Rise & Fall: Center for Entrepreneurship and Washtenaw County's poor

Rise: An entrepreneurial library move

What’s a library? On the University of Michigan central campus, it’s now a place for students to research starting their own companies. The Center for Entrepreneurship is opening an office at the Shapiro Undergraduate Library, leading the way for U-M’s libraries to stay relevant beyond their book stacks — and for developing the kinds of ideas that distinguish it as a leading among encouraging student-driven businesses. Another plus to this move: It’s not just about business or engineering. Even LS&A students have easy access to the resource now.

Fall: Washtenaw County’s poor

We already know that the lowest-income residents in our county struggle. But a check with a few social service agencies show that — while unemployment rates improve amid other signs of economic growth — it’s not getting better for the poor among us. Hope Clinic and SOS Community Services warn that record-setting assistance is “the new normal,” with Food Gatherers also feeding more people across the county. In this season of thankfulness and giving, we encourage the community to consider this data and find ways to help.