outside in the open for the public to enjoy. Anyone at anytime can sit down and play.

Korin Hancherlian-Amos, the founder of Pianos 'Round Town, got the idea from British artist Luke Jerram. Jerram began the project, Play Me I'm Yours, in 2008 in London, which has since grown to cities all around the world.

In 2010, Hancherlian-Amos called her long-time friend, Tim Hoy, owner of Steinway Piano Gallery in Detroit. Hoy agreed to lend the pianos for the event, making Pianos 'Round Town possible.

Ypsilanti and Willow Run schools to ask voters, "should we merge?"

Tracy Samilton — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 15:02:27 +0000

Two struggling Michigan school districts will ask voters in November if they should merge.

Ypsilanti Public Schools has about 3,600 students; Willow Run Public Schools has about 1,600.

Both districts have serious financial problems, along with poor student test scores and low graduation rates.

Both districts' high schools failed to meet adequate yearly progress under the No Child Left Behind law last year.

Ypsilanti schools could be headed for state takeover

Kate Wells — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 21:15:02 +0000

Superintendent Dedric Martin says the school system could need an emergency manager, unless staff agree to deeper cuts.

Martin acknowledges staff already took a 10 percent salary cut.

“That comes on the heels of additional concessions that they've made. And we've had reductions at all levels. Unfortunately it's not enough to carry a balanced budget and pay back money that has already been borrowed and spent," he said.

Trayvon Martin supporters rally in Ypsilanti (photos)

Mercedes Mejia — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 14:13:38 +0000

A crowd wearing hooded sweaters of all colors gathered in downtown Ypsilanti Monday afternoon, one month after the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin of Florida.

The unarmed black teenager was wearing a hoodie when he was shot and killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer in a gated community in Sanford, Florida. The man who shot Martin has not been arrested.

Jeff Clark lives in Ypsilanti, and helped organize the event.

Ypsilanti, Willow Run school districts consider consolidation

The Associated Press — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:25:09 +0000

YPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) — Leaders of the Willow Run and Ypsilanti school districts say plans to consolidate could prevent them from being placed under the control of an emergency financial manager.

AnnArbor.com reports both school districts have been on the state's list of districts operating with a deficit consistently since 2009. Ypsilanti Public Schools has a total projected deficit of $9.4 million and Willow Run Community Schools has a $1.7 million deficit.

The superintendents of both districts said Tuesday that consolidation could prevent an emergency manager and improve student achievement.

Ypsilanti Superintendent Dedrick Martin says his district has spent more than it has taken in since 2004-05. Willow Run Superintendent Laura Lisiscki says school officials are looking to take a local, proactive approach to solving their schools' growing financial and student achievement problems.

EMU's police chief commits suicide

The Associated Press — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 19:13:50 +0000

The police chief at Eastern Michigan University has died in a suicide. The Washtenaw County sheriff's office says Greg O'Dell was found dead Friday just west of Ann Arbor. He was 54 years old.

O'Dell had recently returned to Ypsilanti as EMU's police chief after three months as public safety chief at the University of Michigan. He said he wanted to return to a job he loved.

Ypsilanti studio space "spurs" on artists, musicians

Jennifer Guerra — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 16:38:27 +0000

You can file this story under "silver lining."

Michigan's recession has left a lot of empty buildings in its wake. When James Marks was looking for a larger building to house his t-shirt and flat screen printing company, VG Kids, he looked at a two-story brick building on Railroad Street in Ypsilanti.