YOUSEF RABHI

Several streets on U-M's campus will be closed Saturday for the annual Hash Bash and Monroe Street Fair.

Hash Bash, which celebrates all things marijuana, returns to Ann Arbor this weekend.

The Ann Arbor for Public Power campaign held a virtual town hall Thursday, where more than 80 people signed on to learn about the potential change.

The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners have directed the County Administrator to explore alternatives to the area's existing privately-owned public utilities.

WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI - Some Washtenaw County leaders are outraged residents have gone days without power, scrambling to afford hotel stays and left without heat and in the dark a week after an ice storm wreaked havoc on the electrical grid. The state’s largest power companies — DTE Energy and Consumers Energy — bore the brunt of their ire during the county board meeting on Wednesday, March 1. Washtenaw County leaders call for accountability, exploring county public power utilityWhat are county leaders going to do in response to the widespread outages and delayed power restoration? Under the state constitution, the county board can intervene in rate cases before state regulators, he said, and Washtenaw County should do so in the case of a 14% residential rate hike proposed by DTE. More from The Ann Arbor News:DTE still working to restore power to hundreds of Washtenaw County residentsYpsilanti leaders overturn denial of 5 marijuana business permitsDTE Energy’s new time-of-day rates take effect.

Democrats swept all nine seats on the county board of commissioners for the third election cycle in a row on Tuesday, Nov. 8. A map shows which Washtenaw County board candidates carried parts of District 3, covering Saline, Milan, Manchester and much of southwestern Washtenaw County, in the Nov. 8, 2022 general election. “I am humbled by the support for my reelection to the (Washtenaw County board) by voters in the Dexter, Chelsea and Scio (Township) communities. The new county board will be sworn in at the body’s first January meeting. More from The Ann Arbor News:‘It’s a mess.’ Behind the long election lines at the University of MichiganAnn Arbor voters approve climate-action tax proposal with 71% supportAfter years of division, Ann Arbor mayor and allies gain full control of council

A public forum will be held tonight with officials regarding the August hexavalent chromium spill in the Huron River.

Jason Maciejewski, then a newly-sworn Washtenaw County Commissioner for District 1, speaks during a meeting of the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners in Ann Arbor on Jan. 9, 2019.Jacob HamiltonRobbins did not respond to the voter guide questionnaire. Voter guideCandidate forumDistrict 2District 2 covers Ann Arbor north of M-14, part of Dexter Township, Webster Township, Northfield Township, Salem Township, Ann Arbor Township and the majority of Superior Township. Voter guideCandidate forumDistrict 3District 3, the county’s largest by geographic size, covers Manchester, Saline, Milan, Manchester Township, Bridgewater Township, Saline Township, York Township, Sharon Township, Freedom Township and Lodi Township. Incumbent Democrat Justin Hodge of Ypsilanti Township faces GOP candidate Brett Birk of Ypsilanti Township and nonpartisan candidate David Major Sr. of Augusta Township. Andy LaBarre, Washtenaw County Commissioner for District 7, speaks during a meeting of the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners in Ann Arbor on Jan. 9, 2019.Jacob HamiltonSmart did not respond to the voter guide questionnaire.

Head over to Liberty Plaza on Sunday to learn more about the initiative to establish a municipal utility.

A bill recently introduced in the Michigan House to ban cashless parking facilities could also help address socio-economic inequities in the state, according to the state representative who introduced it. That piece of legislation similarly addresses banning credit card-only retail interactions, but didn’t cover parking specifically. The bigger picture behind these bills, Rabhi said, is to address the socio-economic inequities that may be keeping those who are unable to obtain a credit card from participating in certain transactions. “It’s a matter for me for access and making sure that we are not discriminating against people who do not have the means to potentially gain access to a credit card,” Rabhi said. The City of Lansing also offers both cash and cashless options when paying for parking, said Scott Bean, city communications director.

One of those bills would penalize Tribar, the chemical company that spilled hexavalent chromium – the shiner in chrome auto parts – into southeastern Michigan’s Huron River late last month. House Bill 4314 was introduced way back in February 2021, but it’s one of the “urgent priorities” to which Republican leadership needs to give oxygen, said cosponsoring state Rep. Rachel Hood, D-Grand Rapids. Read more: Huron River chromium spill much smaller than feared, EGLE saysThe spill, which happened after a now-former employee overrode an alarm 460 times, prompted ‘no contact’ warnings for the Huron River in Oakland and Washtenaw counties. Lead sponsor, state Rep. Yousef Rabhi, D-Ann Arbor, coincidentally represents part of Washtenaw County that includes the Huron River. But the Republican majority, emphasized state Rep. Joe Tate, is forcing the bill to gather dust in an empty statehouse before lawmakers return after Labor Day.

Signs urged punitive actions against Tribar Technologies for releasing hexavalent chromium into the river this month and PFAS into the river in recent years. “Tribar is toxic,” “Choke on your own chromium,” “Dump toxins down river, do time up the river,” “Two strikes, you’re out” and “Polluters must pay” were among the slogans. They made it so we had fear all across our city about the water coming out of our tap. They need to be held accountable — GM, Ford, every single manufacturer needs to stop doing business with them,” Rabhi continued. The bills have yet to land a committee hearing in either the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality or the House Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Committee.

Learn more about the grassroots effort to bring a community-owned utility to Ann Arbor at an event this weekend.

Held annually since 1972, the 50th-anniversary event will highlight the cannabis industry, marijuana legislation and cannabis activism.

The bill faces a difficult path forward as most Republicans and many centrist Democrats don’t want to dismantle the private insurance industry

A University of Michigan student group launched a campaign that calls on Ann Arbor to fully decriminalize all drug possession. Students for Sensible Drug Policy...

Marijuana, despite being legal recreationally, remains categorized a schedule 1 drug in Michigan alongside certain opiates, ecstasy LSD and heroin. New proposed legislation, House Bill 5877, named after longtime Ann Arbor marijuana legalization activist and poet John Sinclair, aims to change that. Schedule 1 is the highest, most criminalized on the list of drugs,” said state Rep. Yousef Rabhi, D-Ann Arbor, who sponsored the legislation. Rabhi said he’s been working on legislation to update Michigan’s drug schedule for several years and is optimistic it will be supported. It’s not a partisan issue and it shouldn’t be.”More on MLive:Marijuana regulators consider notifying customers if product failsRecall reversal allows businesses to sell unsafe weedCannabis snacks available in Whitemore lakeGrowing pains in Michigan marijuana industryHow Michigan marijuana became $2 billion industryMarijuana recall blamed for 18 health complaintsViridis fights back in courtViridis claims ‘bureaucratic’ abuseMichigan issues $200 million marijuana recall

Ann Arbor, MI -- Adults in the Ann Arbor area now can take in-person Mandarin lessons at Taiwan Center for Mandarin Learning. Guests at the event included Michigan Senators Stephanie Chang, D-Detroit, and Jeff Irwin, D- Ann Arbor; State Rep. Yousef Rabhi, D-Ann Arbor; Washtenaw County Commissioner Andrew LaBarre; Ann Arbor City Council members Kathy Griswold and Elizabeth Nelson and Eastern Michigan University President James Smith. Taiwan Center for Mandarin Learning offers a three-hour, in-person class on Friday nights at the center or an hour-long virtual lesson. Ko Yu Chan, who taught at Ann Arbor Chinese Center of Michigan for 10 years and now works for the center, looks forward to teaching adults. More from The Ann Arbor News:Ann Arbor schools should prioritize attracting staff, mental health services, survey saysMay Erlewine discusses heartfelt new album ahead of Ann Arbor showAmadeus’ paprikash, pierogi inspired by owner’s travels around Europe‘I wake up and my chest is burning’: Ukrainians call for support at Ann Arbor rallyWelcome to pothole season, a ‘delicate’ time for Washtenaw County roads, officials say

LANSING, MI — State lawmakers from Ann Arbor want to allow students ages 16 and 17 to vote in their local school board elections. Joint resolutions introduced last week by Rep. Yousef Rabhi, D-Ann Arbor and Sen. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, would let local school boards decide whether to allow students ages 16 and 17 to participate in elections for school boards. The resolutions would revise the age requirement for voting at a school district election if authorized by the school board of the school district. The school board of the school district would have to adopt an ordinance or resolution allowing residents ages 16 and over to vote in an election for an office in that school district. Allowing them to have a vote in School Board elections is only fair given that the decisions made will impact them directly.

WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI – An Ann Arbor Democrat who launched his political career with an election to the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners is again making a play for a county board seat. State Rep. Yousef Rabhi, D-Ann Arbor, who’s wrapping up a third term in the state house, joins a field of candidates that’s taking shape. Meanwhile, Morgan Foreman, a community organizer and current constituent services director for state Rep. Felicia Brabec, D-Pittsfield Township, has launched a first-time campaign for a county board seat in the Ypsilanti area. The state representative will run in county board District 8, which after the once-a-decade process of redrawing the local political maps has shifted to take the form of a center-city district, one of the only significant changes to the maps. Read more: Washtenaw County keeps 9-commissioner electoral map despite calls for more representationThis map of Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners electoral districts was adopted by the county Apportionment Commission on Nov. 8, 2021.

ANN ARBOR, MI — Supporters of forming a municipal electric utility to replace DTE Energy as Ann Arbor’s power provider are inviting the public to learn more about the idea. Ann Arbor for Public Power is hosting a Zoom round table from 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 17. City Council OK’d a resolution last month directing the city administrator to put together a request for proposals from consultants to study the technical, legal and financial viability of multiple potential pathways the city could take to meet its A2Zero goals to make the community carbon-neutral by 2030. That model is known as an SEU, which the city already has determined is feasible. MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS:Ann Arbor partners with nonprofit to launch program to help residents electrify homesAnn Arbor budget outlook shows $2.1M deficit, 4.4% increase in tax revenueCalling all tree huggers: Ann Arbor seeks volunteers to help update forestry planSee how Ann Arborites rank spending options for $24M federal stimulusAnn Arbor subdivision reckoning with its racist past, repealing 1947 whites-only policy

ANN ARBOR, MI — Some more quality-of-life improvements are coming to an Ann Arbor Housing Commission property with the help of state grant funding. “Affordable housing is one of the greatest unmet needs in the Ann Arbor area, which makes it a central issue for me in the Michigan House. The Housing Commission provided Lurie Terrace $150,000 to help ensure the building enhancements could take place. Converting these bathtubs to make them easier to get into makes much more sense for our community of seniors.”MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS:New senior living community in Ann Arbor scheduled to open in 2023A bridge too far? Ann Arbor debates nearly $20M cost for Treeline bridgeAnn Arbor OKs street closures for Big House, Shamrocks and Shenanigans 5K runs564-unit housing development clears first hurdle with Ann Arbor councilFederal infrastructure funds could go a long way in Washtenaw County, officials say

The state's economic development board can approve new projects through 2027, instead of 2022, under a bill signed last week.

Michigan developers with “transformational” plans to redevelop brownfield sites can continue to seek tax incentives after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Legislature extended the program for an additional five years.

In September, Ford announced plans to build new electric vehicle campuses in Kentucky and Tennessee. Michigan wasn’t in the running during the automakers’ site selection...

Democrats in Lansing said they are determined to keep a goal-oriented conversation about climate change going, even without bipartisan support. Democratic lawmakers said it’s critically important to propose these ideas as the effects of climate change mount across Michigan, even before Republican co-sponsors come onboard. “Many of us understand that climate change is going to be a bad thing for everyone, and Michigan is the water state,” Bayer said. The party’s plan calls for $5 billion to be invested into water infrastructure and climate resiliency efforts to prepare for the continued effects of the climate crisis. Related stories:Michigan will be the best place to live by 2050 because of climate change, new book saysClimate change on the Great Lakes has coastal communities bracing for higher waterRole of plastics as a climate change driver to grow, researchers say

ANN ARBOR, MI — A grassroots group is gearing up for a campaign to convince Ann Arbor voters to support shifting away from DTE Energy and forming a public power utility to take control of the community’s energy future. Dozens of Ann Arbor for Public Power supporters, including several local elected officials, gathered Thursday night, Sept. 9, for a fundraiser kickoff event in Burns Park. DTE Energy hopes Ann Arbor nixes idea of creating its own electric utilityAnn Arbor for Public Power is still building support for its campaign and residents can expect to see and hear more from the group in the next year, Woodring said. “Yes, we need to be fighting for public power. “What we’re doing is envisioning a better future for our community,” he said, adding Ann Arbor can lead the way and carve a path other communities can follow.

On Sunday, Sept. 19, community members will gather on the University of Michigan Diag for the inaugural Entheofest, a festival highlighting psychedelic plants and fungi.

ANN ARBOR, MI — After seven years as Ann Arbor’s mayor, Christopher Taylor is undecided on running again in 2022, while others are giving it consideration. Ann Arbor Councilmember Elizabeth Nelson, D-4th Ward, speaks outside Craig Teschendorf's apartment in Ann Arbor on Friday, Aug. 28, 2020. The Ann Arbor Tenants Union organized a rally to protest Teschendorf's impending eviction. Ann Arbor has a weak-mayor form of government in which a city administrator appointed by City Council manages day-to-day city operations. MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS:A historical look back at the times Ann Arbor mayors flexed their veto powerAnn Arbor moving forward on $820K worth of sidewalk gap projectsMain Street lane reconfiguration part of Ann Arbor Healthy Streets programAs Ann Arbor eyes move away from gas, DTE Energy investing billions in itFeds deal blow to Ann Arbor train station plan, citing high costs, too much parking

A grassroots group called Ann Arbor for Public Power gave a presentation to the city’s Energy Commission in February about the advantages and obstacles to creating a public power utility for Ann Arbor, estimating about $120,000 would be needed to conduct a feasibility study. It’s time for a municipal community run utility in Ann Arbor.”DTE officials did not respond to a request for comment from The Ann Arbor News/MLive. As many in Ann Arbor were still without power on Aug. 15, Rabhi vented his frustrations again. There were storms across the Midwest and “Michigan had by far the highest rates of prolonged power outages,” they wrote. After the storms and extended power outages, City Council members discussed the issue at their Aug. 16 meeting.

Senate Bill 591 and House Bill 5250 call to ban the chemicals from the manufacturing and sale of food packaging.

LANSING, MI — The $300 federal unemployment bonus going to residents who lost work during the COVID-19 pandemic would be eliminated under a bill passed Thursday by the Michigan House. During debate on the House floor Thursday afternoon, Republicans argued that HB 4434 would usher in a true “return to normalcy” as the state prepares to abandon most of its pandemic-related restrictions next week. Related: Michigan will end COVID-19 mask mandate, capacity limits earlySpeaking in support of the bill, Rep. TC Clements, R-Temperance, said “normal” is impossible without eliminating the supplemental unemployment benefit. Democrats scolded their colleagues’ efforts to stop using the federal funding for the supplemental benefits, saying that doing so would deny Michiganders their own tax dollars. Whitmer, who has spoken in favor of continuing to use federal funding to boost the state’s economic recovery, would likely veto the bill.

ANN ARBOR, MI - Washtenaw County Chairman Jason Morgan, D-Ann Arbor, announced his bid for state House, according to a campaign release Thursday. Morgan succeeded Rabhi on the board when Rabhi was sworn into the state House in 2017. “Jason has the energy, drive and compassion needed to be an effective voice for Ann Arbor residents,” Taylor said in a statement. In addition, 17 current and former Ann Arbor City Council members endorsed him, according to the release. The current 53rd state House district includes most of Ann Arbor, though new district lines are being drawn by the State of Michigan Citizens Redistricting Committee.

ANN ARBOR, MI — After four months with no word from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on whether she’ll support a federal Superfund cleanup of the Gelman dioxane plume in Ann Arbor, local advocates are getting ready to travel to Lansing. Ann Arbor resident Beth Collins, a member of the local Coalition for Action on Remediation of Dioxane who lives atop the plume, is helping organize Tuesday’s rally and calls it a grassroots effort. Judge signals intent to order cleanup plan in Ann Arbor dioxane pollution caseAnn Arbor, Washtenaw County, Scio Township and Ann Arbor Township all sent letters to the governor in December urging Whitmer to support a Superfund cleanup, and EPA officials have said they’re open to considering it if the state is on board. MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS:‘They’re going to be everywhere.’ Ann Arbor preparing for massive swarms of cicadasProposed law gives Ann Arbor renters 240 days before landlords can show occupied apartmentsCity reverses position, releases police report involving Ann Arbor official and ex-senatorAnn Arbor seeks progressive criminal justice reform with ordinance review projectDespite pushback from landlords, Ann Arbor bans criminal background checks

LANSING, MI - Michigan lawmakers are reengaging on an effort to mandate elected officials to fill out financial disclosure forms. Read more: Proposed financial disclosure requirements for Michigan officials clear first step in committee processMichigan is one of two states – and the only one with a full-time legislature – with no requirement for state public officials to disclose basic financial information, including income sources, business investments, gifts and travel compensation. The bill would require public officials to disclose who their employers are and where the officials received various forms of income. Read more from MLive:New Michigan House Speaker names ethics reform as top priorityIs 2019 the year Michigan officials can agree to open their records to the public? Michigan lawmakers say they want financial transparency, but few are releasing records

Rep. Julie Rogers has been appointed as the Democratic assistant floor leader in the Michigan House of Representatives. Democratic Floor Leader Representative Yousef Rabhi appointed Rogers to the position. Rogers is serving her first term in the Michigan House, prior to which she served on the Kalamazoo County Commission for 8 years, including serving as Board Chair. “I am honored to receive this position and appreciate the confidence Democratic Floor Leader Rabhi has placed in me,” Rogers said. “Fostering an inclusive environment in the Michigan House of Representatives that values all experiences and perspectives is crucial as we craft legislation for all Michiganders.”Read more:Michigan man says he surveilled Gov.

ANN ARBOR, MI - Voters have elected four Democrats to represent Ann Arbor-area communities in the Michigan House of Representatives. Brabec, who represents District 4 on the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners and is a clinical psychologist. Lasinski, a former Ann Arbor School Board member, will fulfill third and final term. The Ann Arbor Democrat and former county commissioner was first elected to the state House in 2016 and re-elected in 2018 by a nearly-identical margin over Holland. In the 54th District, State Rep. Ronnie Peterson, D-Ypsilanti Township, won his third and final term.

WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI -- The public is invited to a live forum with Washtenaw County candidates vying for a seat in the state House of Representatives. The Washtenaw County Food Policy Council is hosting the virtual event at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30, with the candidates running in districts overlapping the county. Candidates expected to be present include:District 52: State Rep. Donna Lasinski and Greg MarquisDistrict 53: State Rep. Yousef Rabhi and Jean HollandDistrict 54: State Rep. Ronnie Peterson and Martin ChurchDistrict 55: Bob Baird and Felicia BrabecThe event is intended for the public to connect with the candidates before the election. The forum will specifically address issues related to local food systems, healthy food access and agriculture, according to the event page. It will be moderated by Zoe Clark of Michigan Radio’s “It’s Just Politics.”Anyone interested should register online for the free event.

ANN ARBOR, MI — Washtenaw County’s four state House seats are all held by Democrats, three of whom are seeking re-election Nov. 3. Rabhi vs. HollandIn the 53rd District covering the majority of Ann Arbor, Rep. Yousef Rabhi is seeking a third and final term. Brabec vs. BairdIn the 55th District, County Commissioner Felicia Brabec, D-Pittsfield Township, is competing against Ann Arbor Township Republican Bob Baird, a small-government proponent with an accounting background. The district includes the northern part of Ann Arbor, as well as Ann Arbor, Augusta, Pittsfield and York townships. The league’s Ann Arbor chapter also is holding virtual candidate forums that will be posted on YouTube.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – On Friday, undergraduate students at the University of Michigan voiced support for graduate students and resident advisors on strike through a solidarity protest and march. More than 250 undergraduates and members of Students Demand Representation, a U-M student activist organization, listened to speeches given from the steps of the Michigan Union about labor unions and the safety of university workers. After the speeches, undergraduate students marched through downtown Ann Arbor and across campus to join those on strike and to support U-M Dining employees who staged a walkout last week. On Monday afternoon, University of Michigan president Mark Schlissel said through video that the university has taken legal action against the strike. According to University spokesman Rick Fitzgerald, the move includes a “temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the union strike.”More University of Michigan strike coverage:

According to aanalysis, business taxes represented 12.4 of the state budget in 2012, and now represent 1.9 percent. So heavy trucks need to pay their fair share," he says. "Corporate taxes are at an all-time low, while the rest of us foot the bill. "Republicans, however, have been reliably opposed to the idea of raising taxes on anyone except the elderly, poor, or middle class. "We are not making those investments now as a state, which has dramatically stunted our economic growth potential."