Tag Archives: Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners

County Commissioner Andy LaBarre attacked by far-right local radio personality Thayrone X for moving to renegotiate union contracts prior to Right-to-Work legislation going into effect

By Mark | February 8, 2013

On the way home from work the other day, listening to our local hate talk radio station, WAAM, I had the distinct pleasure of hearing my friend, County Commissioner Andy LaBarre, called a ‘psychotic lame-brain fascist weenie clown’ by Ann Arbor’s own tea-partying, Michael Savage wannabe Thayrone X. It would seem that Thayrone was less [...]

Posted in Civil Liberties, Michigan, Uncategorized | Also tagged Andy LaBarre, collective bargaining, hate speech, lame duck, right-to-work, Thayrone X, unions, WAAM | 24 Comments

Washtenaw County Commissioner Conan Smith clarifies his stance on Emergency Financial Managers

By Mark | February 21, 2012

Yesterday, Washtenaw County Commissioner Conan Smith dropped by the site and left a few comments, as he’s known to do on occasion. Well, one of those comments, which pertained to Michigan’s Emergency Financial Manager law, drew quite a bit of criticism, and, to his credit, Smith came back this evening and responded to it. Here, [...]

Posted in Civil Liberties, Economics, Politics, Ypsilanti | Also tagged Benton Harbor, Busy Dying, Conan Smith, Detroit, Dragon, Ecorse, Emergency Financial Manager, Emergency Financial Manager Act, Flint, Hamtramck, Highland Park, Jennifer Granholm, Lansing, Michigan Suburbs Alliance, PA4, Pontiac | 6 Comments

Good work, Township! You now look like every other chain-glutted strip mall wasteland in America.

By Mark | May 31, 2011

I try not to rant too much here. Believe it or not, I restrain myself for the most part. I try, as best as I can, to limit my posts to subjects where I believe I have positive, constructive things to add. That’s not so much the case tonight, though. There’s nothing positive left to [...]

Posted in History, Mark's Life, Rants, Special Projects, Uncategorized, Ypsilanti | Also tagged 1964, bowling, fast food, Golfside, good design, hideous places, historic preservation, local economy, retaining Ypsi businesses, sense of place, sign museum, South Dakota, Starkweather House, Washtenaw Avenue, Wes Prater, Ypsi Arbor Bowl, Ypsilanti Historical Society | 9 Comments

Update on the Ypsi-Arbor sign… There’s still time to save it, but does anyone care?

By Mark | April 23, 2011

As I mentioned in my last post about the Ypsi-Arbor sign, I wrote to Washtenaw County Commissioner Wes Prater and asked him to intervene, stop the auction, and protect the historic sign. Well, I just received his response. Here it is, in its entirety. “I agree with most of your concerns. It would benefit the [...]

Posted in Ann Arbor, History, Ideas, Ypsilanti | Also tagged Art Campbell, call to action, historic preservation, Starkweather House, Washtenaw Avenue, Washtenaw Feeding Corridor, Wes Prater, Ypsi Arbor Bowl, Ypsi Arbor sign | 13 Comments

Is it still possible to save the Ypsi-Arbor sign, and should we try?

By Mark | April 13, 2011

As readers of this site know, the giant “Ypsi-Arbor” sign, that has been standing watch over the demilitarized zone between our two cities since 1964, is up for sale. [For the background, I'd suggest that you read our previous discussions on the matter: Part 1, Part 2.] The good news is, nothing’s been finalized yet. [...]