TAXES
Citizens and international residents pay taxes to federal, state and local governments.  If you have an employer, ask them about filing the tax forms.  For specific information visit the Internal Revenue Service, McNamara Building in Detroit (telephone 1-800-829-1040) or go to www.irs.gov.  Michigan tax information may be found at www.michigan.gov/treasury.

LEGAL RIGHTS OF WOMEN
The State of Michigan Constitution gives women in Michigan equal rights with men.

• Marriage and Divorce:  Legal marriages are recognized in the State of Michigan.  A husband must support his wife and children.  Either spouse can file for divorce.
• The Washtenaw County Bar Association has a Lawyer Referral Service (website:washtenawcountybarassociation.com)
  Telephone 996-3229.  A fee is required. Legal help also can be found under ATTORNEYS in the Yellowpages.com. 
• A Domestic Violence Hotline is available at 1-734-995-5444.
• The Safehouse Center 24-hour hotline 995-5444 provides 24-hour sexual assault and domestic violence response teams, confidential crisis counseling, legal advocacy, shelter, etc.  Contact info@safehousecenter.org or www.safehousecenter.org.
  
  

HOUSEKEEPING
Onlineconversion.com will solve all your conversion questions.

The DTE Energy company supplies natural gas for cooking and heating, and the electricity for your home. 
Contact www.dteenergy.com to start and stop service.
All electricity is AC (alternating current).  Most wall outlets are 110 volts.  Small appliances operate on 110 volts. 
Electric stoves and clothes dryers operate on 220 volts.  They require special installation by an electrician.  Adapters are
available for dual voltage appliances at hardware or electronic stores such as Ace Hardware, RadioShack or Best Buy.

The Ann Arbor Water Utilities Department turns on and shuts off water to your home.  Call 994-2840 or see www.a2gov.org.

Allrecipes.com; Cooks.com and many other websites provide all kinds of information for cooking American style.  Temperatures
are quoted in Fahrenheit degrees, i.e.  350 degrees F equals 177 degrees C (Celsius) a moderate temperature for baking.

Standard American cooking measurements are teaspoon (t=5cc), tablespoon (T=15cc), cup (C=.26 liters) and
quart (4 C=.93 liters).  Purchase this equipment at a hardware or grocery store.

TRASH AND RECYCLING

City of Ann Arbor residents must place all trash (refuse) in  A2Carts for storage and pickup once a week.  Recycling is easy in
Ann Arbor.  It is called Single-Stream Recycling.  All recycle materials are placed in one special recycle cart and picked up weekly.  Materials to recycle in Ann Arbor are glass, paper, tin/steel cans, scrap metal, aluminum, plastic bottles #1, #2, #4, #5, #6, #7,
and plastic tubs and even lawn furniture.  Check a2gov.org – refuse and recycling for details.  There are exceptions to what can
be recycled.  Apartment buildings must supply the separate carts for refuse and recycle.
To dispose of bulky items or electronic items be sure to check a2gov.org and recycleannarbor.org.  Federal laws cover some
disposals such as refrigerators:  Freon must be removed as well as the doors.
Residents of other municipalities or townships must check their local government rules.


PEST CONTROL
Mice:  Purchase a mousetrap and bait it with peanut butter or cheese
Insects:  flies, mosquitoes, gnats, fruit flies.  These are seasonal insects and different chemical sprays will control them. 
Put ripe fruit in the refrigerator to avoid fruit flies. Hornets, wasps:  Their sting is severe.  Purchase a chemical spray.

HOUSEHOLD CLEANING
A simple solution of baking soda and water is excellent for removing stains from china and plastics as well as for cleaning the
refrigerator or tiled surfaces.  A safe window cleaner can be made by mixing two tablespoons vinegar in a quart of water. 
In the supermarket look for cleaning products that are biodegradable.  They cause less harm to the environment.  Read the labels carefully for poisons and poisonous gases which form when two products are combined.  Avoid aerosol containers if possible because the spray can be harmful if it reaches the face.  Always keep products out of the reach of children.  For more information search the internet for household cleaners.  Heloise.com is also helpful.

LAUNDRY, DRY CLEANING AND SHOE REPAIR
There are many self-service laundries in Ann Arbor with coin-operated washers and dryers. See Yellowpages.com.  Cloth diapers
are available and are usually washed by a diaper service.  Disposable diapers are routinely used in the United States. 
They should be discarded in the regular trash and never put in the toilet. 

Laundromats and dry cleaners often are located in small shopping centers.  In the Yellow Book/Pages, dry cleaners are listed as “cleaners, clothes”. Shoe Repair Shops are listed in the YellowPages.com