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Tlaib joins fight for $14T in reparations for Black Americans
U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib is calling on $14 trillion in federal government-funded reparations for descendants of enslaved Black families. The Detroit Democrat joined U.S. Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) who introduced the Reparations Now Resolution, in urging their colleagues to help atone for the practice of slavery and hundreds of years of racist policies that followed. […]
Duggan slams new census estimates that show Detroit’s population continues to shrink
Detroit shed nearly 8,000 residents between July 2020 and July 2022, according to new U.S. Census Bureau estimates released last week, but Mayor Mike Duggan says he isn’t buying it. The population in Michigan’s largest city dropped to 620,376 during that period, a 2.7% decline from a year ago, according to the data. Detroit now […]
Detroit moves closer to creating gun-free zones in downtown and at events
The Detroit City Council last week took a step closer to creating gun-free zones at events and in popular parts of downtown. The council on Tuesday approved two resolutions that set the stage for gun-free zones. The first called on state lawmakers to pass a Senate bill that would authorize municipalities to create gun-free zones in […]
Unlawfully fired Starbucks barista back to work at Ann Arbor store following court order
A barista who was unlawfully fired from her job at a Starbucks store in Ann Arbor last year returned to work Monday after a judge ordered the coffee chain to reinstate her. Hannah Whitbeck is the first Michigan Starbucks worker to be reinstated after being unlawfully terminated for union organizing, according to Starbucks Workers United, the […]
Detroit City Council mulls gun ban in popular downtown spots after shootings
Detroit City Council will weigh a proposal to ban guns in popular parts of downtown after a spate of six shootings over the weekend. Councilwoman Mary Waters announced Tuesday that she’s introducing a measure that would create gun-free zones in Greektown, the riverfront, Hart Plaza and Spirit Plaza. “There must be severe consequences for unacceptable […]
ARPA funds saved 4,200 occupied Detroit homes from being foreclosed
More than 4,200 homes in Detroit that were at risk of being foreclosed for delinquent property taxes won’t be seized because of an unprecedented partnership between activists and government officials. The Michigan Homeowner Assistance Fund (MIHAF), a new federally funded state program, provided more than $12 million to Detroit homeowners who were behind on their […]
Stop dumping toxic train-derailment waste in metro Detroit, lawsuit says
A Wayne County man is suing Norfolk Southern Corp. for exposing communities to “potential significant harm” when it transported and disposed hazardous waste from the Ohio train derailment to Wayne County facilities last month. The lawsuit in Wayne County Circuit Court alleges the company endangered the community by not properly monitoring the toxic waste before […]
Record number of guns seized at Detroit Metro Airport in 2022
A record number of guns were intercepted at Detroit Metropolitan Airport in 2022. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers seized 100 handguns at security checkpoints, more than twice the number in 2019. About 88% of the guns were loaded. “Bringing a firearm to the checkpoint is an expensive, dangerous mistake that far too many people are […]
Dixon defended blackface, blasted hijabs on her TV show
GOP gubernatorial nominee Tudor Dixon defended blackface, called hijabs oppressive garments, and amplified racist remarks and conspiracy theories during her two years hosting a daily TV show on the far-right media network Real America’s Voice. As Dixon tries to soften her image in the final days of her race against Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the […]
New Detroit homeowner hit with $5,200 bill for water she didn’t use
Nicole Geissinger couldn’t wait to move into her new home in Detroit and start her medical career with a fellowship at Detroit Medical Center. But the excitement quickly turned to anxiety when the 32-year-old physician received a $5,200 water bill from the city. Confused, she called the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) and asked […]
Michigan election worker charged with tampering with primary election equipment
An election worker in Michigan has been charged with two felonies for allegedly using a flash drive to gain illegal access to a voting machine. James Donald Holkeboer is accused of inserting a USB drive into a computer containing confidential voter registration during the Aug. 2 primary election in Gaines Township in Kent County. “This […]
Detroit challenges the U.S. Census Bureau’s population estimates in a federal lawsuit
The city of Detroit is suing the U.S. Census Bureau, claiming it undercounted residents in the predominantly Black city. The city claims in the suit filed in U.S. District Court that the city’s population grew in 2021. If true, it would mark the first time the city’s population has increased in seven decades. The lawsuit […]