The Ann Arbor News

It's been less than a year since he took office, but President Barack Obama has already made progress to improve America's image in the Middle East, said University of Michigan professor and Middle East expert Juan Cole. Cole, speaking Thursday...... Full Story »

Ypsilanti police are searching for a young robber accused of pushing a woman against an apartment building Thursday night and stealing her purse. The 30-year-old woman told police she was walking to a building in the 700 block of Green...... Full Story »

As the third day of the annual Rockin' for the Hungry gears up, Food Gatherers says more than 58 tons of food have been collected. The push is on to reach 200 tons by Sunday, the goal Food Gatherers set...... Full Story »

Ann Arbor's Environmental Commission approved an updated State of Our Environment Report for the city Thursday, spelling out its environmental goals: cleaner air and water, energy efficiency and overall responsible use of resources.The report says the state of the local environment...... Full Story »

The USS Washtenaw display will have a place to dock. Washtenaw County commissioners unanimously approved a resolution to provide space just outside the County Clerk’s Office for the historical display honoring the only U.S. Naval vessel bearing the county’s name....... Full Story »

The proposed budget cuts announced by Ann Arbor school Superintendent Todd Roberts Thursday night aren’t likely to cause angry hordes of students and parents to react. That’s because - while there’s pain involved for many individuals in the $2.6 million...... Full Story »

Opponents of the hotly contested Washtenaw countywide schools enhancement millage spent nearly twice as much as supporters to help assure its failure. McKinley Associates Inc., a large real estate company based in Ann Arbor, almost single-handedly funded the opposition campaign...... Full Story »

Ann Arbor school Superintendent Todd Roberts outlined more than $2.6 million in proposed budget cuts for this school year to the school board minutes ago. The board is meeting in a study session to discuss the district's finances, but no...... Full Story »

Pittsfield Township police plan to forward their investigation into a fatal shooting to Washtenaw County prosecutors in the morning. Pittsfield Public Safety Director Matt Harshberger said in an e-mail this evening that detectives have been following up on leads today...... Full Story »

Former University of Michigan football walk-on Michael Milano has essentially served probation for the past 13 months since being accused of attacking a hockey player during an alcohol-fueled confrontation, a Washtenaw County Circuit Court judge said today. Judge David Swartz...... Full Story »

Seven Ann Arbor residents have submitted applications to fill the Ann Arbor school board seat vacated by Helen Gates-Bryant last month. The candidates are: Jack Panitch Elizabeth Nelson Andrew Thomas Christine Stead Margy Long Kim Callahan Lijana Simone Lightfoot...... Full Story »

Ann Arbor officials appeared in Detroit federal court today in response to a subpoena for city records related to the November 2008 presidential election. Senior Assistant City Attorney Robert West and City Clerk Jacqueline Beaudry appeared in the courtroom of...... Full Story »

Manchester Township firefighters remove charred debris from inside a home on Elmdale Drive in Freedom Township.Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com June Fowler says she saw flames shooting from the roof of her home near Pleasant Lake in Freedom Township when she...... Full Story »

The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners agreed Wednesday to provide $175,000 to assist families facing homelessness. The funds are part of an emergency response to an increasing homeless population countywide, and will provide year-long housing vouchers and support services to...... Full Story »

A University of Michigan Law School student reported missing last month hanged himself, Washtenaw County sheriff's deputies said. The body of 35-year-old Casey Neil McGinnis was found Wednesday afternoon in a wooded area behind the Washtenaw County Recreation Center on...... Full Story »

Garry Doolittle has never forgotten the tremendous impression Kelvin Dobbins made during a tense 4 a.m. conference call in December 2000. As a field supervisor in the Ann Arbor Public Schools transportation department, Dobbins had been driving the roads since...... Full Story »

Two homeless men are accused of deliberately setting fire to the old Pinball Pete's building near the University of Michigan campus in October, Ann Arbor police said. Justin Arens, 21, and Ian MacKenzie, 18, are charged with arson of personal...... Full Story »

The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners may decide Monday whether to allow Ypsilanti Township to alter its police services contract and reduce the number of deputies from 38 to 31. Following a failed police millage proposal last month, township officials...... Full Story »

As the second day of the annual Rockin' for the Hungry gets under way, Food Gatherers says more than 37 tons of food has been collected. Food Gatherers’ goal is to bring in 200 tons of food during the campaign,...... Full Story »

Two men were arrested and an unspecified quantity of marijuana was seized during a traffic stop Wednesday in the 1100 block of North Huron River Drive, an Ypsilanti police incident log said. The 20-year-old passenger sold marijuana to the 22-year-old...... Full Story »

Ypsilanti police are investigating an attempted home invasion this morning in the 1400 block of North Huron River Drive, a police incident log said. A woman heard bells on her front door jingling for 30 minutes to an hour and...... Full Story »

Washtenaw County sheriff's deputies are investigating an armed robbery that occurred Wednesday morning in the 2500 block of International Drive in Ypsilanti Township. A woman was scraping ice off the windows on her car when a man, who was armed...... Full Story »

The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners officially adopted a balanced budget for the next two years without much fanfare or debate at its Wednesday night meeting. By a unanimous vote, the 11 commissioners approved the $99.2 million budget for 2010...... Full Story »

Leo Felty Jr., 32, fell 40 feet from scaffolding in February 2008 while working on a new wing for the University of Michigan Museum of Art. The company cited following a state investigation into Felty's death is still doing work...... Full Story »

A feisty Ann Arbor school board came out swinging Wednesday night against those who say the district is mismanaged and lacks transparency. Led by school board member Randy Friedman, board members returned time and again to the topic. Their remarks followed public...... Full Story »