FEBRUARY 6, 2026 COMMUNITY Thank You Washtenaw County! GROUNDCOVER STAFF During the recent cold spell, where temperatures were near or below zero, Washtenaw County stepped up and offered hotel stays for over 50 people experiencing homelessness. As the cold snap stretched on, the county extended the stays for 11 nights! Many thanks to staffers Tabatha Reynolds, Ashley Hall and Terrence Williams, and of course to Administrator Greg Dill. Gratitude also to the County Commissioners, including Yousef Rabhi and Justin Hodge but especially Annie Somerville, for advocating on behalf of the community. Many groups and individuals letter to the EDITOR I just have to say how blown away I was by Pedro Campos' poem "Before love learned its name" published in the January 23, 2026 issue of Groundcover News. Pedro's poems are always good but this one is exceptional. I felt myself carried along and uplifted, verse by verse, compelled to share with you its effect on me. Please consider printing it again, perhaps in your Valentine's Day edition. — Susan Beckett community EVENTS ANN ARBOR HAPPY HOUR GROUNDCOVER FUNDRAISER Friday, February 6, 6:30-9 p.m. LIVE Nightclub, 102 S. First Street, Ann Arbor. Close out Vendor Appreciation Week with the Groundcover crew! Live music by Corndaddy and The Medicine Men. Groundcover merchandise for sale. Admission free. 'IN THE SPIRIT' POETRY CLASS Saturday, February 7 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. via Zoom. In trying times, often Spirit is all we can depend on. Spirit and the ability to call on it has sustained people of African descent for centuries. In this workshop, hosted by Eastern Michigan University professor Dr. Toni Pressley-Sanon, we will explore and celebrate spirit-inspired poetry by several writers, both in the United States and beyond, and then take up our own pens to add our voices to the praise repository. Register at: ypsilibrary.events.mylibrary.digital/event?id=253706 GALENTINE'S DAY Saturday, February 7 Main Street, Ann Arbor. Over 25 establishments are participating offering specials, deals and fun giveaways throughout the day. This year’s theme, Rom-Com Meets Ann Arbor Magic, brings meet-cute moments, postcard-worthy photo ops, and charming in-store experiences to life.The event features a passport style small business crawl, where you can collect stickers from participating businesses throughout Downtown Ann Arbor and be entered to win a giant gift basket of items. WINTER SIMMER POTS WITH GETDOWNTOWN Saturday, February 7, 2 p.m. Downtown Ann Arbor District Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave. Ann Arbor. Conquer the cold by making your own winter simmer pot with TheRide’s getDowntown program! We’ll provide ingredients and recipes to create a winter simmer pot that will make your home smell amazing. getDowntown staff will provide sustainable transportation resources, tips and tricks on staying warm while traveling in winter, and hot chocolate. AADL FIBER ARTS EXPO Sunday, February 8, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Downtown AADL, Ann Arbor. This fiber-filled day will have a full slate of hands-on programs, demos, and presentations, and a lobby full of local vendors. You can learn about knitting, crocheting, weaving, and spinning. Try your hand at macrame, embroidery, and more! Vendors will be on hand selling accessories, patterns, books, dyes and all things fiber related! YPSIWRITES OPEN MIC NIGHT Thursday, February 12, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Ypsilanti District Library Superior branch, 1900 N Harris Rd, Superior Township. Writers are encouraged to share their work, in whatever stage it is currently in, with supportive members of the YpsiWrites community. All are welcome to attend, read, listen, and encourage the writers. Sign up at tinyurl.com/YW021226 A.P. STYLE GUIDE WORKSHOP Friday, February 13, 10 a.m. at the Groudncover office. Learn the basics of the Associated Press Stylebook, the newspaper writing standard. Facilitated by Colleen Newvine. RSVP by calling 734-263-2098. Submit an event to be featured in the next edition: submissions@groundcovernews. com stepped up both to place additional individuals in hotel rooms after the County program filled up and to feed the hotel guests three meals a day. These include the Daytime Warming Center, Washtenaw Camp Outreach, FedUp Ministries and Pastor Anna Taylor-McCants, MISSION/Purple House and many many others. Finally, for assistance with coordination, meals, transport, guest relationships and so much more, gratitude to Corn Williams and LEAF Harm Reduction. This week and a half represented an amazing demonstration of everyone coming together in compassion and solidarity. GROUNDCOVER NEWS 5
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