Community

Next Stop for a Small-Town Wonder?

On March 1, the Kiwanis Thrift Sale received a stunning donation from Don Butcher: a handmade replica of the 1950s-era Ann Arbor railroad he crafted himself over sixteen years. At 720 square feet, the model is big enough to fill a three-car garage.

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May 2026 Health and Wellness

For those looking to set or maintain personal wellness goals this year, we are here for you! Whether you are looking for a new physical challenge, seeking social or emotional support, or feeling inspired to join a group class,...

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Kass Academy

I’m a writer who believes in multiple beginnings. And at the root of one of my origin stories is Jeff Kass’s classroom at Pioneer High School, where I sat nearly two decades ago, age thirteen, and began to love poetry for the first time. 

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The Great Tail of Time

Set in 1812 Moscow, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 is a musical adaptation of seventy pages of Tolstoy’s War and Peace. Natasha, a young countess, is torn between her love for two men, neither of them Pierre, who is dealing with his own crisis. Among the events in this saga are scandals, a suicide attempt, a duel, an awakening, and the arrival of a comet.  

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Endurance Athlete Brendan LaFrenier

From March 3 to March 6, LaFrenier ran 213.6 miles across Michigan, averaging fourteen hours and fifty miles per day, with a total run time of ninety-nine hours and fifty-three minutes. An RV with a film crew, made up mostly of U-M students and staff as well as some friends from Grand Rapids, followed him along the way for an upcoming documentary.

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Letter to the Editor: Teacher Contracts

I am writing as a concerned Ann Arbor community member and AAPS parent regarding the ongoing stalemate in contract negotiations with our teachers. The continued inability to reach an agreement that fairly compensates the educators who serve our students is deeply troubling.

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April 2026 Summer Camps and Activities

Campers unite! Get ready for a summer of fun, exploration, and friendship with full-day, half-day, and overnight summer camps. Create the summer you want, and tailor themes to best suit your camper. From clay glazing to star...

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Where the Car Is King

I’ve never been much interested in the inner workings of a car dealership, and since watching the Purple Rose Theatre’s latest play, The Classic King, I can’t say that has changed. The comedy, which runs until March 15, follows four car salesmen on a mission to save their failing dealership. Directed by Jeff Daniels, the show is a world premiere and the first professionally produced play by Richard Johnson. Johnson began playwriting after retiring from a career as an automotive journalist, including serving as editor of Automotive News.

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Summer Camps and Activities

Campers unite! Get ready for a summer of fun, exploration, and friendship with full-day, half-day, and overnight summer camps. Create the summer you want, and tailor themes to best suit your camper. From clay glazing to star...

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So You Think You Can’t Dance?

Founded by Werderitsch in 2024, Elemental Ecstatic Dance is inspired by his experience of two decades of Gabrielle Roth’s 5Rhythms classes in California, which combine physical workouts with meditation, along with the West Coast ecstatic dance scene. He combines these two approaches with his own free-form dance history that includes everything from disco roller skating to warehouse parties to grass roots festivals.

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Comedian Jacob Barr

“I put my disabilities right out in front,” says Jacob Barr, who, at twenty-eight, has become one of the city’s most distinctive standup comedians. “That was my cheat code when I started. Comedy is mostly straight white guys. Lots of guys have faces like mine, but not bodies like mine. So I use that to my advantage.”

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