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Volume 79 – Number 37

Mackinac Policy Confab:

Island event loaded with conversation and issues

May 25-31 2016

A tale of two

Michigans

By Carol Cain Special to the Michigan Chronicle

Nearly 1,700 business, educational and political elite will come via ferry and plane to hear and talk about critical issues at the Detroit Regional Chamber’s 36th Policy Conference which kicks off May 31.

It’s the Oscars of statewide conferences, where well known leaders congregate for four days to discuss things that resonate in these parts.

“We are conveners, and whether it is a speaker or panels on the stage or private conversations in the parlor, we bring together statewide leadership to have the difficult and honest conversations that may not take place otherwise,” said Dennis Archer Jr., president, Archer Corporate Services and chairman of the 2016 Mackinac Policy Conference Archer is steering the conference just as his father, former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer, did 10 years ago. Both men will be among speakers at the gathering.

Topping off topics guaranteed to get time in the spotlight on the island: the man-made lead tainted water crisis that left Flint in peril, Michigan’s roads and infrastructure, and Detroit Public Schools’ troubled academic and financial situation.

See MACKINAC page A-4

By Keith A. Owens Senior Editor

All you have to do is look at the numbers to see clearly that there is the one Michigan over here, and then there’s that other Michigan over there.

The one over here boasts an unemployment rate that is virtually parallel to the national average, and a poverty rate that is slightly above. The Michigan over there, however, is suffering from rates of unemployment and poverty that are more than twice the rest of the state.

So let’s do the math.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Michigan unemployment rate is 5.4 percent, down from 13.1 percent in 2010 during the height of the recession. The poverty rate in 2014 was 16.2 percent, down slightly from 16.8 percent in 2010.

Now let’s go to Detroit. The city’s unemployment is roughly twice the statewide average at 10 percent, although it is down noticeably from 2010 when it was just under 30 percent. But despite the marked drop in unemployment, Detroit was ranked as the poorest big city in America in 2014 with 39.3 percent of the population living at or below the poverty level. Now stir in the fact that nearly 50 percent of the population was con-

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Raising Expectations Special Mackinac edition

Now let’s go to Flint. The unemployment rate there is 9.7 percent. In 2010 that figure was 27 percent. According to the U.S. Census, 40.1 percent of Flint residents are currently living in poverty, and that figure was determined before the water crisis, so who knows what kind of further catastrophic effect that may have.

So what do these two cities have in common that have been at the top of national headlines for most of this year? Lots and lots of black people, most of them poor. As much as some of us might like to insist that the biggest stories to come out of Michigan this year are the Detroit turnaround and the steadily improving state economy, the Flint water crisis and the crisis that is Detroit Public Schools have kicked that narrative squarely where it hurts, and in plain view of a watchful nation.

To be sure, this is not a new development. About urban areas being neglected, that is. Indeed, the central issue focused on in recent years by a number of front page Michigan Chronicle Mackinac edition editorials was the need for more inclusion and

See TWO

MICHIGANS page A-4

Beyond downtown

Making sure development in 'the D' stretches into the neighborhoods

By Danton Wilson Special to the Michigan Chronicle

The marquee chapters of Detroit’s revitalization story are being written with big, glistening strokes in places wearing names such as Midtown, Corktown, East Riverfront, Brush Park, New Center, Lafayette Park and Eastern Market.

The hottest action is happening in the greater downtown area, Danton Wilson where billions of dollars are being invested in housing, retail and other projects. At least one report says in-

See NEIGHBORHOODS page A-4

As state ponders how to fix DPS, Ivery surpasses 20-year mark at WCCCD

By Ken Coleman Special to the Michigan Chronicle

When Dr. Curtis L. Ivery, chancellor of Wayne County Community College District, first set foot in Detroit in 1995, Dennis W. Archer had just completed his first year as mayor, John Engler was Michigan governor and Bill Clinton was a first-term U.S president whose hair had only a few strands of gray.

It was 1995 and it stands to reason that most observers of the institution that celebrates 50 years of service stated bluntly, “Okay, lets see how long this guy is gonna last.”

That’s because the community college has had a revolving door of presidents. Few of them had tenures longer than four years — Reginald Wilson, George Bell, and Rafael Cortada to name a few.

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sidered functionally illiterate in 2011, a statistic that has changed little since that time.

Ivery hails from Dallas, Texas, where he led the Mountain View College of the Dallas County Community College District for

five years. He recalls enduring long stretches of the evening after a long day at the office trying to find his way home along Detroit’s labyrinth of streets and freeways that shoot out of downtown like spokes on a bicycle wheel. Indeed, it took a minute to learn the town.

into general superintendents, emergency managers and lawmakers at dedication programs, church services, NAACP dinners, etc. but was never formally asked to offer his professional expertise or advice.

That is not odd considering WCCCD’s student body has a high percentage of men and women who are Detroit Public Schools graduates and the two institutions have partnered over the years to offer dual enrollment programs for youth who aim to get a leg up on the post-secondary education.

But 20 years later: WCCCD has expanded its footprint out-county and built state-of-theart facilities there and increased student enrollment (while K-12 institutions raid each other’s turf to expand revenue and other resources) He’s enjoyed years without having to increase tuition while area college and universities agonize over decisions to have their students pay more per tuition credit. He’s led the effort to build strong career training programs like its nursing curriculum.

In addition, WCCCD has a clean bill of fiscal health what would render others green with envy.

Dr. Curtis L. Ivery

Surprisingly, Ivery gets more love among colleagues across the country than he gets at home.

consulted by Lansing government officials or Wayne County area education executives, or local political leaders on ideas to fix Detroit Public Schools?"

When asked during an interview last week, “Have you been

Ivery answered “no.” True, over the years he has bumped

And, equally important, student enrollment has soared at WCCCD, from 12,000 in 1995 to 70,000 in 2015.

Ivery leans forward and responds with passion when asked, “What needs to be done to im-

See IVERY page A-4

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May 25 -31, 2016

Page A-2

What you need to know about Michigan’s local funding system

By Jim Taggert $7.5 billion. That’s what revenue sharing cuts have cost Michigan communities since 2002 according to the Michigan Municipal League (MML).

The non-profit, non-partisan MML also notes that Michigan is the only state to cut funding to its local communities during this time frame.

The loss of revenue over the last decade-anda-half, say local leaders, created a crisis for cities, townships, and villages.

“The reality is, no matter how efficiently local governments operate there isn’t enough money for basic services,” said Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans. “We are talking about a situation where communities are struggling to plow the snow and hire police officers. It’s one thing to cut fat but Lansing has cut muscle and chipped at the bones of local government.”

Evans is making local funding reform a personal cause. He raised the issue during his State of the County address in March and is hosting a series of summits to work toward a solution with local leaders from across Michigan.

“In Wayne County, we’ve balanced the budget, reduced legacy costs

and partnered with our communities to more effectively do things like road repairs,” said Evans.

“But at the end of the day we can’t afford to fix every pot hole. For Wayne County’s 43 local communities the situation is even worse. Communities across the state are facing these same challenges.”

Local government funding can seem like arcane stuff for most people, especially when the political conversation is dominated by issues like bathrooms and border walls. However, it impacts things as basic as trash collection. Just how bad is the situation? And how did it reach this point?

Revenue Sharing Back in the 1930s the state limited revenue options for local communities to property taxes and, for Detroit and a couple other cities, income taxes. The state also agreed to share its revenue with municipalities.

About 15 years ago, Michigan lawmakers faced serious budget shortfalls and began balancing the state budget by cutting local revenue sharing.

Taylor Mayor Rick Sollars says revenue sharing cuts have cost his city $37 million since 2002.

To put that in context Sollars says these cuts were worth an entire annual budget—Taylor spends

Taylor Mayor Rick ­Sollars around $36 million annually.

Even as the economy has improved and allowed the state to improve revenue sharing levels in current budgets, the lost funding represents deferred maintenance and reduced services to residents and businesses.

“We couldn’t keep up with sweeping the streets,” said Sollars.

“We needed two new street sweepers to replace 20-year-old sweepers but the money wasn’t there.”

The Headlee Amendment and Proposal A To fully understand Michigan’s local funding woes, you have to start with the passage of the Headlee Amendment in 1978. This measure did a number of things, such

as requiring voter approval for local tax increases, but what’s most important here is a requirement that local communities “rollback” millage rates when property value increases outpaced inflation.

Proposal A, passed by voters in 1994, raised the state’s sales tax from 4% to 6%, with the additional revenue going directly to fund K-12 education.

It also capped annual property tax assessment increases to either 5% or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the highest annual inflation rate since 1994 was just 3.8%.

When the housing market collapsed in 2008, property values everywhere fell and, reasonably enough, so did assessments. While the national economic recovery has helped restore housing prices, Headlee and Prop A prevented local governments from setting assessments to their current true market value. In other words, property taxes can go down with property values, but they don’t go up when property values increase.

Headlee and Prop A restrictions cost Wayne County’s 43 communities a combined $240 million in lost revenue between 2008 and 2014.

Sollars says housing prices in Taylor have grown 7-12% over the last two years, but with inflation currently running at about 1%, he says it will take 20 years for Taylor to restore property tax revenues to pre-crash levels.

The end of “business as usual” forced significant sacrifices. In 2005, before the housing collapse and the bulk of revenue sharing cuts, Taylor employed 108 police officers and 67 firefighters.

When Sollars took office in 2013, their public safety ranks had been reduced to 62 police officers and just 20 firefighters. The city also had to close parks, firehouses and recreation centers to stay afloat.

“We’re relying on volunteerism to keep some facilities open,” Sollars said.

True Cost of ­Government Compounding the property tax limitations and lost revenue sharing are some unpleasant realities about the costs of local government.

Aging

infrastructure

like roads, bridges and water systems and aging facilities like courthouses and firehouses require renovation or replacement. As the list of projects grows, fewer resources are available to pay for the work.

In all, the cuts to revenue sharing, limits on property taxes and rising costs have created, as Sollars puts it, “a recipe for disaster” for local governments. #FixOurFunding Even as local funding challenges have become more obvious, attempts to win support for a solution have been fruitless. Michigan is composed of 83 counties and nearly 1800 municipalities. From Detroit, with its 140-square miles of space and over 675,000 residents to the Village of Turner, just one square mile in size and with a population of 114, communities all have different needs and challenges. But they all require a local funding solution that improves their ability to serve residents.

A lesson plan for education in Detroit: Teachers are the difference makers

By Veronica Conforme

This year, many of the discussions at the Mackinac Policy Conference will center around the future of education in Detroit. And as we all prepare for these meaningful conversations, I want you to think back to your favorite teacher. The teacher who made you love a subject, or the teacher who challenged you to do more than you thought was possible.

For me, that teacher was Ms. Rodriguez who taught 9th grade world history. She was passionate and made everything about world cultures and history come alive. These types of teachers make all the difference in the world, and it has been proven that they make an even greater difference in the lives of students who live in poverty. Studies show the students with highly effective teachers are more likely to attend a four-year college and earn higher salaries.

All students deserve an inspiring, effective teacher like Ms. Rodriguez, but for the student historically underserved in Detroit, it means opening the doors of opportunity. In Detroit, like most other urban cities we are facing a teacher shortage crisis. Governance matters very little, whether charter, Detroit public school or EAA we are all facing similar challenges with attracting and retaining talent. This trend is projected to continue, creating mass openings that need to be filled.

While Detroit is certainly poised for a comeback, the city will not thrive if we overlook the need for talented teachers.

From what I have seen in my 22 months here, this teacher crisis has deepened due to a lack of coordination, consistent and sustainable leadership, as well as opportunities for growth, fair compensation and recognition for their hard work. We simply have not created the conditions to make Detroit the nation’s best city for teachers and school leaders. Furthermore, the current culture fuels the fight for scarce talent among charters, Detroit Public Schools and the EAA. But there is hope.

Studies prove the most important factor in retaining effective teachers is the quality of the school leader.

Teach-

allows outsiders to write us off as dysfunctional.

Veronica Conforme ers need to feel they are working towards a strong vision with clear expectations and actionable feedback. This is the primary responsibility of all school leaders. We need leaders with integrity, who are transparent and who know how to support, coach and develop teachers.

That is why it is so disheartening to have school administrators break the spirit of our students, families and teachers when they use public resources as their own personal bank accounts. Recently the FBI charged 13 schools administrators with accepting bribes in the city of Detroit, funds that were intended for students and classrooms.

These type of headlines and actions makes it that much more difficult to recruit and retain quality teachers and school leaders in Detroit. It makes everyone disillusioned by education in Detroit and

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But even under these circumstances, I could not be more proud of the teachers that work in our schools. At the EAA, where I serve as Chancellor, we have started to address this challenge by creating career pathways. We are giving our most talented teachers an opportunity to be lead teachers or master teachers who can both coach and develop their peers.

We are developing a cohorts of school leaders, through our Achievement Leadership Institute, who lead with integrity and a vision for creating great schools in the communities we serve.

have a high-quality education system. We need to create the conditions to attract and keep great teachers like Ms. Rodriguez for every school.

That is what will change outcomes for all students in Detroit and ensure they fulfill their potential.

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Every great educator I have ever met — and there are hundreds of them in Detroit — knows that they are directly accountable to the children they serve on a daily basis. This often means late nights in their schools, early mornings and weekends planning for lessons and grading papers, and purchasing classroom supplies with their own money. I hear these stories from teachers in Detroit all the time.

They recognize that every dollar spent in a district should directly benefit their students.

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Pancakes & Politics spotlights Detroit, regional revitalization

By Keith A. Owens Senior Editor

Detroit and the surrounding region are making a noticeable comeback, but some noticeable stumbling blocks remain, seemed to be the consensus of four panelists joining a lively discussion focusing on regional revitalization at the sold-out Pancakes & Politics event held at the Detroit Athletic Club. Although everyone can see the virtual explosion in construction projects that are taking place in and around downtown Detroit, thorny issues such as Detroit schools and entrenched poverty are obstacles that threaten to derail the progress being made, or at the very least postpone it.

Detroit Mayor Michael Duggan, Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans, Palace Sports and Entertainment Vice Chairman Arn Tellem, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan President and CEO Daniel Loepp covered a range of topics affecting the stability of Detroit’s revitalization. On the county level, the issue of whether or not to ditch the troubled Wayne County jail construction in favor of a glitzy soccer stadium fostered lively debate which was quickly brought back to earth by Evans. He pointed out that despite the obviously lopsided support of those in the room in favor of a sparkling new sports structure, the issue is affordability and how to craft a deal that would not stick Wayne County taxpayers with another hefty bill on top of the $150 million already spent on the troubled project.

“It involves dismantling three institutions that are important to the county, not just the jail but the courthouse and the juvenile detention center,” he said.

“While I am not a numbers person by trade, I do know that completing a jail is significantly cheaper than building a new jail, a new courthouse and a new juvenile detention center. The difference between the completion that we’re working on and that project (soccer stadium) has got to be borne by someone else. That’s protecting the Wayne County taxpayer. And the second part of it is we can’t wait forever to get a jail. We’re paying excessive amounts of money now to keep the existing jail operating. It’s in bad shape, barely constitutional, and so the overhead cost is significant and we can’t continue to pay that price forever. …So I’m excited, and if somebody can catch me before we have signed a deal on finishing this jail, and those requirements can be met in a reasonable sort of way then we would certainly entertain them.”

From left: Arn Tellem, Palace Sports and Entertainment vice chairman, Warren C. Evans, Wayne County Executive, Mike Duggan, Detroit mayor; and Daniel Loepp, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan president.

Tellem conceded that the Wayne County taxpayer should not have to bear the brunt of additional costs. Still, “It’s the perfect site to put a soccer stadium. It will create an atmosphere of fans walking to the game, and my hope is we’ll find a way to make it work.”

When the audience was polled about whether they would prefer to see the jail project completed or have a new soccer stadium instead, 75 percent of the audience said to terminate the jail project and go full steam ahead toward the soccer stadium. Evans had a ready reply: “It’s purely a dollar and cents issue, Wayne County residents, I’m trying to find for them the cheapest way to get a jail built. Period.”

Duggan chimed in with some port of Evans’ position, saying, “If hadn’t already sunk $150 million that site, we wouldn’t be having conversation.”

supthey into this

When it came to the issue of Detroit Public Schools, Duggan said that he has practically been living in Lansing in recent weeks meeting with legislators to get a deal done that will salvage his

city’s school system. He said he is optimistic that there will be some form of resolution before the end of June.

“The issue is basically this: the State of Michigan has been in charge of Detroit Public Schools for seven straight years, seven straight years of deficits, and half the students have left. But here’s the thing that is most astonishing to me: there are 200 schools in the city of Detroit, 100 public, 100 charter. A lot of people don’t know that. One -hundred-and-sixty of them have opened or closed in the last seve years. Now think about, each of you wherever you live if you’re not in Detroit if 80 percent of the schools in your school district had opened or closed in the last seven years, how much hell would you be raising?

“It is not enough to just pay money for the deficit the state ran up, and turn it back to the school board and say ‘good luck.’ There’s got to be some standards.

And of all the schools that have closed the last 7 years, not one has closed for poor academic performance. Nobody is setting any standards. And so what we have proposed is … let’s have a mayoral

appointed education commission that doesn’t run any schools. School board runs public schools, charter boards run charter schools. But we’ll have a single standard. If you want to open a school in a neighborhood, you come to the board.

We’ve got some neighborhoods with schools on top of each other, and other areas with 15 square miles. It’s crazy, because nobody’s in charge.

“This is the thing: if you can’t read by 4th grade, and we’ve got schools where fewer than 5 percent of the children are reading at grade level by 4th grade, your future is being taken away from you by the time you’re nine years old.

“According to the report from the Education Trust Midwest, the State of Michigan has slipped from 28th to 41st in student achievement in 12 years.

That’s across the state. They’re predicting we’ll be 48th in student achievement across America by the end of the next decade. And so you say, how are we gonna compete for the jobs in the next 1020 years?”

See PANCAKES

& POLITICS page A-4

Rhodes responds, reflects, reveals 45 days into DPS tenure

By Ken Coleman

Judge Steven Rhodes, Detroit Public Schools transition manager, offered his ideas for improving of the state’s largest school district during a wide-ranging interview with the Michigan Chronicle.

In addition, he attended his first Detroit Board of Education meeting, where he pledged to return for future meetings, took questions from board members for one hour, and when questioned about whether he would agree to a forensic audit of the financially trouble institution, he stated flatly that he “wouldn't oppose it.”

Rhodes cautioned, however, that audits of this type have to be specific in focus, and more important, are costly.

“We don't have the money” (to finance one) he candidly said to board member Ida Short during the May 18 public meeting held at Frederick Douglass Academy on the city’s west side. About 150 people attended the 9 a.m. Tuesday meeting where audience members at times sought to coach the board on aspects of the Open Meet-

ings Act, school them on questions to ask, and berate some of them on their recent spotty attendance. Longtime activists Helen Moore, Marie Thornton, a former elected school board member, and Malik Shabazz were vocal audience participants. Senior staff attended as well, at Rhodes’ direction, many of them taking copious notes as board members asked questions of Rhodes. He answered few of them but promised to prepare responses.

But when asked by Board President Herman Davis whether he would support a forensic audit if funding were available, Rhodes didn’t say no. It was the first time in recent memory that a Detroit Public Schools chief shot-caller met with the board who often described themselves as “exiles” because the current state government takeover of the district is well into its eighth year.

During an interview with the Chronicle the previous day, Rhodes, the soft-toned, measured-speaking retired federal bankruptcy judge who helped guide the City of Detroit out of fiscal mess nearly two years ago, was optimistic about pend-

felt that it was time to do that then and I still feel that way strongly. The governor agreed with me and I don’t want to be just another emergency manager in a long string of emergency managers.”

Judge Steven Rhodes ing legislation in Lansing that would help to save the district by providing financing necessary to keep it afloat, at least in the short term. While he isn't doing on-the-ground, day-to-day lobbying of the state house and senate, he describes his role as “limited” and “informal.” He feels confident, however, that a remedy will be provided.

“I asked to use the title ‘transition manager’ because my interest in taking the job was in transitioning control over public education in Detroit back to local control,” Rhodes stated. “I

On the subject of his transition team, a topic that sparked criticism because of the team’s lack of ethnic diversity and Detroit home addresses, Rhodes pointed out that the team has expanded to more than 80 people, some of whom are Detroit residents, are African American and school district employees, parents and others.

They include: Alycia Meriweather, Detroit Public Schools interim superintendent; Carol Weaver, Detroit Public Schools, chief of staff; Dennis Archer, Jr. Ignition Media; Eren Stephens, Detroit Police Department; Leslie Andrews, Rock Ventures; Maureen Stapleton, former Michigan House member; Phyllis HurksHill, Detroit Public Schools law department; and Sharlonda Buckman, president and CEO of Detroit Parent Network.

He also pointed out that he meets with the district’s aca-

demic team led by Alyicia Meriwether as well as other district officials regularly. He has also visited schools and talked with teachers, principals and students.

When asked whether he thought that Lansing lawmakers understood the district has unique challenges such as a higher rate of students who require individualized special needs academic plans, he said yes. Rhodes also believes that the two-day district-wide teacher “sickout” of three weeks ago and the set of federal indictments involving fraud and kickbacks involving school principals, a vendor and others did not help Detroit Public Schools' case before a jaundiced-eyed set of lawmakers.

Finally, when asked whether Lansing rescue legislation will be finalized before Memorial Day, Rhodes declined to offer a guarantee. He does believe, however, in his mission as directed by Governor Rick Snyder: Succeed where others have failed and return Detroit Public Schools to good fiscal health and local governance for the time since 2009.

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This exhibition has been organized by the Detroit Institute of Arts. Support has been provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support has been provided by the Marjorie and Maxwell Jospey Foundation and an ADAA Foundation Curatorial Award and the Association of Art Museum Curators. Any views, -findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this exhibition do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The Green Ballet (detail), 1943, oil on canvas; Everett Shinn, American. Collection: The Westmoreland Museum of American Art, Greensburg, PA, Gift of the William A. Coulter Fund

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Two Michigans

May 25-31, 2016

the madness, and a deficit of over $500 million that hangs over everything — a deficit that accumulated throughout the tenure of four separate state-appointed emergency managers whose primary responsibility was to prevent this sort of financial chicanery from happening.

This year, the headline essenThe combination of tially wrote itself in response to high-profile screwups that the twin disasters of the Detroit occurred under emergency Public Schools and the Flint management, both in Flint water crisis that have shoved and at DPS, has managed our long-awaited comeback narto shift the discussion from rative out of the headlines and Flint residents protest poisoned water supply. – how emergency management off into a dark corner. After so Andre Smith photo can be used as a viable tool many years of negative headfor reconstruction of finanal government at the state level. Delines and dealing with the embarrass- spite the pleas of residents who had cially devastated municipalities to ment and anger of being considered enough sense to know that foul-smell- why emergency management should a national punch line, the noticeable ing brown and yellow water was not be avoided at all costs — or at least development and raw energy that has normal and represented a possible the way in which it was implemented managed to revitalize Detroit’s down- hazard, decisions were made on the in Michigan where the powers of all town and surrounding area has raised state level that appeared to ignore locally elected officials were effectivethe profile not only of Detroit but of those pleas in favor of saving money. ly erased, along with the votes of a the entire state of Michigan. Sudden- The tragic, and in some cases fatal, majority of state residents who voted ly, everyone was taking notice of all consequences of such heartless ig- by a margin of 52-48 percent (more the good things that seemed to be norance is now on full display for the than 80 percent of Detroiters voted happening here. So much so that Gov. entire nation to view with incredulity. in opposition) to get rid of emergenRick Snyder was once-upon-a-time cy management in 2012, only to have Equally as troubling is the disassaid to be considering a presidential their will ignored by Gov. Snyder who trous condition of Detroit Public run, and was even gearing up to take believed he knew what was best.

Schools which continues to wage Michigan’s success story on the road, But then DPS and Flint hit the a ridiculously steep uphill battle presumably to trumpet everything to provide quality education to De- headines, and the question had to that was going so right in his state. troit’s students. School principals be asked, whose Michigan is turning But then everything went wrong. are being charged with corruption, around, and whose Michigan is being The Flint water crisis exploded, gain- school buildings are falling apart turned upside down? ing recognition not only as the worst with buckling floors, crumbling ceilThere’s one Michigan, and then non-natural disaster in Michigan ings and dead rodents in plain view, there’s the other. And that cannot history, but also as one of the worst fed-up teachers and students walking continue. examples in memory of dysfunction- out of classrooms to draw attention to

Neighborhoods vestment here has doubled every year for the last several years.

Bedrock Real Estate Services more than typifies the trend, spending some $2.2 billion to purchase and renovate more than 80 properties — and counting.

The multibillion dollar chapters, however, don’t constitute the whole book of revitalization in Detroit. Neighborhood development stories are being written in other areas of the city, animated by impressive outbreaks of community cooperation and outside-the-box innovation.

Breathing new life into struggling neighborhoods can be difficult, but it’s happening in neighborhoods east and west, analysts say. Neighborhood efforts are minuscule when compared to booming downtown development, but city officials and businesses alike describe them as absolutely critical to Detroit’s overall growth and survival.

Detroit Future City is an agency charged with implementing efforts to coordinate decision-making and investment in Detroit in accordance with a 50-year plan. One goal is to make sure development in Detroit spreads to all sectors and groups in the city. It means nonstop collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders.

“We look at the city with a long-term view of land use and where there are opportunities for growth and economic opportunity,” says Anika Goss-Foster, executive director of Detroit Future City. “Part of that is examining changes in the way we think about land use development. In fact, changing the way people think about their neighborhoods is a part of the development process.”

Detroit Future City collaborations in the east side Osborn community have featured reoriented thinking when it comes to vacant land. Decisions on use of these spaces do not rain down on residents but instead are a joint decision made by residents, block clubs and community groups. Some open spaces have become community gardens, parks and even an ecologically friendly parking lot helping to channel storm water.

The idea that some communities are not ripe for development simply because residents are focused on simply surviving is a flat-out myth, according to Goss-Foster. With more than 20 years of leadership in community development and non-profit management, Goss-Foster says communities always include a core of residents willing to plan and collaborate to build up their community.

A more thorny issue can be trying to foster cooperation among different groups of residents. In Detroit, that can involve friction between longtime residents and new ones, Goss-Foster acknowledges, and the mutual suspicion often operates along a long-established racial fault line.

Still, Goss-Foster has seen such walls crumble in many new-look Detroit neighborhoods. She says it is an ongoing process.

“In all my years in this field, I’ve worked in some of the poorest neighborhoods, and no one has ever said, ‘I do not care,’” said Goss-Foster. “The bigger issue is that some of the neighborhoods have changed so much that some of the communities need a facilitator because they don’t know their neighbors and may not trust them. A community development coordinator should be able to bring people together around a common issue.”

Goss-Foster and others believe the commitment to making sure minority and neighborhood businesses are involved in revitalization efforts is conspicuous these days. For example, local officials point to the Moor City Match program, which connects new and ex-

Mackinac

From page A-1

the need for an urban policy. In 2012, our headline was “Restoring Hope: Mackinac Policy Conference aims to put Michigan’s urban cities front and center.”

In 2014, noticeably less optimistic, we asked, “Why Detroit vs. Them?” And last year we suggested that Michigan should “Divide the Economic Pie.”

From page A-1 panding businesses with real estate opportunities. On a quarterly basis, Motor City Match provides a total of $500,000 in grants to the small businesses.

In little more than a year, almost 300 businesses, including restaurants, retail shops and small manufacturers, have received a Motor City Match boost.

“Detroit’s economy continues to grow and improve, and Motor City Match is helping to ensure the prosperity spreads across the city and into the neighborhoods,” Mayor Mike Duggan said of the program. “(Motor City Match) recipients are paving the way. They will be renovating neighborhood buildings, creating jobs and serving the community.”

As significant as the grants is the collective profile of projects receiving awards. Two-thirds of business winners are from Detroit, and 70 percent of the businesses are minority owned.

Examples of Motor City Match recipients include: Slyde, a fast-casual restaurant set for 19344 Livernois, featuring a unique combination of sliders, organic soupsand other menu items.

Detroit Training Center, a vocational training organization which provides construction training and licensing. A grant of $100,000 will help create new jobs and new training equipment for the current site at 5151 Loraine and its expanded site at 5051 Loraine.

Woodward Throwbacks LLC is described as a “reclaimed woodworking manufacturer of retail and home goods” that has been in operation since 2013.

Grant funds of $40,000 will add jobs and help complete improvements to a recently purchased building at 3511 Michigan Ave. Black Pride Beauty LLC will use a grant investment of $60,000 to continue to manufacture and wholesale a patented product called Comb-N-Weave, described as “a way for women to wear hair extensions without the damage caused by sewing, gluing and clips from traditional hair extensions.” The company reportedly will hire 10-30 veterans and neighborhood residents to manufacture the product.

J&G Pallets and Trucking is using a grant investment of $100,000 to expand a business of manufacturing recycled and new wood pallets, an operation now at 6500 Mack Ave. which started in 1992 in the backyard of a home. The company already employs 21 Detroit residents with plans to add up to 10 more.

Another spur to development which is off the beaten path of greater downtown revitalization has come from UAWFord, led by UAW Ford Vice President Jimmy Settles. Observers say the Settles invasion has been of the positive kind, providing help perhaps not typically associated with unions’ community imprint. For example, the effort has included providing washing machines and dryers to help uniform-wearing students at the Sampson-Weber School on Tireman Avenue.

UAW-Ford also helped provide funds for beautification efforts and other collaborative initiatives with the Helping Operations for People Empowerment (HOPE) organization. The group is the nonprofit arm of Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church.

On the east side, UAW-Ford contributed $100,000 to help create a newly renovated recreational facility called the Chapel Vision Community Development Center. Affiliated with Galilee Baptist Church, the center is located at 5251 East Outer Drive and has simulators for golf and baseball, fitness areas, a basketball court, and rooms for homework assistance, general tutoring and life skills instruction.

Ivery

From page A-1 prove Detroit Public Schools?”

“It’s not that complicated,” he stated.

He believes that all children can learn, but it is about expectations and providing the necessary funding to invest in young people “on the front end” as opposed to increasing state budgets for corrections programs, etc.

For those like Ivery who grew up during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, it is important to preach the gospel of providing resources and offering opportunities. He believes that if we can get children through the schoolhouse door we can offer them a future whether it is in construction trades, allied health such as nursing, or as an emergency technician.

Ivery, happy where he sits, has authored two books (“Black Fatherhood: Reclaiming Our Legacy” and “Reclaiming Integration and the Language of Race in the ‘Post-Racial’ Era”).

They amplify his point of view that sounds and feels as stirring as a Sunday morning sermon delivered by a down-home preacher. His advice regarding Detroit Public Schools to anyone who will listen: Hire an experienced educator, give them time to work their plan, and provide the resources necessary.

After a wide-ranging interview, I left reminding myself that Detroit Public Schools has had 12 general superintendents, CEOs and emergency managers since 1995, from David Snead to Darnell Earley.

Maybe the cure to what ails Detroit Public Schools, is more collaboration with the leader of the institution that’s anchored a short four-mile drive down the Lodge Freeway.

Page A-4

From page A-1

There will also be sessions about the importance of start-ups and entrepreneurs, the defense industry, and politics too, including the quirky presidential race with Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders still playing out.

“Every conference focuses on three pillars,” said Sandy Baruah, president and CEO of the chamber. “This year’s are entrepreneurship, urban education and investing in the future by supporting high-growth industries such as automotive, defense and IT.” This is Baruah’s sixth year running the influential group.

Though the 2018 gubernatorial contest is two years away, it too will garner talk including sidebar conversations on the famous porch of the Grand Hotel where careers and topics are often vetted in private.

Homage will also be paid to the state’s backbone industry, cars, where seismic changes like autonomous vehicles and technology are driving the business and with it Michigan’s future too. GM President Dan Ammann will be among keynote speakers.

Detroit and its mayor, Mike Duggan, will be center stage too as the city continues to find traction following emergence from bankruptcy. There are many positive things developing downtown.

But there are also major issues to contend with, including crime and jump starting the city’s neighborhoods. Corporations have been helping as evidenced by the Grand Bargain a few years ago.

KPMG Detroit will be among companies making news on the island with the announcement of a book program to help kids learn to read.

“KPMG Detroit is celebrating serving the business and civic community for more that 100 years,” said Heather Paquette, managing partner of the Detroit office of KPMG LLP. “As part of our celebration, KPMG Families for Literacy is donating more than 11,000 books to the kids in Detroit through United Way’s “Meet Up, Eat Up and Read Up” powered by KPMG. We know that when kids have access to books at home, they are more likely to read and be prepared for school.”

Another issue will be Detroit’s civil uprising of 1967, which will mark its 50th anniversary next year. Former U.S. Rep. Harold Ford and TV journalist Soledad O’Brien will be among those talking about it, and they will discuss national politics too.

“We’re making progress,” said Archer Jr. when asked about the issue of race in the region and at the conference. “But issues that are so complex and emotional require ongoing attention. One event or organization is not going to address this issue, but they can keep the conversation going and ensure that everyone is at the table. “ The once-prickly relations between Detroit and Grand Rapids have warmed, but that could be tested for those at the conference as a competition held between two start-up companies from opposite sides of the state called “the Mackinac Pitch.”

Similar to CBS-TV’s “Shark Tank,” the two firms — Detroit-based Ento and Fathom, in Grand Rapids — will square off as they make their pitch to the chamber audience on who should win bragging rights.

Mackinac keynote speaker Daymond John, of “Shark Tank,” will be on hand. The winning company will then receive a cash prize as well as mentoring provided by chamber members.

When the conference wraps up and people head home, those who have spent the past year planning it hope they leave with more than just some of the island’s world famous fudge.

“We learned a lot about ourselves as a state when we rallied around the Grand Bargain to ensure Detroit emerged from bankruptcy with a bright future,” said Baruah.

“I hope people walk away with a renewed since of solidarity of what we can accomplish as one Michigan.”

Carol Cain is the eight-time Emmy Awardwinning senior producer/host of CBS 62’s “Michigan Matters” and also moderator of the Miichigan Chronicle’s “Pancakes & Politics” forums.

Pancakes & Politics But on the more positive side of the jobs picture, Loepp said that it is much easier to attract top executives to Detroit these days because the word is out about the city’s resurgence.

“I’ve been in this job 10 years now.

Recruiting top executives to Detroit is a totally different game today than it was seven, eight, nine, 10 years ago and that’s because there’s plenty to offer and there’s regional collaboration. Everybody’s rowing in the same direction,” he said.

As for the city’s current residents, many of whom may require additional assistance to become qualified for available jobs, Loepp said he views job training as a necessity, not an option.

“Ultimately, if people aren’t educated, it’s difficult for them to fit into these jobs, and so you’re either gonna pay for this on the front end or on the back end.

I’d much rather pay for it on the front end.”

Moderator Carol Cain, host of the weekly Channel 62 news talk show “Michigan Matters,” brought up a point made by Gov. Rick Snyder that there are 100,000 jobs currently available that cannot be filled because of the talent gap. But there are other reasons as well for the shortage of candidates that some prefer not to talk about as much.

From page A-3

“As it relates to skilled trades you’ve got to get ahead of that curve, because it takes years to develop the skill. One of the things that troubles me is the data crunching in the first place to identify what the problem really is. We’ve all heard the problem, nobody can pass the drug test. And if it’s an electrical job then it’s a math deficiency. In our traditional way of facing that problem is for us to say, ‘Oh, OK, well forget the people who can’t pass the drug test.’ And now the people who are deficient in math need to go to community college and take Math 100, 101 and 102. That’s never gonna happen. The person who needs it cannot invest in three semesters in school. We need to look at what the core math issue is that they can’t fix and create seminars and things that create the minimum skill level to get the person into the program. And then let’s work out extending the depth of knowledge in math and science or whatever it is.”

“Number two, there’s a serious difference between someone who flunks the test because they’re a heroin addict and someone who flunks the test because he smokes weed in between his unemployment checks. That person can be talked to. There’s a reality check that’s available there. Do you want a job, and if you do you have to stop smoking weed.

We have to look at it more like that.

That’s reality.”

news

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

May 25-31, 2016

Page A-5

Big Three county execs weigh In: Evans, Hackel and Patterson drill down on region

They’re the top elected officials in Southeast Michigan as Warren Evans, Mark Hackel and L. Brooks Patterson oversee the three counties – Wayne, Macomb and Oakland respectively – enveloping the Metro Detroit region.

Macomb County

L. Brooks Patterson

The three seasoned politicians are immersed in looking out for their municipalities. They also share in the long term auto heritage which helped put their counties and our state on the world’s stage.

L. Brooks Patterson is the veteran among the region’s top leaders, having first been elected as Oakland County Executive in 1992. Patterson, a Republican, is facing re-election this fall. Known for running the county with measured fiscal practices that keeps Wall Street smiling as they bestow top bond ratings , Patterson is focusing on the future as he fights to win his seventh consecutive term.

Each executive faces unique challenges as well as opportunities in making sure their county is on firm footing now as well as being positioned to handle a more globally competitive future.

Carol Cain, Senior Editor and Host of CBS62’s “Michigan Matters,” had a chance to catch up with the three politicos to get their thoughts on at the region and what each thinks will be the buzz at the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Mackinac Policy Conference. Here is what each had to say:

Known for his quick wit and retorts, Patterson didn’t hold back as he answered some questions.

Q: What is the biggest issue facing your county and why?

Carol Cain

Wayne County

Warren C. Evans

Now into his first term as executive of the state’s largest county, Warren Evans, a Democrat, has spent the bulk of that time dealing with its fiscal crisis which he inherited.

He was able to dodge emergency management which many had predicted was ahead. But the tough times and decisions for the county of 1.8 million people are not over as he talked about.

Q: What is the biggest issue facing your county, and why?

A: Local communities are struggling to provide basic services such as police, fire, road and infrastructure repairs because the system to fund municipalities is broken. A city or township unable to provide the level of services residents need impacts a community’s quality of life. The current funding model does not support strong, successful communities. We are working to find fair funding for Wayne County and Michigan communities.

Finding a solution to the partially-finished jail on Gratiot is another issue facing Wayne County.

Q: What is the latest with the jail sit and prospects for it as the site of a MLS stadium?

A: With regard to the Gratiot jail site, my priority is protecting the interests of Wayne County taxpayers. Right now, finishing the Gratiot jail is the best option for quickly and cost-effectively building the new jail Wayne County needs.

To change our plans and go elsewhere, we will need a guarantee that there will be no additional cost to taxpayers in solving our jail problem. However, their proposal also requires taxpayers to replace the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice and the Juvenile Detention Center, as well as the jail.

My administration and I are open to entertaining a proposal that allows us to build a jail and all the corresponding criminal justice facilities elsewhere, provided it doesn’t increase the cost for Wayne County taxpayers and doesn’t delay our current timeline. No one has provided us with a proposal with the guarantees we need, and until then we will proceed with building the jail at Gratiot as planned.

Q: What are you most proud of in your county?

A: Wayne County’s diverse resident population, the economic comeback we’ve begun and the fact that Wayne County government is back on solid financial footing; combined is a strong recipe that benefits our 43 communities and the residents who reside in them.

Q: Given the backdrop of Flint, how concerned are you about aging infrastructure in your county and its impact on citizens?

A: Infrastructure across the state has been deteriorating slowly for years. I am concerned that if we don’t find a solution to better fund local communities we’ll see more tragedies involving infrastructure. Communities across the state are being forced to defer maintenance on roads, bridges, buildings and other important infrastructure. The current funding model does not support strong, successful communities. We must find fair funding for Michigan’s counties, cities, townships, and villages.

Q: How welcoming is your county to small business and entrepreneurs? Any specific program to mention that sets you apart from the others?

A: Small businesses play a vital role in the economic fabric of Wayne County. Whether it’s a new restaurant downriver or bakery in Dearborn to a new technology company in Detroit, the entrepreneurial spirit in Wayne County keeps our communities thriving. Data indicates between 70 and 80 percent of the new jobs created in Wayne County come from businesses that were already in Wayne County. We want today’s new idea for a business to become tomorrow’s high-grow company. To assist, Wayne County’s Economic Development Corporation has been meeting with small business owners to assess their needs and connect them to resources, which we’re finding many small businesses are unaware of, like Southeast Michigan Community Alliance’s workforce development and training program.

Q: Everyone talks about the talent gap. How concerned are you about it?

A: Decreasing the talent gap requires thinking differently about how we extract a person’s talent so they can meet their full potential. You hear stories from union leaders about candidates from Wayne County who can’t meet the requirements. We need to crunch the data on the issues preventing able-bodied people from landing these good paying jobs, and seek solutions to help them. For example, if someone cannot pass the math proficiency, instead of telling them to take classes at the local community college, we need to create programs specifically focused on teaching the type of math needed to work in skilled-trades. I have been in discussions with union leaders about this and we’re in discussions about breaking down the barriers.

A: Without question it is the condition of our crumbling roads and infrastructure. They’ve got the know how and experience to fix them, but just not willing to commit the necessary funds.

I’ve been arguing long and hard that Michigan ought to at least examine the potential for video poker in the state’s many bars. Video poker is expected to generate a net $500 million plus to the State Treasury – that’s all the road money we need on an annual basis.

Q: Given the backdrop of Flint, how concerned are you about aging infrastructure in your county and its impact on citizens?

A: The safety of our citizens is always a paramount concern.

Flint was a unique situation when they discontinued their affiliation with the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department and attempted to go on their own. Serious mistakes were made in the conversion and the result is well publicized. While I’m concerned about such issues, I don’t see an imminent crisis in Oakland County, but we are vigilant to ensure that our systems are inspected and reforms are made where called for.

Q: How welcoming is your county to small business and entrepreneurs?

A: Oakland County is home to approximately 44,000 businesses, most of those would be in the small business category.

We are very welcoming to small business because that is the backbone of job creation today in America and small businesses in some instances will not remain small forever, but will grow and continue to employ my residents. I have a program called “Emerging Sectors” which I kicked off in 2004 focusing on moving Oakland County into the knowledge based economy away from its reliance and independence upon manufacturing.

We paid a high price during the Great Recession when we led the state in unemployment (hovering around 13%) caused by the implosion of the domestic automotive industry. Today we have over 400 businesses that have come to Oakland County since 2004 within the structure of Emerging Sectors, which would be healthcare, IT, advanced materials, advanced manufacturing, homeland security, aerospace, finance, etc.

Since we kicked off the Emerging Sectors program, those companies have invested $3.6 billion creating over 60,000 jobs.

The program is a resounding success.

Q: Everyone talks about the talent gap. How concerned are you about it?

A: We’ve been aware of the talent gap for years. It has been a major concern since our workforce is aging out and we don’t have sufficient skilled laborers in the pipeline to take their jobs. If you don’t have the workforce available then companies will go where their workforce is. That would be bad for Oakland County; that would be bad for Michigan; and if I’m right, it would be bad for the United States. Oakland County has specifically been promoting skilled trades through our technical campuses. We have encouraged Oakland Community College, the largest community college in the State of Michigan, to focus more and more of its training in the skilled trades area.

We have evidence that these skilled trades, if properly trained through the journeyman programs, pay six figure incomes and benefits. That’s a very good wage and something we should promote.

Q: There are two Democrats vying to take you on: Mark Danowski, of Davisburg, and former State Rep. and Farmington Hills Mayor Vicki Barnett. Some say she could give you a challenge if she prevails. Your thoughts?

A: OMG she is a ‘Dragon Slayer.’ A Democrat destroyer of political careers. She strikes fear into the hearts of the rank and file Republican candidates. Trump even avoids driving through Farmington Hills. I need help in my race, the toughest in my 24 year career as the Oakland County Executive. I can’t sleep nights. I’ve lost my appetite. I’m calling upon my friends who read this interview to make a donation to my re-election ­effort… Please, nothing more than $6800!

Oakland County

Mark Hackel Mark Hackel has overseen Michigan’s third largest county since 2011.

Hackel, a Democrat who previously served as Macomb County Sheriff, has been talking up its rivers, lakes and streams, and quality of life since taking office.

Today, he is also focusing on its manufacturing base which is key to the county’s present economy and its future.

Q: What is the biggest issue facing your county, and why?

A: Infrastructure is the biggest issue facing our County. When we look at the condition of our roads, the growing operating costs of our sewer and water systems and an emerging need to facilitate high capacity utility and telecommunication networks the price tag keeps getting larger and larger. At all levels of government we must ensure that we are appropriately and adequately investing in our aging infrastructure to support our residents and businesses.

Q: What are you most proud of in your county?

A: Telling the Macomb county story. For the past six years I have had the great fortune of exploring what

Macomb County has to offer. Alongside our municipal partners and community s t a ke h o l d e r s we have begun to express and celebrate what Macomb County has to offer to residents, visitors and businesses. Through initiatives like Make Macomb Your Home we are giving people an opportunity to experience Macomb County, and see the incredible destinations and opportunities that are here in our County.

Q: Given the backdrop of Flint, how concerned are you about aging infrastructure in your county and its impact on citizens ?

A: This is a massive issue that we face all across our region and state. As our infrastructure continues to age the costs associated to maintain and operate these systems will increase drastically. We must develop appropriate funding and administration to ensure that we can provide access to safe and reliable infrastructure systems.

Q: How welcoming is your county to small business and entrepreneurs?

A: In Macomb County we are fortunate to have a fully capable and accessible planning and economic development department. Across all industries and occupations our planning and economic development team is engaged and helping spur incredible investments in Macomb County.

We nurture the creativity and passion of small businesses by helping them explore places to establish their business, and provide them with access to assistance services. On the larger industry side we assist companies through every stage of growth and expansion. We feel that in Macomb County or planning and economic develop staff have one of the most productive and cooperative relationships with each one of our 27 municipalities.

Across this county from the board office to the front counter we are responsive to the needs of an ever changing business environment.

Q: Everyone talks about the talent gap. How concerned are you about it?

A: This is something we hear every day from our business partners, and we have been responding to their requests. It starts with workforce.

Macomb County’s workforce has increased to nearly 420,000 individuals, which provides us with a great foundation of professionals to help fill the

talent gap. We work daily with our workforce development and educational partners to develop on-the-fly work readiness and retraining programs to meet the emerging technology needs of industry. One of our most impactful and creative initiatives in our involvement in national Manufacturing Day. Macomb County is home to one of the nation’s largest Manufacturing Day events where this past year we helped 1,800 high school students’ tour nearly 5 dozen manufacturing establishments in the county. We are breaking down the barriers and perceptions of the manufacturing field, and helping kids see the value and opportunity of our production based industries.

Q: What do you think attendees on the Grand Hotel’s infamous porch will be talking about?

A: Detroit, Flint and Trump Q: What is ahead for you, politically, as we sit here in 2016?

A: Right now I am committed to fulfilling my responsibilities as County Executive.

Q: What will be your focus as county executive in the year ahead?

A: Continue to raise the profile of Macomb County. Helping people see the value and opportunity in Macomb. Focusing less on politics, and more on people, places and passion.

Page A-6 • THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE • May 25-31, 2016

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Tyrone Clifton appointed to serve as Director of the Detroit Building Authority Michigan Chronicle Reports

The Detroit Building Authority Board today voted unanimously to appoint Tyrone Clifton to serve as director of the DBA. He was nominated earlier this week by Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan.

Clifton, 48, a Detroit resident, has spent 14 years at the DBA, most recently as superintendent of capital projects serving as the city’s senior construction projects manager.

In his time with the DBA, Clifton oversaw the successful completion of Detroit Public Safety Headquarters, a $55 million project, and the construcTyrone Clifton tion and renovation of recreation centers, police precincts and fire stations throughout the City.

As director of the DBA, Clifton will continue to supervise all construction activities in the city, including upcoming projects such as the Dept. of Public Works Street Maintenance Facility, Real Time Crime Center and the new 8th Precinct.

The DBA will continue to play an active role in the city’s demolition program, the largest in the country. The City of Detroit has torn down 8,800 blighted homes since Mayor Duggan took office in 2014, helping to improve the safety, property values and quality of life of its neighborhoods.

“I am honored for the opportunity to serve as director of the Detroit Building Authority,” Clifton said. “As a Detroiter, I’m proud to continue to build first class facilities for Detroit’s employees and work to remove blight from our neighborhoods.”

“Tyrone has done an excellent job in managing the building projects at the DBA,” Mayor Duggan said. “He has the experience and the leadership skills to do a great job running the Building Authority”.

In October, 2015, David Manardo was promoted to the cabinet position of Group Executive of Operations, overseeing demolition and infrastructure initiatives across all city agencies.

Manardo continued to serve in a second position as DBA Director, doing both jobs.

Clifton’s promotion will allow Manardo to focus all of his efforts on the Group Executive of Operations role.

Manardo now has citywide responsibility, coordinating all demolition and infrastructure projects across multiple departments and agencies, including General Services, Parks and Recreation, Department of Public Works, Public Lighting Authority, Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, and the Detroit Building Authority.

“Any city project that reshapes the landscape of Detroit will now be coordinated through a central office headed by Dave Manardo,” Duggan said. “For the first time in many years, all city departments and agencies will work together on every public investment project.”

The DBA board voted on Clifton’s nomination during its board meeting this Thursday.

Clifton will be paid $140,000 a year.

Rev. V. Lonnie Peek, shown here with wife Eunice and a street vendor they met while in Accra, Ghana

Extending a helping hand to the Motherland

Rev. V. Lonnie Peek establishes pastoral care program in Ghana

By Keith A. Owens

spent your summer vacation this year..?

Senior Editor

For two years, the Peeks had been communicating back and forth with their contacts with Central University in Ghana about the pastoral care program discussing how it should take shape.

But eventually it became clear that person-to-person was the only way to get it done right.

Even when Rev. V. Lonnie Peek Jr. is trying to take a break, he somehow finds himself in the midst of getting something started.

Mostly because if it seems like something ought to be done about a certain problem, then Peek doesn’t quite see how he can let an opportunity for good works pass him by. As a pastor, that comes with the territory. But for Peek, he has long felt a particular need to work toward establishing a closer relationship between Detroit and Africa. Not that Peek is by any means the only pastor in Detroit who shares that concern and has acted on it, but nevertheless what he has managed to accomplish recently is certainly a story worth telling.

In this particular case, Rev. Peek was in Ghana about four years ago with his wife, Eunice, enjoying something resembling a vacation.

During that time they both went to the grand opening of a hospital that offers treatment for spinal-related maladies, a problem that afflicts a disproportionate number of the population. That right there, the decision to attend the grand opening of a hospital while on vacation, is a sure sign of a man who does not properly understand the concept of vacation.

“While I was there, somehow they found out I was a chaplain for Wayne County, and they asked Eunice and I if we would put together a

“So it got to the point where we couldn’t do anymore by email. We said, ‘Look, you’re gonna have to bring us over there.’ So they hemmed and hawed,” but then they agreed and they brought Peek, Eunice, and Urias Beverly from Ecumenical Theological Seminary in Detroit.

“We spent nine days there.

We met with the hierarchies of the University in Ghana. …

One of our jobs was to convey to them the concepts of pastoral counseling, and the very procedures that you go through in counseling and pastoral care. And the difference between pastoral care and pastoral counseling. What we laid out was an academic format that would meet their accreditations. chaplaincy training program for some of their students at Central University. So the next day Eunice and I got on our computers and we put together an outline,” he said.

OK, now fast forward. This September, the chaplaincy training program that began as an outline drawn up by Rev. Peek and his wife, will

become a reality in Accra, Ghana. The courses will be taught out of Central University, and have the potential of training thousands of young African students in the skills of pastoral counseling that will benefit many thousands more in their respective communities.

So how are you going to

“In western Africa, there is no accredited pastoral care for women. So they’ll be using the United States standards, which is a much higher level,” said Eunice Peek, who added that the only other African location that offers similar accreditation is in South Africa.

“Our job is to establish

See GHANA page B-2

Dr. Vivian Pickard receives high honors from Ferris State

By Roz Edward When Vivian Rogers Pickard retired after a 42-year long career with General Motors, friends, family and colleagues along with the entire Southeastern Michigan community were confident that she would not fade into anonymity. Quite the contrary as the community advocate immersed herself even deeper in improving the quality of life for Detroiters and African American residents around the nation.

Recently Pickard added an Honorary Doctorate of Hu-

mane Letters degree to her lengthy list of accomplishments, saying that the recognition was one of the most important of her career. “To be honored by an institution that helped to shape me, both personally and professionally, is probably one of the most rewarding gifts I could have ever received,” said an emotional but elated Pickard during Ferris State University’s 2016 commencement ceremony earlier this month.

Pickard, a Ferris state alumna and the director of General Motors’ Detroit Community Partnerships received the university’s Dis-

tinguished Alumni Award in 2014.

Pickard is locally and nationally renowned for her dedication to improving the quality of life for residents in Detroit and around the nation. Her role as an advocate during her extensive career with General Motors, has helped to generate financial support for a wide range of community and philanthropic organizations and profoundly affected the lives of thousands.

After serving in key roles in GM’s human resources, finance and public poli-

cy arenas, Pickard became the director of GM’s Detroit Community Partnerships, after more than seven years of service as president of The General Motors Foundation.

Pickard had served as president of the GM Foundation and GM director of corporate relations from 2009 until November 2015 when GM (NYSE: GM, TSX: GMM) reassigned her to serve as director, Detroit community partnerships.

The General Motors Foundation frequently contributes to community and civic orga-

See PICKARD page B-2

Vivian Pickard

community

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

May 25-31, 2016

Page B-2

Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit honors participants in its Women’s Empowerment Services program Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit held its 5th Annual Flip the Script ‘Still I Rise’ Women’s Empowerment Services Brunch on Saturday, May 14 at Andiamo’s in downtown Detroit. The event honored and celebrated the successes and journeys of the women in the Flip the Script Women’s Empowerment Services program.

The brunch, supported in part by the JP Morgan Chase Foundation and Verizon, featured a presentation of team awards and address from keynote speaker, Khalilah Burt Gaston. As a Program Officer at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Gaston is responsible for identifying and developing opportunities for positive systemic change within communities across the state. Gaston encouraged the crowd of more than 100 attendees to always love themselves and never be ashamed of their journey.

The Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit Flip the Script Women’s Empowerment Services started in 2009, mirroring the highly successful and well respected Flip the Script Male Empowerment Program. Flip the Script Women’s Empowerment Services continues Goodwill’s rich tradition as a leader in the workforce development industry.

Still I Rise is a direct response to a call requesting more holistic, outcome focused, programing targeted to aid young single mothers and women coping with trauma and difficult past life experiences.

(L – R) Keith Bennett, Flip the Script Director; Lorna Utley, Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit’s President and CEO; Felicia Hunter, Executive Vice President – Employment & Training Division; Jennifer Rincones, Flip the Script Women’s Services Program Manager Khalilah Burt Gaston from W.K. Kellogg den root causes, obstacles, and barriers Foundation delivers the keynote speech that have been adversely affecting their “We embrace the women in our program the second they walk through that door and engage with them in ways that help them identify and address the hid-

lives,” said Jennifer Rincones, Women’s Empowerment Services Program Manager. “Participants learn that just because the past didn’t turn out the way they would have liked doesn’t mean their future can’t be better than they imagined.”

The Women’s Empowerment Services program is open to women residing in Detroit/Wayne County, 16 years of age

Ghana the program that is going to kick off in September.

They’ve already started to recruit students. We’ve set up an academic structure. Our job is to shepherd them through this to make it happen and work,” said Rev. Peek.

A big part of making the program work will be its affiliation with the International Central Gospel Church in Ghana, which will provide a number of student recruits for the program. There are at least 400 separate churches under the ICGC umbrella, similar to how a C.O.G.I.C. or Baptist denomination would be defined in the United States.

Each of these churches is expected to send an average of two or three members to Central University to study pastoral care, after which they can return to their own individual churches to implement the benefits of what they have learned.

The Peeks are noticeably – and understandably – proud of what they have managed to accomplish in such a relatively short period of time. But both admit that the end result did not come without a healthy amount of frustration when it came to navigating certain cultur-

Pickard nizations commitment the areas of education, health and other initiatives.

Even during the Great Recession that contributed to GM's bankruptcy, the organization continued to give to worthy causes including such organizations as 100 Black Men of America, the United Negro College Fund — and in far greater financial numbers than most other corporations. In her current role, Pickard leads GM's support and presence in Detroit on key community initiatives such as education, health and the arts.

Her current community advocacy efforts benefit such groups as Habitat for Humanity International, the Detroit Regional Chamber Foundation and Fifth Third Bank Eastern Michigan, as well as other organizations.

Pickard’s leadership roles include being the

and older, low-income, or when court ordered. All you need is a willingness to learn. The 9th cohort recently just started. The 10th class will begin in July. If you’re interested in becoming a participant or would like more information, please call (313) 557-4834.

“You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes, You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I'll rise.” Dr. Maya Angelou

From page B-1 al differences.

“In America we move at a faster pace. It’s not just the African culture but other cultures don’t move that way. So at first it was start, then stop, start, stop. So we got a little frustrated. After a while we said ‘Y’all get back with us when you’re ready to go’.”

But Rev. Peek stresses that it was never a serious hurdle, just something to be adjusted to. The more important matter was the objective, which was to provide a sort of gold standard for training African students in pastoral care.

“From a church perspective, you’re going to have members of your congregation or community that will need different levels of counseling.

And that’s the concept.

To have the ability to give pastoral care in a prescribed manner. From an academic standpoint they must be taught how to do that. From a pastor’s standpoint, the first thing a pastor has to do is to have a pastor’s heart.

So the students are being screened as to ‘why do you want to do this?’

So when you have a pastor’s heart, then you have

From page B-1 immediate past-president of The Black Women’s Agenda, Inc. and serving as an officer with the Detroit Economic Club.

She was also named as one of the 50 most powerful African-Americans in southeast Michigan, and received the Spirit of the Dream award from the United Negro College Fund.

Pickard is also a past or present member on the boards of organizations including: Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial, Inforum, Friends of African and African American Art at the Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit Regional Chamber Foundation, The Parade Co., New Detroit, Fifth Third Bank - Eastern Michigan, Michigan Women's Foundation, Council of Michigan Foundations and the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute.

to develop the technique for approaching members of your congregation who have pastoral care meetings.

Peek said that a pastor gets pulled from many different sides from many different folk with many different needs in many different directions. The skill and learned technique is to be able to discern and be able to listen.

“That’s why pastoral care is because we all need somebody to listen,” said Eunice.

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THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

May 25-31, 2016 Page B-3

Detroit Parent Network makes inroads with DPS

Sharlonda Buckman, Detroit Parent Network CEO, says she is excited about transitioning Detroit Parent Networks contractual relationship with Detroit Public Schools. “It means we have accomplished the goal we set out to achieve, helping Detroit Public Schools build and support parent leadership.” Detroit Parent Network will no longer lead the parent engagement work for Detroit Public Schools, but will continue to assist with specific programs that support parents and children increased academic achievement in school.

“We have been deeply engaged in making sure that DPS is returned back to local control and we have been working on this as a member of the Coalition for Detroit School Children,” says Buchman.

“We believe once we get back to a locally elected school board, they will be able to build on the platform we helped develop to engage parents and invest in parent leadership.”

Buckman, an ardent advocate for parents and

special needs

4. Served 25,000 parents across 8 Parent Centers and within schools 5. Established two national “Best Practice” programs in the district including Parent Teacher Home Visit (PTHV) serving nearly 700 families where teachers visit parents and children at home to establish goals for the school year 6. Served 1,000 Parents in Parent University graduating many who successfully completed the required parent development courses 7. Collaborated across district departments to make Science fun for families through academic-based family nights like “Frozen February” and “Star Wars Science”

Sharlonda Buckman children in Detroit, recounts the outcomes achieved annually over the past six years.

“Our charge from the district was to increase the parental involvement.

Highlighted below are several metrics achieved.”

1. Helped DPS reach compliance on their Federal Title 1 requirements

and eliminate previous issues sited in their federal audit.

2. Parental engagement was increased across schools by 20% building from the initial 10 percent target 3. Established 8 Parent Centers across the district, one tailored to parents of children with

Director of Detroit Youthbuild Program advocates on behalf of students YouthBuild USA announced Ann Marie Leen, director of the Detroit YouthBuild program, traveled to Washington, D.C. on May 12 to advocate for Youthbuild’s critical legislative priorities.

Leen visited the congressional offices of Senator Peters and Stabenow to encourage their support for federal funding that will allow YouthBuild to continue to help thousands of low-income youth rebuild their communities and their lives.

SER Metro-Detroit’s SER YouthBuild Construction Institute is part of a national network of programs where unemployed, undereducated and outof-school young people work toward their GED or high school diploma, while learning job skills by building affordable housing and other community assets in their neighborhoods and engaging in community service and leadership training. Graduates leave prepared for success in postsecondary education, careers, and registered apprenticeships— and as a part of a strong and supportive community.

Since 1994, over 140,000 YouthBuild students have performed 48 million community service hours and produced over 30,000 units of affordable, increasingly green housing in rural and urban communities across the USA. “YouthBuild changes lives and attempts to address the critical trades gap in Detroit,” said Leen.

“Our local directors are our best advocates on Capitol Hill because they see first-hand the impact of YouthBuild programs that create opportunity for low-income youth across the nation,” said Dorothy Stoneman, Founder and CEO of YouthBuild USA. “We encour-

age congress to continue their strong record of supporting young people who are working towards improving their lives and their communities.”

YouthBuild USA, Inc., www.youthbuild.org, based in Somerville, MA, is the non-profit support center for over 260 local YouthBuild programs operating in 45 states and the District of Columbia.

In YouthBuild programs, unemployed and undereducated low income out-ofschool young people ages 16 to 24 work toward their GED or high school diploma, while learning job skills by building affordable housing and other community assets in their neighborhoods, engaging in community service and leadership training. YouthBuild USA also sponsors the YouthBuild International effort that has generated over 100 local YouthBuild programs in 21 countries worldwide.

There are two ways a local program can be authorized to use the YouthBuild brand in the U.S.: either they can directly win a US Department of Labor YouthBuild grant, or they can be licensed by YouthBuild USA to use the name when they demonstrate commitment to the basic philosophy and design.

SER Metro-Detroit, Jobs for Progress, Inc. is a community-based organization that believes in the potential of each and every individual. For the past 45 years, SER has assisted thousands of marginalized and disadvantaged residents from across the City of Detroit and the region in becoming self-sufficient through quality employment, education and training programs.

8. Provided over 600 workshops each years based on Title 1 requirements and parent interests.

9. Engaged other community agencies to support DPS families like Gleaners Food Bank

now delivering food to over 1,500 families each month There have been many more innovative initiatives like Homework Makeover and Academic Summer Olympics, however, this rich partnership was possible based on the districts commitment to parents who entrust the education and safety of their children to DPS.

Detroit Parent Network began working with Detroit Public Schools in 2009 in response to the district’s request for help.

Detroit Parent Network invested nearly a $1 million in support to match the contract support from Detroit Public Schools during the first three years through a generous grant from the W.K. Kellogg foundation.

Detroit Public Schools will continue this work through volunteers.

At Your Service

In recognition of this tremendous partnership, DPN is hosting a celebration at its main office on June 17 for parents, principals and district staff to say “thank you.” It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve parents and we will continue to do so as our commitment to parents and Detroit.

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Detroit Parent Network is a citywide parent advocacy organization established in 2002. We are a network of parents working to build parents and others to ensure every child has a champion.

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Book on Former Mayor Coleman Young due May 24 Coleman A. Young, Detroit's first African American mayor, would have turned 98 years old on Monday, May 24. Detroit-based author and historian Ken Coleman, announces that he is carrying out an important three-part project.

First, he is releasing his fourth book, Forever Young: The Coleman Reader. Second, Ken Coleman will launch this summer, an oral history project to record people who knew and worked with Coleman Young. Third, Ken Coleman is identifying curriculum professionals who will assist him in creating lesson plans for elementary and middle school students. Forever Young: The Coleman Reader will be released as an eBook on May 24 and as a limited edition traditional book on June 4.

It will be sold at Eric’s I’ve Been Framed, located at 16527 Livernois in Detroit. Call the store at 313-861-9263, or Ken Coleman at 313-551-1304.

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Detroit Police set to become national leader in body worn cameras In June, the Detroit Police Department will begin the implementation of police body cameras and new in-car video across the entire department, thanks to city council approval today of a $5.2 million contract with WatchGuard, an industry leader in the technology.

Council’s approval today caps a morethan yearlong due diligence process led

by Chief James Craig and Mayor Mike Duggan as part of their efforts to make DPD more transparent.

WatchGuard was the preferred vendor based on several criteria: • Cost • Experience in deployment of the technology • Video file access and file management capabilities • Timeline for full integration between body-worn and in-vehicle cameras The next leading proposal was from Taser, at a cost of $8.9 million. Unlike WatchGuard, Taser is new to producing in-vehicle cameras and uses a more expensive cloud-based video storage system.

Chief Craig said that having all patrol and investigative officers wearing body cameras will further strengthen the bond DPD has developed with the community.

“The most important thing we can have as a police department is the trust of the citizens we serve,” said Chief James Craig. “This new system will allow us to document every encounter our officers have with a member of the public. This was a process that was initiated and led by officers themselves and they are in full support of this new platform.”

Last year, DPD was selected by the Department of Justice to be an example of a major city police department that implemented a BWC program through

a competitive grant process; which will ultimately help other agencies around the country to develop their own BWC programs. To that end, DPD received a $1,000,000 grant to fund this initiative.

The remainder of the funding for the project is coming from the City of Detroit.

The WatchGuard contract calls for the deployment of 1,500 body-worn cameras to cover all patrol and investigative officers in the Department, as well as 450 in-vehicle cameras. Next month, DPD will deploy the first 50 body cameras and 20 vehicle cameras in the 4th and 7th precincts. This 60-day assessment of the new system will be to assess its functionality in real-world conditions and be done at no cost to the city. Full deployment will begin in August and is expected to be completed within 14 months.

“When we are finished with this project, the City of Detroit will have one of the most transparent police departments in the country,” Mayor Duggan said. “The community should be very proud of what Chief Craig, his officers and City Council have accomplished today.”

The new system will provide three different points of view (officer’s point of view; front of patrol vehicle; back seat). The system will have multiple ways recording can be activated. Once fully integrated, both the body-worn and in-vehicle cameras will activate simultaneously.

The chief and the mayor are basing their decision to proceed on recommendation made by a selection committee, made up of DPD leadership, police officers, the city’s chief information officer, Beth Niblock, and the city’s Office of Contracting and Procurement, which has been studying the issue for the past several months.

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HIRAM E. JACKSON Publisher

A Real Times Media Newspaper 479 Ledyard, • Detroit, MI 48201

(313) 963-5522 e-mail:newsdesk@michronicle.com May 25-31, 2016

Page B-4

CATHY NEDD Associate Publisher KEITH A. OWENS Senior Editor SAMUEL LOGAN Publisher 1933-2011

JOHN H. SENGSTACKE Chairman-Emeritus 1912-1997 LONGWORTH M. QUINN Publisher-Emeritus 1909-1989

Health care improving thanks to Michigan partnerships, ACA

By Dan Loepp President and CEO, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

In our diverse Southeast Michigan region of some 4.5 million people, the cost of health care is an issue that affects everyone — families, individuals and employers.

After two and a half years under the Affordable Care Act, much work remains to build a high-quality, more effective health care system. But as the leader of a company that has served the people Dan Loepp of Michigan for 77 years, I can confidently say that there are plenty of areas where we’re making good progress.

Long before the ACA, Blue Cross was focused on transforming the way health care is delivered in Michigan. We’ve long been a leader in providing unparalleled access to quality health care.

Since last year’s Mackinac Policy Conference, our Value Partnerships program marked its 10th anniversary. A collection of initiatives built on our model of collaborating with providers, Value Partnerships has yielded $1.4 billion in cost avoidance during that time through improved quality and fewer complications for patients.

Today, Blue Cross is pioneering a new model of value-based payment arrangements with hospitals. This moves us away from the inefficient old fee-for-service model toward more accountability, higher quality care and better patient outcomes.

Today, 87 percent of BCBSM’s hospital payout is processed through value-based payment arrangements. A recent survey by the national Health Care Transformation Task Force found that among its member plans, 38 percent of payments now flow through value-based reimbursement arrangements. Here in Michigan, we’re clearly ahead of a positive and transformative trend.

Value-based payment and patient-focused care are important evolutions away from the old health care model, which frankly put the needs of payers and providers ahead of patients. Patients are our focus today, as they should be.

The result is higher-quality, more focused and accountable care – and lower costs.

Meanwhile, the health reform law continues to spark division.

True, the ACA is not perfect. We’ve seen lower-than-expected enrollment, the failures of several health care coops and the exit of some big national insurers from the Marketplace in certain states.

But the bottom line is that the law has extended coverage to tens of millions of previously uninsured Americans.

Reducing the massive number of uninsured Americans has always been central to any serious reform effort, and the ACA has been an unambiguous success in this area, with roughly 20 million more Americans now covered.

In Michigan, nearly 615,000 residents have enrolled for coverage since the state expanded Medicaid in 2014 under the Healthy Michigan Plan. Enrollment has far surpassed the state’s projections, and Gov. Rick Snyder and our Legislature deserve credit for working through their differences to do the right thing and broaden health coverage.

In total, the nearly one million residents who have gained coverage through Medicaid expansion or from the Marketplace have reduced Michigan’s uninsured rate to among the nation’s lowest.

That is making a tangible difference for health care. Prior to the ACA, hospitals in Michigan were seeing their costs for providing uncompensated care balloon. In 2014, during the first year of the health care law’s individual Marketplace, uncompensated care costs fell 22.6 percent to $707 million, according to a new report from the Center for Healthcare Research and Transformation in Ann Arbor. Nationwide, uncompensated care costs for hospitals fell by 15 percent.

There are things about the ACA that need fixing. There are still tens of millions who go without coverage, cannot pay for their care and drive up costs for everyone else. The law has too many onerous administrative rules, it’s far too complicated, and we must find ways to get more young and healthy people to enroll as one way to stabilize rates.

But we’ve made far too much progress under the ACA to scrap it and go back to the old version of health care. It adds real momentum to efforts already under way – led by Blue Cross and our partners in health care – to make Michigan a healthier place.

Daniel J. Loepp President and CEO Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

Moving forward: DTE Energy and our communities

By Gerry Anderson

Chairman and CEO of DTE Energy

In the past year, substantial strides have been made in mapping out a new direction for our country’s energy generation to limit greenhouse gas emissions and move to cleaner, greener technologies. We at DTE Energy played an important role in developing the federal clean energy rule, known as the Clean Power Plan. This rule would yield significant environmental progress and, I believe, does that in a way that is workable for our industry and its customers. It’s a great change for our nation and will allow us to continue providing clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy.

Despite the Gerry Anderson debate about the new rule in the federal courts, we are moving forward with fundamentally modernizing the way we generate electricity – including investing in energy efficiency and retiring less efficient coal plants to build new, cleaner natural gas power plants over the next decade. Simultaneously, we will continue our investment in renewable energy – as we now are constructing one of the largest utility-owned solar power arrays east of the Mississippi and the largest urban solar array in Detroit.

We also are making progress in improving customer satisfaction – the result of an intense, company-wide focus on what matters most to our customers across Michigan. We have made strides in our electric reliability; most notably, our outage minutes were down 65 percent in 2015, due in large part to a more strategic tree trimming program. However, we must modernize our energy grid so that we can provide even more reliable energy to our customers – and we know we must balance this with keeping our customers’ bills affordable. To help do this, we work hard to continuously improve our own operations to control

costs; we also provide tools to help our customers save energy.

Economic development is one of the keys to our state’s future, and I am proud of our ongoing commitment to do business with Michigan-based and diverse suppliers. We surpassed our goal in 2015 to bring more business back to Michigan communities, spending close to $1 billion throughout the year. Since we helped launch the Pure Michigan Business Connect initiative with Michigan suppliers in 2011, our spending has created 8,500 jobs, and last June, we made a new commitment to invest $5 billion with Michigan companies over the next five years.

Investing in Michigan’s future also means investing in our own future –and how we will become a next-generation energy company. As we build a bridge to a clean energy future, we recognize the impact this transformation will have on our cities and towns and our employees.

We are working closely with local leaders every step of the way in communities where we will retire our coal plants and build new generation. Investing in Michigan’s future also means continuing partnerships with public schools, community colleges and universities to support efforts to train the workforce of the future. As the job market evolves, and demand within the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields grows, we want to ensure our young people are equipped with the tools they need to be competitive applicants in a global workplace, and strong contributors to our state’s economy.

Our Aspiration is to be the best-operated energy company in North America and a force for growth and prosperity in the communities where we live and serve. This will be our guide as we work to build a better future for Michigan and the communities in which we operate across the country.

This is an exciting time for our business and our employees, and I am proud to lead them. On behalf of the men and women of DTE Energy, I invite you to learn more by reading our Corporate Citizenship Report at http://dtecitizenship. com and share your feedback at citizenship@dteenergy.com.

Quote of the Week: "I am where I am because of the bridges that I crossed.

Sojourner Truth was a bridge. Harriet Tubman was a bridge. Ida B. Wells was a bridge.

Madame C.J. Walker was a bridge. Fannie Lou Hamer was a bridge."

— Oprah Winfrey

Finishing Gratiot jail is best solution for Wayne County taxpayers

By Warren C. Evans Wayne County Executive

The Gordian Knot, according to mythology, was so intricate that no man could untie it. Alexander the Great finally just cut it with his sword. The lesson of this story is that sometimes complicated problems are best solved with the simple solution.

The unfinished jail on Gratiot seems like such a tangled, seemingly unsolvable problem. Before I took office as Wayne County Executive, construction was halted because of cost overruns and mismanagement. County taxpayers are now on the hook for millions of dollars borrowed to build the partially-finished structure popularly dubbed “the fail jail.”

Often lost in the noise about this project is that our Sheriff’s Department really needs a new jail facility. Our current jails are outdated and in bad shape.

Constructing a modern jail will improve operational efficiency and help ensure the safety of deputies, residents, and inmates, most of whom are held pending trial, which means they haven’t yet been convicted of a crime.

My administration carefully considered options for resolving this issue.

We’ve consulted with Sheriff Benny Napoleon, the County Commission and listened to the community. The best solution for the jail mess is the simplest — finish the Gratiot jail.

Yes, it will cost hundreds of millions more to finish the jail. However, with Wayne County’s finances stabilized, we have put Wayne County in a position that it can responsibly borrow funds and finish the jail without busting future county budgets.

The site makes sense because of its proximity to the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice. Work already completed at the Gratiot site includes a network of tunnels connecting the courthouse to the

jail in order to securely and efficiently transport prisoners. If we moved the jail away from the existing criminal justice complex — Wayne County’s Juvenile Detention Facility is also located next to the court — sheriff’s deputies would have to transfer prisoners across town for court. The cost of this recurring annual expense would be significant and increase the security risk of transporting prisoners through our neighborhoods every day.

While the costs are still unknown, even under the best circumstances, restarting the jail project from scratch on another site and constructing a new courthouse and juvenile facility would cost taxpayers hundreds of millions more than finishing the Gratiot jail. I will not put that additional cost on the backs of county taxpayers.

Some people say a jail simply doesn’t belong downtown. Those critics should go visit other vibrant downtowns. Chicago’s Metropolitan Correctional Center is in the heart of the downtown Loop.

Cleveland’s city jail is also downtown and closer to Quicken Loans Arena than the Gratiot jail will be from the new Little Caesars Arena. Pittsburgh’s jail sits at the foot of the Liberty Bridge entrance to the center city and it neighbors Duquesne University.

And have we seriously considered the economic impact on downtown Detroit if we totally ripped out our criminal justice complex? Indeed, even when Detroit’s economic fortunes languished, Greektown thrived in the shadow of both our current jail and the Gratiot site. Nor has the jail’s existence dampened the pre-and-postgame excitement outside Comerica Park and Ford Field.

Now, if someone offers a deal that allows us to move the criminal justice complex to another appropriate location at no additional cost to county taxpayers and without further delaying construction of a jail, I would consider it.

Detroit charter parents want Detroit Education Commission Editor’s Note: This is an opinion from a group of Detroit parents with students in Detroit charter schools who support the proposed Detroit Education Commission legislation: We are Detroit parents who have exercised choice and enrolled our kids in charter schools. We love our charter schools and the committed educators who work in them. And, we love our city. We want quality schools and stable neighborhoods not only for our families, but for all of our fellow Detroiters.

As charter school parents, we are writing to thank the senators who passed a comprehensive solution to Detroit’s education problems, and to urge legislators in the House to include in their bill package the Detroit Education Commission (DEC) in order to bring stability and quality to all Detroit schools.

More than anything, we want to make clear that the special interests who are trying to scare us by claiming the DEC will take away our choice are not in touch with our experiences, and certainly do not speak on our behalf.

We collectively travel hundreds of miles daily across the city to access a quality education for our children. But our children deserve great schools in our neighborhoods, not bunched up in places that are only accessible to those of us with cars. That’s what a DEC will do, by leading a public process each year that surveys each neighborhood to determine its school and community needs. Why should we fear a transparent process that makes school choice more accessible?

Today, we attend successful charters. And when we find a great school — charter or Detroit Public School — we shouldn’t have to worry that they might go into a financial tailspin next year because another school opens up around the corner and lures families with giveaways and empty promises. We know our city has far too many schools opening to profit off our kids, and not enough schools delivering a quality education.

That’s what the DEC will change, by only allowing new schools to open that are accountable for educating our kids.

Why should we fear quality schools?

Today, 12 different groups authorize charter schools in Detroit, none of which are governed within the city limits. Some of these groups are seven

hours away, and every year they collect more than $10 million in fees from our charter schools in Detroit.

As parents, when we have an issue with our school board or management company, we shouldn’t have to drive seven hours to find a resolution or have our voices heard. We deserve to have a local entity to keep our management companies and boards accountable.

That’s what the DEC will do. It will be the first time ever that charter parents and students will have a local entity support our schools. Why should we fear local accountability?

This isn’t just about charter schools for us. Today, we watch our friends and neighbors struggling in a DPS system that has been under state control for 15 of the past 17 years. Although we are charter parents, we need DPS schools to be great because we live in this city; they educate our cousins, our neighbors, and the people who will be our lawyers, teachers, doctors, renovate our houses and develop new technology.

It’s easy for someone who doesn’t live here and won’t suffer any of the consequences to suggest that we tear apart our public school system. It’s harder for those of us with real skin in the game to be so cavalier with the lives and futures of Detroit’s children. Both charters and Detroit Public Schools are public schools, and we need both to work.

We are compelled to speak up now because a group of so-called “choice” organizations based in Lansing are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to confuse families and threaten legislators, and they are doing it in our name.

We strongly disagree with them, and we find their actions offensive.

While we don’t have thousands to spend on lobbying, and it’s hard for us to leave our jobs and drive to Lansing regularly. We are Detroit charter parents who are committed to our children accessing a quality education. Further, we are parents who are not afraid of the transparency, accountability and the local voice that a DEC will bring.

Our families support the Senate package because it both protects choice and builds a school system that will work for all Detroiters, and we ask all Michigan legislators to do the same.

community

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

May 25-31, 2016

Page B-5

W H EN ST R O K E H A P P EN S, MIN U TES M A T TER .

In the time you read this, someone in the United States will have died from stroke.

HENRY FORD STROKE CARE On average, one American dies from a stroke every four minutes. While anybody can have a stroke, the risk of having a first stroke is nearly twice as high for African-Americans, who are also more likely to die following a stroke. Immediate care from an expert can help prevent long-term disability or even death.

Calvin Durning

Detroit native supports the future of naval aviation

By Electa Berassa

thing new.”

Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class, Navy Office of Community Outreach

NTWL includes approximately 3,800 personnel, including 400 military, 800 civilian, 2,500 contractors and 65 students at any given time. Working together to accomplish the command’s test and evaluation mission, they do everything from maintaining aircraft airframes, electronic systems and engines, to handling administrative requirements, developing test plans, reporting test results, handling weapons and flying the aircraft.

A 1995 Davis High School graduate and Detroit native is serving with Naval Test Wing Atlantic (NTWL) supporting the future of naval aviation aboard Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.

Prior naval aviation ordnanceman Calvin Durning is an aircraft mechanic with NTWL, responsible for maintaining and repairing ordnance equipment.

“I really enjoy having the opportunity to travel to different detachments,” said Durning. “It is great that I don't have to work in the same place.”

NTWL is responsible for safe and efficient execution of developmental ground and flight testing across all naval aviation platforms and systems.

It consists of five component commands, air test and evaluation squadrons, VX-20, HX-21 and VX-23, the Unmanned Aerial Systems Test Directorate and U.S. Naval Test Pilot School.

Durning works directly for HX-21, which is responsible for testing and evaluating the Navy’s newest and most advanced aircraft systems.

“I like working on more than one aircraft,” said Durning. “It is always some-

"The men and women of Naval Test Wing Atlantic do great work every day to keep naval aviation at the cutting edge," said Capt. Brett Pierson, NTWL commander. "Whether they're flying or maintaining our aircraft, developing or executing test plans, or taking care of all the support we need in order to do what we do so well, our team takes pride in ensuring systems are ready for the fleet.

I'm very proud of our people for what they do to defend our nation."

Working at HX-21, Durning is taking what he learned from serving in the Navy and applying it to his role at the command.

FORD ACUTE STROKE TREATMENT (FAST) TEAM When treating stroke, no factor is more critical than time. With our FAST team, you’ll find stroke experts in the Henry Ford Hospital emergency room, qualified to connect you to all of the latest stroke treatments. The goal of the FAST team is to assess, triage and make a stroke treatment decision in less than 60 minutes of a patient’s arrival to the emergency room. We offer access to advanced options not available at many other hospitals.

WARNING SIGNS OF STROKE If you think you’re having a stroke, think FAST: • Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

• Arm: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

• Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Does the speech sound slurred or strange?

• Time: If you observe any of these signs, it’s time to call for help. Studies show stroke patients who arrive at the hospital by ambulance receive quicker treatment than those who arrive on their own.

IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS EXPERIENCING ANY OF THESE SIGNS, CALL 9-1-1 AND ASK TO GO TO HENRY FORD HOSPITAL. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT HENRYFORD.COM/STROKE.

“I was in the Navy for 14 years,” said Durning. “In that time, I learned a lot about discipline and have been able to use all those skills here.”

Henry Ford Hospital

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Page B-6 • THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE • May 25-31, 2016

A CHOICE OF SCHOOLS HAS THE POWER TO SHAPE OUR FUTURE

Sharon Hopkins, Debate Team Coach

Tiera Colvin & Tamara Morrison, National Debate Champions

MEET HISTORY-MAKERS TIERA COLVIN AND TAMARA MORRISON from University Prep High School in Detroit. They are the first-ever African American women’s team to win the Urban Debate National Championship Tournament, placing first in a field of 39 teams from across the nation. Tiera and Tamara’s choice of U Prep has given them the courage to pursue a future full of possibilities as they head to college.

Known as one of the longest-standing tuition free and non-profit public charter school systems in Detroit, University Prep Schools serve students from all corners of the city and beyond with the 90/90 Promise, which guarantees that 90 percent or more graduate and 90 percent or more are accepted to college.

Congratulations, Tiera and Tamara, Coach Sharon Hopkins and the U Prep Debate Team. YOU PROVE THAT CHOICE IN SCHOOLS HAS THE POWER TO SHAPE A FUTURE.

THOMPSON EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION SCHOOLS | UPrepSchools.com

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This ad was made possible by the THOMPSON EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

5/19/16 3:05 PM

SECTION C

BUSINESS Powered by Real Times Media

May 25-31, 2016

michiganchronicle.com

Detroit Startup Week™ announces marquee speakers Detroit Startup Week, powered by Chase, will feature over 100 events with 2,500+ participants expected over five days.

Marquee speakers include: Bill Ford, executive chairman, Ford Motor Company Jennifer Piepszak, CEO of Chase Business Danielle Weisberg & Carly Zakin, co-founders, theSkimm Tami Door, president and CEO, Downtown Denver Partnership and co-founder of Denver Startup Week™ Mike Duggan, mayor, city of Detroit Jason Mendelson, co-founder, Foundry Group Pamela Lewis, director, New Economy Initiative Eugene Richards & Patricia Lay-Dorsey, artists, Facing Change: Documenting Detroit Devita Davison, co-director, FoodLab April Boyle, director, Build Institute Garlin Gilchrist II, deputy technology director for civic community engagement, city of Detroit Detroit’s inaugural Startup Week™ will be the largest firstyear event in the global brand’s six-year history.

“Our city is unlike any other, with both ingenuity and a welcoming spirit, brilliance and grit, and opportunities abound. Detroit Startup Week™ is designed to glue together those opportunities, celebrate what’s already working, and lay the groundwork for what’s to come,” said Kyle Bazzy, lead organizer.

Dennis Archer Jr.,

sees opportunity in challenge

By Roz Edward

of,” he says flashing his signature smile.

Managing Editor

Archer spoke with the Michigan Chroncie in the days prior to the Mackinac Policy Conference about his perspectives on business challenges and opportunities.

D Detroit Startup Week™ celebrates and supports entrepreneurship in Detroit and beyond. All activities are free and startups, entrepreneurs, and enthusiasts are all welcome to attend to amp up their business skills, networks, and knowledge of opportunities in Detroit and the region. Ten learning tracks will be offered to entrepreneurs at all levels: technology, entrepreneurship 101, mobility, music, food-preneurship, art+design, civic innovation, neighborhood collaboration, social entrepreneurship and the Internet of things (IoT).

“Entrepreneurs are playing an invaluable role in Detroit’s comeback,” said Jennifer Piepszak, CEO of Chase Business Banking, whose firm has committed $100 million over five years to Detroit’s economic recovery. “Detroit Startup Week™ is a great opportunity to recognize small businesses’ importance to the city’s recovery and to ensure they gain access to the necessary resources to support and grow.”

“More than a century ago, Ford Motor Company was a startup business that applied innovative thinking and collaboration to get where it is today,” said Bill Ford, executive chairman, Ford Motor Company. “We are proud to support the next generation of entrepreneurs at Detroit Startup Week who embody that same spirit.”

Sessions aligned with the ten tracks, including fireside chats and panels, networking opportunities, happy hours and even free headshots for entrepreneurs will round out the week. Events will take place all over the city at venues that include Civilla, Grand Circus, Techtown, Bamboo Detroit and more. Event headquarters are at the Masonic Temple, known for the week as #ChaseBasecamp.

To learn more or to register for Detroit Startup Week, visit http://detroit.startupweek. com.

ennis Archer Jr., founding principal and president of Archer Corporate Services and CEO of Ignition Media Group, is celebrated in business circles around Detroit and the metropolitan region for his ability to connect small businesses and large corporations in a manner few can. Archer credits his strong business relationships and his talent for identifying promising business opportunities for making him a household name in local markets. “I guess I would consider myself an opportunistic entrepreneur, and I have been very good at growing and maintaining relationships. I learned from my father there is no one you can meet who is insignificant,” says the 2016 Mackinac Policy Conference chair.

Archer says he is enjoying his role as conference chair more than most, since the serial entrepreneur has a solid track record in marketing, with event production and brand development being the linchpins of his own business success.

“One of the fun things for me is that I have been able to participate a little bit deeper than some have in the past on the logistics and conference events,” says Archer, adding that he has been able to leverage his business relationships to attract industry heavy hitters like “Shark Tank’s” Daymond John, Intel Corporation’s Brian David Johnson and broadcast journalist Soledad O’Brien.

“Even some of the things that have not been announced, I was able to be a part

On economic challenges for minority owned businesses …

I am fortunate enough to be vice chairman of the Detroit Regional Chamber, but I also sit on the board of the Michigan Black Chamber of Commerce. I think high atop the list is access to capital. If you asked 100 business owners, 100 business owners would make [access to capital] the number one priority. I think access to opportunity is the next priority. We’re in the top four or five markets in terms of the number of African American owned businesses. As a single market — even maybe more than New York — out of the Black Enterprise 100, we have the most top 100 African American businesses in our area, with 25 being located in and around Detroit. … Our challenge or opportunity is to take the mom and pop shops and give them the whewithal to become a larger business.

On being an entrepreneur …

One of the beautiful things is that I had the good fortune of always working for African American entrepreneurs, and then working for myself. So I started Archer Corporate Services with my partner Mike Carr in 2004, and we were headquartered in Belleville and have been since then. That’s a marketing services firm so we do warehousing and

distribution of marketing collateral. Our client base is the Fortune 100, including General Motors, Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble and Michelin. We employ 20 people at the Belleville headquarters, with a few people in Minnesota, we’ve got on-site people in Florida, and a couple of people who work for us on-site at General Motors downtown.

On new businesses …

Ignition Media Group is a business I have had technically since 1996 in different iterations. However, it’s most recent matured status probably occurred over the past five or six years where we have become a full service marketing and PR firm. It kind of evolved out of me doing events and then doing experiential marketing and representing clients who were looking to promote with the press and out of that came public relations.

So we do traditional marketing and PR, branding. We have a strategic matchmaking practice which makes us unique where we help align our clients with the individuals and organizations they need to meet with to move their agenda forward.

Central Kitchen and Bar opened in August and it’s been going very well.

We’ve received phenomenal critical acclaim from the food critic community and we’re doing well financially for ourselves and our investors. We’re looking to do more in the greater downtown area.

On his political future …

I’m very supportive of people desirous of holding office, but I have zero political aspirations.

Detroiters and in-demand jobs, what local leaders, organizations are doing to connect the two

By Donald James

in-demand jobs. Case in point: According to a quarterly report published recently by Southeast Michigan-based Workforce Intelligence Network (WIN), three-fourths of the most in-demand jobs in Detroit require at least a bachelor’s degree for entry-level openings. The quarterly report also states that census data estimate that just 12.7 percent of Detroit residents over 25 have a bachelor’s degree. Therefore, employers have a difficult time attempting to fill many in-demand positions with Detroiters.

Special to the Chronicle

The city of Detroit is experiencing a tremendous renaissance — again. This resurgence is punctuated by an abundance of construction and redevelopment projects, as well as businesses moving into the Motor City — especially downtown and m Midtown — giving this entire town hope for an economic recovery and vibrancy not seen in decades.

Yet, amid such revitalization, for many residents of Detroit, the big question is, where are the in-demand jobs for Detroit­ ers?

“When we look at the market here, there’s a misnomer that there aren’t any jobs. That’s not necessarily the case,” said Jose Reyes, interim president and CEO of Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation (DESC), the city’s workforce agency that provides demand-driven services

Jose Reyes to employers and job seekers.

“When we start looking at what jobs are here, we see jobs in IT, health care, and advanced manufacturing However, they generally require a higher skillset for entry.”

In other words, there a lot of jobs available for troiters, just not enough troiters trained to qualify

are DeDefor

Additionally, WIN’s quarterly report listed the top 20 in-demand jobs in Detroit, which include registered nurses, software developers (applications), sales representatives (wholesale and manufacturing except), heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, computer systems analysts, customer service representatives, sales managers, business intelligence analysts, management

analysts, managers (all other), medical and health services managers, human resources specialists, computer systems engineers/architects, sales representatives (wholesale and manufacturing technical), maintenance and repair workers (general), retail salespersons, nursing assistants, secretaries and administrative assistants (except legal and medical), accountants, and general operations managers.

“This is where we at DESC are trying to lead the way,” Reyes said. “We are working with employers to figure out how to expedite pipelines and create pathways to get folks to jobs.”

According to Reyes, one area where DESC is seeing progress is Information Technology (IT).

He points to the creation of Experience IT, a training program that transitions students from the classroom to the workSee JOB CONNECTION Page C-2

business

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

May 25-31, 2016

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Job connection From page C-1 place through real-world IT experiences, mentorships and training. The brainchild of Quicken Loans, GalaxE.Solutions, Title Source, Fathead and other Detroit-based companies, Experience IT is hopefully a blueprint for other industries in Detroit to follow.

DESC is also a conduit that assists Detroiters in need of other technical skills through its Detroit Registered Apprentice Program (D-RAP).

The program promotes training and career employment based on the U.S. Department of Labor’s apprenticeship occupations that meet current and emerging industry needs. Popular apprenticeship and training programs for Detroiters include, but are not limited to, carpentry, construction, electrical systems, culinary, landscaping, pharmacy technician careers, operating engineers and others.

Quicken Loans Sports Zone back in action

By AJ Williams Detroit athletes of all ages and abilities are once again gearing up to join in the fun at the free Quicken Loans Sports Zone this summer. Featuring four outdoor basketball courts and a sand volleyball area in Cadillac Square at Campus Martius Park in downtown Detroit, the Quicken Loans Sports Zone will be open to the public daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. through August 29.

Local artist Jesse Kassel has created the designs on this year’s basketball courts and painted them along with a young local artist from The Alley Project (TAP), a mentor program in Southwest Detroit that provides youth and community development through art. Kassel’s personal work is influenced by mid-to late-20th century animation and design, with bold and colorful designs, often incorporating text as a design element. His art has been exhibited in galleries locally and internationally.

Downtown employees, residents and visitors from across the city and region are invited to play a pick-up volleyball or basketball game, join a Monday night volleyball league organized by Come Play Detroit starting in June by registering at www.comeplaydetroit.com or participate in one of the three organized basketball events below.

Summer ’16 Series Challenges Those looking for a little competition can lace ’em up tight for nightly events including 3-on-3

Challenges, 3-Point Shooting Challenges, King of the Court, H-O-R-S-E and Sevens. Organized challenges run Monday through Friday. Players should arrive at the Quicken Loans Sports Zone by 6 p.m. to join.

Lunchtime Lightning In this recess-style classic shooting game, participants are arranged one behind the other, with the goal of the second player making a basket before the first player does. The last player standing wins.

Visit the Sports Zone on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1 p.m. to play.

Fundamental Camps On Saturdays, the Sports Zone hosts Fundamental Camps for kids ages 8-13. Instructors focus on basic skills and drills for kids to learn and improve their game. Fundamental Camps begin the first week of June. Visit www.detroitsportszone.org to learn more and to register.

The Quicken Loans Sports Zone will also accommodate youth camps and organized groups by reservation. Visit www.detroitsportszone.org to register.

At least one basketball court will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. for pick-up games on a firstcome, first-served basis. Basketballs and volleyballs are available for checkout at the games kiosk on the east end of Cadillac Square. Everyone is welcome to participate in these organized basketball activities.

“We are a workforce intermediate. We don’t provide any direct training,” Reyes said about DESC, a Michigan Works! Agency.

“The individuals who come through us, we work with to build some skills, but as it relates to the technical training, our partners are all relevant training providers that provide high quality, high growth, high demand skilled training opportunities.”

DESC reports to the Detroit Workforce Development Board, which was created by Mayor Duggan.

Formed last year, the board is comprised of almost 40 members/stakeholders who represent various area sectors.

The board’s goal is to set city policies and direction for job development for Detroiters. “We have a dynamic board with a lot of energy, dedicated to directing that energy toward this effort,” said workforce development director Jeff Donofrio, who also wants to find better ways for the 300-plus

metro Detroit workforce providers to work together.

“We need to find clear pathways to jobs.”

Another city leader who has made great strides in helping Detroiters prepare for skilled trades jobs and careers is Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones. She chairs Detroit’s Skilled Trades Task Force.

“Its objectives are to align tradespeople with developers and projects, promote apprenticeship opportunities for youth, grow the ranks for women to participate in the trades, and address work-related issues tradespeople encounter,” said Jones in a written statement.

The task force, which helps remove skilled trades barriers which in many instances have been in place for decades, meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month.

The agenda includes hearing from invited developers, reviews of projects, description of apprenticeship opportunities, and a question and answer session. Jones’ ultimate goal: strengthen Detroiters’ chances for employment.

“With double digit unemployment in our city, we must use all means to get our people working,” said Jones, a former union president. “The Skilled Trades Task Force is a solid step in the right direction to accomplish that.”

For more information about services and opportunities provided by Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation, call one of its One-Stop Service Centers at 313.962.WORK. To learn more about Detroit’s Skilled Trades Task Force, chaired by City Council President Brenda Jones, call 313.224.1245 or 313.628.2993. For Detroit job seekers searching for information about career opportunities and linkage to jobs, training, and credentialing, call Workforce Intelligence Network of Southeast Michigan (WIN) at 313.744.2946.

business

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

May 25-31, 2016

Page C-3

RENEE WALKER & ASSOCIATES: Transforming brands, engineering success

By Donald James Special to the Chronicle

Since its inception four years ago, RENEE WALKER & ASSOICATES has positively changed the communication and branding landscape as it relates to helping organizations grow in all facets of business.

Under the leadership of Renee Walker, founder and president, RW&A has mastered a proven fourstep strategic process that has been effective in rendering tailored solutions to maximize overall performances of clients.

The four steps perfected by Walker and her company are identification and discovery, strategy formation, implementation and endorsement, and evaluation and metrics.

As a full-service strategy and communication entity, RW&A’s core services include branding, traditional marketing, digital marketing, business strategy and client acquisition. Services also include creating and producing broadcast-ready TV commercials.

The company’s portfolio includes business and trade associations, energy, healthcare, higher education, nonprofit, professional services and retail industries.

While the company recently celebrated its fourth anniversary, Walk-

er knows what’s been accomplished in more than a one-person show.

Enterprise, Walker, either independently or in conjunction with RW&A, is ready to help others succeed as business owners, especially women of color. Her efforts to empower others in the community and in business endeavors caught the attention of the Michigan Chronicle, which included her as one of its 2014 Women of Excellence honorees.

“I’m very proud of my incredibly creative and talented team of strategists that helps support our clients,” said Walker, who uses a distributed workforce model, delivering a team that is uniquely skilled to meet the specific requirements of each client engagement.

“We’ve been very successful at helping companies accelerate their growth.”

Walker is also proud that RW&A was selected to Cohort Six of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program.

The prestigious 16-week program, which spanned November 2015 to March 2016, taught RW&A and other selected small business across the United States valuable business lessons, while providing vast resources necessary to grow and create jobs.

Renee Walker

“It was phenomenal,” Walker said.

“The program afforded us an opportunity to not only recognize the power of having a network of similar-minded entrepreneurs, it really helped us focus on being better at managing the business.

The program gave us an opportunity to develop a growth plan that we are currently implementing.”

platform created and designed for growth-minded small businesses owners and serious entrepreneurs. The new venture currently features two RW&A produced podcasts, “Everything You Need to Know About Successful Branding” and “Unlocking Competitive Advantages for Faster Growth.” Blogs and interviews on growing and branding businesses will soon be unveiled as other components of “Ensightium.”

RW&A recently launched “Ensightium” which Walker describes as a new multi-channel

Walker is living a dream she’s had long before graduating from Cass Technical High School.

“I knew very early in my life that I wanted to be an entrepreneur,” she said.

Her dream of ownership would be three-decades in the making.

However, perseverance was, and still is, one of Walker’s many attributes.

On her long journey to entrepreneurship, she held such positions as chief communications officer and associate vice president of university communications at Central Michigan University, manager of corporate public relations for Kelly Services, and executive assistant to former De-

troit Mayor Dennis W. Archer. While serving under Archer, Walker planned high-profile conferences and oversaw visits from national and international officials and other dignitaries. She also created the city’s first protocol office.

While working in various positions, Walker earned a bachelor’s degree in organization administration from Central Michigan, and an MBA in marketing from Davenport University.

As a MMBDC-Certified Minority Business Enterprise and WBENC-Certified Women’s Business

While busy, Walker has found time to author her first book, “Brand Power for Small Business Entrepreneurs.” It explains the importance of strong branding which can separate and elevate a company from respective competitors. Additionally, Walker is accredited in public relations (APR by the Public Relations Society of America.

Walker’s advice to others who may be thinking about becoming entrepreneurs is, “Be purposeful, strategic, and believe in yourself. and remember, your brand is everything, it can make or break you.

Make sure that people are clear on what you are doing in business. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and don’t be afraid to go out there and live your dream as an entrepreneur.”

For more information about RENEE WALKER & Associates, call 248.671.3872, or log on to www.reneetwalker. com.

Temeria Heard to receive Jackie Robinson Most Valuable Diverse Business Partner Award President of Corporate52 Marketing Group honored by Detroit Tigers

Temeria Heard

The Detroit Tigers have selected Temeria Heard and her company, Corporate52 Marketing Group, a full service marketing and specialty advertising company, as the recipient of the 10th annual Jackie Robinson Most Valuable Diverse Business

Partner Award. Heard is the first African American woman in Detroit to receive this award.

The MVDBP award recognizes diverse business partners that reflect the character and commitment to excellence of Jackie Robinson. The Detroit Tigers have partnered with Corporate52 Marketing Group since 2015.

B:10” with this “To be presented distinct and prestigious award T:10” is an honor and itS:10” creates a new

passion within me to continue to break through barriers that I thought were impossible in highly competitive organizations, such as the Detroit Tigers,” said Heard.

Corporate52 Marketing Group provides a wide range of innovative promotional items to its clients to increase their corporate brand visibility. Their offices are based in Royal Oak. Heard, a resident of Troy, obtained a master’s degree in Inter-

national Business from Central Michigan University.

The Diverse Business Partners program is the leading, economically-driven business initiative designed to cultivate new and existing partnerships with minority-owned and female-owned businesses by increasing opportunities for them to participate in the procurement activities of MLB. MLB has spent more than $1 billion with diverse businesses since the program was created.

WE MAKE THE WORLD SMALLER SO YOUR BUSINESS CAN GROW. Sign up and benefit from Pure Michigan Business Connect’s (PMBC’s) new global initiative.

Worked with more than 200 global purchasers

Facilitated nearly $3 billion in contracts

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Through its global initiative and new roster of purchasers, PMBC is opening more doors to local businesses that make Michigan the Great Make State.

To benefit from this initiative, visit Michiganbusiness.org/PMBC to sign up for our B2B registry and create a profile for your business.

Learn more at Michiganbusiness.org/PMBC

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Set up 6,500 unique supplier-purchaser meetings

business

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

May 25-31, 2016

Page C-4

McDonald’s leads expansion of Project Green Light More neighborhood businesses join program Michigan Chronicle Reports

signage warning of police monitoring real-time video surveillance.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Detroit Police Chief James Craig announced recently that McDonald’s restaurants in Detroit are leading the expansion of Project Green Light, a security initiative to improve safety at neighborhood businesses.

“We are thrilled to have McDonald’s and other businesses embrace Project Green Light,” said Chief Craig. “This is a great example of partnership between the city, local businesses and the community that is making a real difference in our neighborhoods.”

Within the coming weeks, 11 ­ cDonald’s restaurants in the city will M be online, with four locations already being monitored at the Detroit Police Real Time Crime Center at Detroit Public Safety Headquarters.

“Project Green Light is in perfect alignment with McDonald’s philosophy of providing a safe and welcoming environment for our customers,” Marcos Quesada, vice president and general manager of the Michigan region of McDonald’s, said. “As a company, McDonald’s is excited about the possibilities this real-time community policing effort will afford Detroit. Not only does it promote safety, it also promotes the growth and revitalization of local businesses.

We encourage all of our owner-operators, and local business owners, across the city to learn about Green Light and how it benefits our community.”

Members of the Detroit Black McDonald’s Operators Association were the first McDonald’s owners to join Project Green Light. “Our members have served Detroit for decades. We’re committed to taking care of our customers, employees and our city,” Savarior Service, president of the Detroit Black McDonald’s Operators Association, said. “We are setting a goal for all of our members to be online with Project Green Light by the end of this year.”

Participation in the program has more than tripled since it began in January with eight gas stations. Businesses joining the program have expanded beyond gas stations to include restaurants, party stores and other establishments.

Project Green Light now has 26 businesses online that have installed enhanced lighting and high-resolution video cameras that feed directly into a real time crime center at Detroit Public Safety Headquarters. The McDonalds location on Grand River near Lahser Road is the first of a number of restaurants and stores to sign up for the program, Chronicle ad.5.20.16.pdf includingMCM_Michigan Mike’s Fresh Market, Starter’s Bar & Grill and the Turkey Grill.

McDonald’s owners like Jon Campbell say the investment in Project Green Light is already paying off.

“We’ve always had a strong relation-

Mayor Duggan and Chief Craig launched Project Green Light in January, pointing to statistics that showed 25% of Detroit’s violent crime that occurred after 10:00 p.m. happened within 500 feet of gas stations.

“The only way to fight the violence in this city is to employ true crime fighting strategies and initiatives like Project Green Light,” Duggan said.

“I absolutely believe Project Green Light is making criminals think twice before committing a crime at a gas station. Soon, they’ll think twice about doing it at a McDonald’s or any other Green Light business. We are going to continue to move this program across the city and create an expectation of safety.”

Craig says carjackings are down by more than 20 percent across Detroit and pointed to recent examples of how Project Green Light has been able to deter crime and quickly apprehend suspects.

• Last week, officers, acting on a 911 call and real time video surveillance at the RTCC, were able to identify an armed suspect at a Green Light gas station at Seven Mile and Hoover and arrest him. They also were able to recover the weapon he ditched as Crime Center staff observed him hide the gun as they monitored his activities.

ship with our neighborhood police officers and that's made a difference. The safety and security of my customers and employees is a top priority, as is providing a welcoming environment,” said Campbell. “I can speak firsthand to the benefits of this new program. Project Green Light has created an increased sense of comfort with all of my customers” Business owners can learn more about Project Green Light by visiting www.greenlightdetroit.org.

Want to Help Veterans?

Veteran-owned businesses (VOBs) hire more veterans. Using Veteran-owned businesses enhances corporate diversity goals, and demonstrates support of the contributions military members have made on behalf of our country.

NVBDC provides corporations with a robust database to find Service Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses (SDVOBs and VOBs) by industries, locations, skills and various codes. Participation in a nationwide information and referral network helps to meet Federal Government veteran business subcontracting requirements, and to market to an increasingly loyal consumer group.

By helping veteran businesses grow, we’re helping our veterans, their families and the community.

• Earlier this year, a Project Green Light case caught national attention when officers were able to use crystal-clear video to identify and apprehend a female suspect who had shot at two victims at one of the original eight participating gas stations.

• The cameras also can serve as a deterrent, such as when two individuals in a dispute calmly left the scene shortly 1 5/20/16 12:06 PM after noticing the Project Green Light

Visit nvbdc.org for more information about becoming certified and partnership opportunities.

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Sovereign AEC $34,000 grant winner

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Page C-6 • THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE • May 25-31, 2016

“ HOW DOES A STRONGER GRID STRENGTHEN MICHIGAN BUSINESS?”

DTE Energy is upgrading its entire energy grid to make it stronger and more reliable, and that’s good news for business. In fact, in 450 areas we’ve already upgraded, customers have had 50% fewer outages. Plus, the new technology we’re installing allows us to isolate trouble and limit the number of customers affected. This is just one way DTE is committed to helping Michigan businesses.

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May 25-31, 2016

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Reflections

By Steve Holsey

Fifty ‘Kool’ years When Kool & the Gang formed in Jersey City, New Jersey they obviously planned to be together for the long haul because, amazingly, it has been 50 years, personnel changes notwithstanding.

To celebrate the milestone, the group has embarked on a “Keeping the Funk Alive” summer tour also featuring Morris Day & the Time, Bootsy’s Rubber Band, Doug E. Fresh and Big Daddy Kane. However, the tour title is a bit of a misnomer since many of the group’s hits were not “funk.”

Photos by Marvin Shaouni for Model D.

Four key members of Kool & the Gang, including Robert “Kool” Bell (second from right).

When a band has had as many hits as Kool & the Gang, it’s not easy determining which songs to perform in concert.

Consider: “Celebration,” “Ladies Night,” “Get Down on It,” “Spirit of the Boogie,” “Cherish,” “Hollywood Swinging,” “Summer Madness,” “Take My Heart (You Can Have it if You Want It),” “Too Hot,” “Jungle Boogie,” “Let’s Go Dancin’ (Ooh La La La)” and “Fresh”…and that’s just 12 of their hits.

SOME PEOPLE are sensitive about their age, but Maxwell is not one of them. He is proud to have turned 43 on May 23. In fact, he says he “owns it.” He has never been into the glitz and glamor part of the business and says he has “seen the Maxwell pitfalls” of getting caught up in all of the superficial things.

“The music is more important,” he noted, which helps explain that seven-year hiatus from the celebrity world he took a while back.

As for his new look and somewhat new outlook, Maxwell (real name: Gerald Maxwell Rivera) said, “You get older and grow, and you should change. If you’re frozen in a time capsule, that’s something you should be worried about.”

Maxwell has plenty of entertainment world company as far as turning 43 in 2016 is concerned, including Pharrell Williams, Faith Evans, Carson Daly, Tyra Banks, Boris Kodjoe and Michael Ealy.

Trai Byers Grace Gealey

NOW THAT “Empire” is on hiatus until season three begins in the fall, the cast members can focus on other things, such as Jussie Smollett (Jamal Lyon) and and his debut album.

Trai Byers (Andre Lyon) and Grace Gealey (Anika Calhoun) will have more time to focus on their marriage.

They were married on April 14 of this year.

Song legend Dionne Warwick is shopping around a biopic with original Destiny’s Child member LaToya Luckett in the lead role.

(Doesn’t sound like a good casting choice.) Filming is expected to begin later this year.

Dionne Warwick Few understood Warwick’s friendship with O.J. Simpson when he is believed to be a coldblooded murderer by most people. Maybe the movie will touch on that. They even went out for a meal very publicly right after his acquittal.

THE GRAMMY-winning Robert Glasper has produced an album titled “Everything’s Beautiful” that “reworks” some of the iconic Miles Davis’ work to create something “en-

See Reflections Page D-2

the missing link in Detroit’s recovery

By Keith A. Owens Senior Editor

I

first wrote this article for the Dec. 3, 2013 edition of Model D, a Detroit online publication, in an attempt to draw more attention to the lack of attention that is being paid to Detroit’s remarkable music culture and history as a viable marketing and promotional tool for tourism and perhaps even investment.

Three years later, the situation has not gotten any better, so please allow me to repeat myself because I believe in the power of Detroit music. And if I don’t get any response this time? Oh yes, I shall return. Of that you can be sure.

Detroit is not an easy town for musicians, but then, Detroit is not an easy town for anyone. If you want the Big Easy, head south. Here in the Motor City, we take an almost perverse pride in doing things the hard way, or whatever way that means we can be left alone to do our thing however we want.

From Motown

In Detroit, we don’t always play well with others, and sometimes we pay a steep price for that. But when it comes to the music, the results would indicate that this sort of middle finger independence has worked to our advantage.

to techno, from jazz to blues, from rap to rock, from hip-hop to R&B, Detroit has proven to be the international gold standard when it comes to musical creativity.

FROM MOTOWN to techno, from jazz to blues, from rap to rock, from hip-hop to R&B, Detroit has proven to be the international gold standard when it comes to musical creativity. If you don’t believe me, try to name any other city anywhere with such a deep bench of musical heavyhitters across so many genres who either were born here or began their careers here. Don’t wanna brag but…well…I kinda do. It’s not overselling when it’s the truth.

And yet, despite the apparent fact that our cast iron cup runneth over with talent, even as the city’s fortunes as a whole continue to decline at an exponentially accelerated rate, Detroit’s musical community hasn’t really been taken seriously at the local level — or at least not as seriously as it should be — since the days of Motown.

Or, if you want to reach back even further, to the days of Paradise Valley when Detroit actually had a musical district that provided gigs for some of the world’s best musicians seven days a week virtually round the clock. If live music was what you craved — and Detroit has always been a city in love with notes — then Paradise Valley was where you went to satisfy that craving.

AS FOR Motown, it wasn’t just the quality of the music that made Hitsville U.S.A. stand out so prominently, it was the jobs that the music provided. Granted, there were some grumbles about how much — or little — those salaries actually were what came with some of those jobs, but the fact remains that Motown was a local business that put people to work while providing high quality entertainment on a regular basis for Detroiters who were only too happy to spend a portion of their (very) hard-earned money to see a show.

Today, the music is still here, but the venues available to perform that music to an appreciative audience have shrunk dramatically. There is no music district anymore comparable to Paradise Valley where music lovers can stroll in and out of clubs checking out the scene like they still do today in Memphis on Beale

See Music Page D-2

entertainment

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

May 25-31, 2016 Page D-2

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PICKS 109 439 075 124 606 WEEK’S BEST LOTTERY

748 183 330 671 497 526 915 2019 7129 188 18 10 35 46 49 27 Flo’s family

A Supreme and a Vandella

The Supremes were founded by Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson (second from right) and Diana Ross. Pictured with Wilson are (from left) Florence Ballard Jr., granddaughter; Nicole Ballard, daughter; and Michelle Ballard, daughter. Joining them is Madison Ballard, great-granddaughter. Wilson performed with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. — Barbara Orto photos

When Mary Wilson, original Supreme, was in town recently to sing with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, she reunited with Motown pal ­Annette Beard Helton of Martha & the ­Vandellas.

Rap pioneer

Comic Con attraction

Symposium in Detroit

Special tribute

Michael Strahan, former NBA star, currently on “Good Morning America” and formerly of “Live With Kelly and Michael,” was a guest speaker at Fuel: Detroit, a one-day leadership and business networking symposium at the Sound Board at MotorCity Casino Hotel.

Martha Reeves participated in a ceremony honoring the late Al Abrams, Motown national promotions director, at the recent D ­ etroit Music Awards.

Street, or up and down Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

If you want to check out the music in Detroit, you need to know where to go and who to ask. But no matter who you ask, the fact remains that finding live music performed by local musicians in Detroit is a much harder task than it used to be, which means it is much harder for Detroit musicians to nail down gigs that pay more than enough to buy a hamburger on the way home.

For a city that has given — and continues to give — so much music to the world, you would think there might be a little more appreciation and a little more recognition that since this is something that we Detroiters tend to do better than just about anybody else, perhaps we should harness that ability and convert it into fuel to help run the

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Darryl McDaniels, better known as DMC of the legendary rap group Run-D.M.C., performed at the Detroit Music Awards ceremony at the Fillmore Detroit.

Actor Seth Gilliam, recognized as Sgt. Ellis Carver on HBO’s “The Wire” and numerous other programs, was among the participants in Motor City Comic Con 2016 that took place at the Suburban Collection Showplace.

Music

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From page D-1 sputtering engine of the city’s recovery.

Granted, there are organizations such as the Detroit Sound Conservancy that have taken it upon themselves to be a particularly active and aggressive cheerleader of the city’s music scene. By working to preserve and promote the city’s musical history for research and study as well as for simple enjoyment, the DSC is helping to reignite a pride of ownership for a city that has cast perhaps the longest musical shadow of any other city in the world.

BUT DESPITE all of our accomplishments, it still seems that we’re so accustomed to being surrounded by all this musical talent (because it’s been here for so long) that Detroiters just take it for granted, assuming that it will always be here and therefore not in any need of special attention

or consideration.

This could prove to be a serious mistake. Today it’s hard to count the number of top-flight musicians who have been forced to leave the city over the years and make a name for themselves — and some money — but let’s just agree that it’s a lot.

But wherever Detroit goes from here, if Detroit music isn’t helping to steer the wheel then we’re bound to wind up lost.

From page D-1

tirely new.”

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I am among those who find it disturbing when this kind of tampering takes place.

Who’s to say if the late artists would have approved? Most likely they would not, and that includes Miles Davis, Michael Jackson and Nina Simone who have all been exploited in this way.

BETCHA DIDN’T KNOW...that the classic hit “Do You Love Me?” by the Contours was written by Berry Gordy.

If there was ever a “King of Smiles” competition, Drake would win hands down.

Arsenio Hall, whose return to late night TV didn’t work out, has a summer series coming up called “Greatest Hits,” featuring current and past recording stars performing hits from the ’80s, ’90s and 2000s. You've probably seen the

WWW.MICHIGANCHRONICLE.COM

If just a fraction of those who have left for greener pastures were still actively employed here in the city, sharing their talents and having those talents utilized as teachers, performers, producers and composers, among other things, just imagine what a difference this could make as we all struggle to define where Detroit goes from here.

Reflections

Tavares had plenty of major hits from 1973 to Miles Davis 1983, including “It Only Takes a Minute,” “Heaven Must be Missing an Angel” and “She’s Gone.” For their new release, “Heaven 24/7,” original members Feliciano (Butch), Arthur (Pooch) and third brother, Victor, are calling themselves “Tavares Now.” Interestingly, Feliciano Tavares was once married to Lola Falana.

DIGITAL DAILY

MEMORIES: “No More Tears” (Anita Baker), “Stick-Up” (the Honey Cone), “Come Get to This” (Marvin Gaye), “Belle” (Al Green), “Gonna Get Over You” (Sweet Obsession), “Hit the Road Jack” (Ray Charles), “I Can’t Stand Myself (When You Touch Me)” (James Brown), “Tonight I Celebrate My Love” (Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack), “It’s Raining Men” (the Weather Girls), “To be Loved” (Jackie Wilson).

BLESSINGS to Ronnie McNeir, Sam Kemp, Kelvyn Ventour, Carol Ventour, Mike Jemison, Trina Naylor, Maxine Stevenson, Thelma Myles, Adrian Stevenson, Carl B. Jones and Ciel Stevenson.

At Your Finger Tips!

WORDS OF THE WEEK, from Whoopi Goldberg: “Normal is in the eye of the beholder.”

Let the music play!

Steve Holsey can be reached at svh517@aol.com.

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THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

May 25-31, 2016

Page D-3

Hottest Prince tribute show makes its way to Detroit

‘Hockey - The Musical!’ at the City Theatre Led by the writing, producing and directing duo of brothers Mitch and Peter Albom, “Hockey - The Musical!” began a five-week run at Detroit’s City Theatre on May 19. This 90-minute comedy is filled with “high-sticking” antics and a lively score sure to keep audience members laughing.

“We keep saying it is like ‘Spamalot’ with hockey sticks,” said playwright and producer Mitch Albom. “Hockey on its own is incredibly funny.”

The storyline centers on God’s decision to eliminate one sport and an angel’s impulsive decision to make it hockey.

When an avid fan named Stanley pleads with God to save hockey, the Lord gives him a chance to make his case by picking “five worthy hockey souls.”

But when the angel spells the names incorrectly, Stanley is left with an odd lot of characters like Duwayne Gratzkee, Dawn Cherry and others. Together, they must rally to save the sport from oblivion.

the City Theatre. In addition to several best-selling books which have sold more than 35 million copies including “Tuesdays with Morrie” and “The Five People You Meet in Heaven,” the award-winning Detroit Free Press columnist has written five plays and produced two, but this is his first musical.

On Monday, June 13, one week after what would have been music maverick Prince’s 58th birthday, the Detroit Opera House will bring to the stage the Vegas sensation “Purple Rain: The Prince Tribute Show,” starring Jason Tenner.

He isn’t someone jumping on the bandwagon with the recent loss of the musical legendary rocker.

He has been performing his show to sold-out crowds for nearly 20 years.

After the tragic loss of the iconic Grammy and Academy Award-winning genius that was Prince Rogers Nelson, Jason show had to be moved into an even bigger hall and has attracted massive crowds, making his already successful show an event not to be missed.

Robin Leach, of “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” fame wrote, “Jason’s unyielding vitality and verve is pure dynamism.

“If Nevada’s energy ever

fails and the Strip neon blacks out, just plug Jason in as a power source.

He is electrifying and the height of cool in bantering with the audience and his stage mates.”

The performance is so highly anticipated that Quentin Perry, the wellknown promoter who promoted Prince’s phenomenal “Purple Rain” tour, which sold out around the world, will be in the building to witness Tenner and his glorious tribute.

The audience will be in an intimate setting, just like it was with the “One Night Alone” show in March 2002, when Prince took to the stage at the Detroit Opera House.

“Purple Rain: The Prince Tribute Show” is the only band that was endorsed by Prince, which performs many of his greatest hits including “When Doves Cry,” “1999” and “Kiss.”

Tickets available at ticketmaster.com and at the Detroit Opera House box office.

“Thankfully, my brother, Peter, is an accomplished dancer and choreographer so he made the transition to musical numbers on skates that much easier,” said Mitch.

Peter Albom’s credits include Broadway shows such as “Evita,” “Grease,” “West Side Story,” “Annie Get Your Gun” and various musical reviews throughout Europe. He danced with the Royal Ballet in the UK and the Alvin Ailey and Geoffrey ballets in New York.

“Hockey - The Musical!” is the new definition of a power play. Albom wrote the show’s book, original music and lyrics. In addition, nine musical numbers have been adapted for use in the show, including such instantly-recognizable hits as “It’s in His Kiss,” “Tubthumping,” and “Kung Fu Fighting.”

The nine-person cast has many acting veterans, eight from Michigan. Dual roles of Stanley/Terry are filled by Greg Trzaskoma of Warren and Guy/ Jagger roles by John DeLisa of Palm Harbor, Fla. Others Shane O’Connor of Riley, Kelsey Pohl of Farmington Hills, Taurean Hogan of Detroit, Allyson Smith of Sterling Heights, David Dennison of Grosse Pointe Park, Matt Copley of Marine City and Will Bryson of Highland Park.

Albom most recently wrote and produced the successful play “Ernie” which has run for six years at

Shows are Thursday through Sunday, with matinees on Saturdays and Sundays.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

Budget Hearing Notice George Washington Carver Academy will be holding its annual budget hearing on Monday, June 13, 2016 at 4:15 p.m. to review and comment on the Academy’s 2016/2017 school budget. The location will be 14510 Second Avenue, Highland Park, MI 48203. The budget is available for public inspection at 14510 Second Avenue, Highland Park, MI 48203.

The meeting will be conducted in accordance with the Open Meetings Act. COVENANT HOUSE ACADEMY DETROIT SOUTHWEST CAMPUS 1450 25th STREET, DETROIT, MI 48216 Phone: (313) 297-8720 Fax: (313) 297-8730 Applications for the 2016-2017 academic year will be available at the school for enrollment and re-enrollment from May 25 through June 08, 2016.

An Answering machine is available for messages.

Applications will be accepted for grades 9-12, serving students ages 16-22. Should applications exceed available space, a random selection drawing will be held on June 9, 2016 at the school.

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May 25-31, 2016

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

HELP WANTED

COVENANT HOUSE ACADEMY DETROIT EAST CAMPUS 7600 GOETHE, DETROIT, MI 48214 Phone: (313) 267-4315 Fax: (313) 267-4320

ATTENTION QUALIFIED CONTRACTORS

U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan - Administrative Assistant Vacancy Announcement at http://www.mied.uscourts.gov.

Applications for the 2016-2017 academic year will be available at the school for enrollment and re-enrollment from May 25 through June 08, 2016.

An Answering machine is available for messages.

Applications will be accepted for grades 9-12, serving students ages 16-22. Should applications exceed available space, a random selection drawing will be held on June 9, 2016 at the school.

COVENANT HOUSE ACADEMY DETROIT CENTRAL CAMPUS 2959 MLK JR. BLVD., DETROIT, MI 48208 Phone: (313) 899-6900 Fax: (313) 899-6910 Applications for the 2016-2017 academic year will be available at the school for enrollment and re-enrollment from May 25 through June 08, 2016.

An Answering machine is available for messages.

Applications will be accepted for grades 9-12, serving students ages 16-22. Should applications exceed available space, a random selection drawing will be held on June 9, 2016 at the school.

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W-3 Construction is seeking qualified contractors to submit a lump sum bid for Williams Recreation Center Renovations for the following bid packs: 1A General Trades; Roofing; Aluminum Windows; Heating Ventilation & Cooling and Electrical. A Mandatory PreBid Conference and Walk-through will be held at 10:00 A.M., Thursday May 26, at Williams Recreation Center 8431 Rosa Park Boulevard (main lobby) Detroit Michigan 48206. Bids will be due on June 15, 2016 at 2:00 P.M. Documents available at Engineering Reproduction, Inc. (313 366 3390) for additional information, contact Wendel Martin at W-3 Construction (313 875 8000 ext. 224) Contractors desiring to bid shall demonstrate and comply with the following; at least 5 years’ experience; bondable (bonds may be required); licensed as required by the State and/or local jurisdiction; City of Detroit Executive Order 2014; Federal Labor Standards Provisions (HUD 4010) ; Federal E.O. 11246; Section 3 Clause and Prevailing Wage.

City of Highland Park Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program PROPOSED STATEMENT NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING June 6th & June 20th, 2016 Notice is hereby given that the City of Highland Park, MI will hold a Public Hearing on Monday, June 6th and June 20th, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. at the Robert B. Blackwell Municipal Building, 2nd Floor, Council Chambers. The purpose of this Public Hearing will be to obtain views from the community on the proposed establishment of Code Enforcement as CDBG activity for the 2014 & 2016 program years. And the reallocation of portions of the City of Highland Park’s FY 2014 & FY 2016 CDBG Demolition funds to Code Enforcement.

The Primary objectives of the CDBG Program are to: 1. Benefit Lower and Moderate Income Areas 2. Prevent and eliminate blighted areas 3. Enhance Suitable Living Environments The FY 2014 & FY 2016 Demolition Funds are being considered for use in the following areas: FY Year 2014 2016

Activity Code Enforcement Code Enforcement

Amount $40,000 $40,000

HELP WANTED BIW Manufacturing Engineering (ME) Lead - PFMEA Processes NA Warren, MI, General Motors Company. Dvlp, write, improve &teach (Manufacturing Engineers/MEs how to use) body in white (BIW) process rules to improve BIW assy systems qlty in low to high volume vehicle assy plant environments through analysis &improvement of process failure prediction, process control prevention, process failure detection &risk reduction activities. Dvlp, write, &teach MEs to use standard failure modes templates (such as loading, welding, riveting, dispensing, &clinching processes) &to reduce templates to match BIW assy apps, to predict &reduce risk of qlty failures using Process Failure Mode &Effects Analysis (PFMEA) processes such as loading of parts, welding of joints, dispensing adhesives &sealers, &installing rivets. Support vehicle launches for BIW PFMEAs &BIW Built-In-Quality (BIQ) activities to improve qlty defect detection &prevention processes. Bachelor, Mechanical or Electrical Engineering. 12 mos exp as Engineer developing, writing, &teaching MEs to use standard failure modes templates (such as loading, welding, riveting, dispensing, &clinching processes) &to reduce templates to match specific BIW assy apps, to predict &reduce risk of qlty failures using PFMEA processes such as loading of parts, welding of joints, dispensing adhesives &sealers, &installing rivets. Mail resume to Alicia ScottWears, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, Mail Code 482-C32-D44, Detroit, MI 48265, Ref#101. !

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT FY16 STATE REVOLVING FUND (SRF) PROJECTS The Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) announces a Public Hearing regarding its Project Plan for the proposed Rouge River Outfall Disinfection Project. GLWA will be seeking low interest State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan assistance for FY17. The project is comprised of modifications of existing flow structures at the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) to provide disinfection for all discharges to the Rouge River Outfall (RRO). This project is necessary to ensure that GLWA will consistently and reliably operate in compliance with the requirements set forth in its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination system (NPDES) permit. The proposed project will significantly improve the quality of the wet weather discharges from the WWTP, including full disinfection. The total cost of this project is currently estimated at $37,490,000 which will be allocated to Detroit and suburban customers similar to other treatment plant capital improvements. The Rouge River Outfall Disinfection Project is eligible for participation under the State of Michigan low interest State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan program.

The Public Hearing will present a description of the recommended project, its evolution and estimated costs, as well as the cost per household impact for customer communities. The purpose of the hearing is not only to inform, but to seek and gather input from people that will be affected. Comments and viewpoints from the public are requested.

THE MEETING WILL BE HELD ON: Wednesday, June 22, 2016

PLACE:

Great Lakes Water Authority Water Board Building 735 Randolph 5th Floor, Board Room Detroit, Michigan 48226

TIME:

1:00 p.m.

IT PAYS TO ADVERTISE IN THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

Information on the Project Plan will be available for review after May 18, 2016 at the following locations:

GLWA Website: www.glwater.org

or

Great Lakes Water Authority Water Board Building

735 Randolph, Room 1504, 15th Floor

Detroit, Michigan 48226 If you have questions or would like to submit written statements for the Public Hearing Record call or write:

EOE ! !

Supplier Development Engineer

Trelleborg Automotive USA, Inc. seeks a Supplier Development Engineer in South Haven, MI to assess and develop new suppliers, monitor supplier performance, and initiate supplier improvement activities, among other duties. Min. bachelor’s degree in mechanical, industrial, or chemical eng. and two yrs. of experience in job offered or related occupation. Please send resume to: Tysha Gill, Trelleborg Automotive USA, Inc., 400 Aylworth Avenue, South Haven, MI 49090, Ref#6761905.

Software Project Lead Engineer Visteon Corporation seeks Software Project Lead Engineer in Van Buren Twp., MI, responsible for development and delivery of software that manages and controls embedded phone and vehicle bus information within an automotive telematics system and to work with vehicle bus communication software for integration of drivers, among other duties. Min. bachelor’s degree in electrical, electronics, or computer engineering, computer science, or related field, and five years of experience in the job offered or related occupation. For confidential consideration, please apply online at www.visteon.com/careers/. Please respond to Job Requisition Number 16-0041.

Creative Clay Sculptor

Brenda Green, City Clerk

GREAT LAKES WATER AUTHORITY

Located in Detroit, the employee performs administrative support services for the Deputy Court Administrator and Clerk’s Office professional staff.

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Your comments are encouraged. For additional information or to submit written comments, please contact Yvette L. Robinson, Director of Community & Economic Development, 313-252-0050 x 257 or write the Robert Blackwell Municipal Center, 12050 Woodward, Highland Park, MI 48203, no later than June 17, 2016.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

DATE:

Page D-4

Mr. Daniel Edwards Great Lakes Water Authority Procurement Department 735 Randolph, 15th Floor Detroit, Michigan 48226 (313) 964-9471

Written comments will be accepted at the above address if received prior to 5:00 p.m. EST, Wednesday, June 22, 2016.

Great Lakes Water Authority Sue F. McCormick

Chief Executive Officer

Warren, MI, General Motors Company.

Interpret &dvlp physical sculptures, &digital sculptures using Alias, interpret designs &drawings, &dvlp int &exterior clay models of full vehicles &components (in steel, carbon fiber, wax, low density foam, rubber &wood), working on concept psgr vehicles, facelifts &show cars. Analyze &perform manual clay models (incldg all aspects of ext &interior trim) of CAD renderings &3D digital models, Class A Surfaces &use advanced glass forming techniques, resolving complicated structural &design problems in connection with devlpmt of full vehicle models in clay &low density foam.

Interpret &build shaded photorealistic renderings based on design engrg data, incldg evaluation of surface qlty with checking of tolerances, curvature, &continuity of surfaces. Assure good surface, perfect highlights, with precise surface smoothing &exact placement of DINOC architectural finishes to surfaces &materials. Bachelor, Industrial Design. 1 yr exp as Clay Sculptor in job offered. Mail resume to Alicia Scott-Wears, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, Mail Code 482-C32-D44, Detroit, MI 48265, Ref#44368. !

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Electrical!or!Electronics!Engineering.!36! mos!exp!as!Wireless!Ntwk!Architect,!

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Detroit woma showers De n infants with troit love

Volume 79

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28 michiganc

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Assisting urban scho ols (Page A-3)

om March 23-29 , 2016

U.S. Confere of Mayors stance nds with Flint Mayor Weave r

Michigan citizens are surprisingly of using statesupportive resources to support Detroit Schools. Demo Public crats tend to be more supportive that Repub licans — which is not surpris ing.

Michigan Chronicle Reports

Wayne Health Cent er (Page B-1)

Wayne Count y Executive Warren C. Evans partners with health care providers to open new Wayne Health Center

Small busine big clout in ss equals Detroit

By Keith A.

Senior Editor

Published Every Wednesday

Owens

U.S. Confer ence and Execu tive Direct of Mayors CEO and former or Tom Cochr Atlanta an Franklin stood in Mayor Shirley Flint Mayor solida Karen Weaverity with a recent r during press confer City Hall ence at where she al and state called for Flint the Confer assistance. As federalso releas ence’s support, part of Cochran to Congr ed a new bipartisan ess and the White letter from more House than 150 the countr mayors aroun y urging d Flint in the afterm resources for crisis. ath of the water As the democratical mayor of Flint, Karen ly elected the full faith and confid Weaver has colleagues ence try. On theirfrom around the of her counsecon Cochran, Franklin, d visit to Flint, perts are providing and a team of exsupport to Mayor

10,000 black The narrat in the dining businesses,” ive for comes to room of one he said, while local Detroit is quite some time sitting of many to be had, that there when it tively establishments, of his and that are very that are few jobs and new black-ownedThe Crab House favorite truly succesthe majority of , a relaEvergreen restaurant businesses are not that opene those ownedsful in this city d in 2009. near 7 Mile And when right now Indeed,

by Africa n Ameri nearly two a Huffington Post concerning you look at the cans. dominant years is overwh Detroit’s revital headlines the same thing, ago in July of story published elmingly ization, 2014 said focusing what’s wonde the focus tually black on Detroi t’s downt businesses on the fact that much rful in ering the is exactl revitalization in Detroit that it is acy recogn Midtown — neithe own and ized as the a more than r of which know it by are pow, even though most blacke 80 of percent black you’d never the news restaurants, st parts of coverage.

“Stories to be conce the hottest nightstown. The latest ing, that Flint Mayor revitalizing claim entrepreneur pots, graphical ntrated in one and even s are – Andre SmithKaren Weaver relatively all seem primarily on area. Black cally sidelin small white profes saving Detroi buildphoto folks t focus ed in a rigged are being systemgeo- er and new sionals, Black design Weaver as guys get often ati- thats palpab transplants to game while to to recove she implements the city, youngsigned by play first string fashion from er reinvents le and frustra her plan r Flint’s on an openthe white journalists them for a trend frames to ting for public health and them. infrastructur fur. field de- leavin That’s , and econo g blacks readers criticized locals. When e, the my. paper’s public out of its City Councthe more popula The Flint Corktown Times for r editor addres versity in top priorit water crisis has story, the ingberry, il President Pro narrative, anywa y. sed a however, been a Tem of Mayor y for The U.S. Confer not that begs to differ. George Cush- regretted not follow-up, and the the lack of dis since there aren’t ence including writer Strong the (A more January businesses enough a black-owned said she recent Times Winter MeetinConference’s in Detroi successful ly. It’s ing ington, seems to business. view.) t, but rather story takes g in black DC, care. a wider-rangthat nobod Flint Mayor where newly Washelected “It’s not y “Conservativ Karen about the difficult ely in owner to challenges Weaver spoke Detroit speak with,to find a black in her city. we have than busine Immed though 32,000 over ss iately . There in the city, This year’s Winter Meetin following the are more according first Panca to U.S. Censu g in Janua USCM ference & Politics See SMALL ry, Conof forum quicklykes s BUSINESS page Baltimore Mayors Presid evolved into ent and A-4 ings-Blake Mayor Stephanie and hones a direct t ta Mayor asked that former Rawlof what is assessment Shirley Frank Atlanprecis al expert lin, a nation problem with ely the USCM CEOon water investmen, Public Schoo Detroit and Tom Cochr and Executive Direct can and must ls and what Flint in earlyan co-led a missio or be done n to February. about it.

The Confer ence of supported Mayor WeaveMayors also tified before r Congress, as she tesWeaver and Mayor recent Winter Leade ly attended rship Meetin USCM’s nearly 45 g where mayors stood of her efforts in suppo rt to solve health crisis a seriou He is one that has s term and of both stars of rap, the greatest Flint reside long-term impac shortbut has since ts for nts. become The U.S. From left: is the officiaConference of better Crab Mayors l nonpa zation of and V. Lonnie House co-ow known as cities with rtisan organiners Eric Peek.

30,000 or and Damo populations a highly n English, of 1400 such more. There are Chronicle nearly skilled Senior Editor today, and cities in the country each city Keith Owen actor in the Confer is repres s, ented ence by and a ed officia l, the mayor its chief electpolished, .

C. Grangston Bullard (Page C-1)

Pancakes & Politics straight talk (Page C-6)

LL Cool J raps again (Page D-1)

genial

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praise connection

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

First Church of the Redeemed International hosts third annual prayer breakfast at the church, 9360 Van Dyke and Knowdell on the east side.

Pictured from left are Pastor M.L. Echols, O'Neil D. Swanson, Swanson Funeral Home, Minister A.T. Darnell, assistant pastor, and Marcus Harris.

Congressman Elijah E. Cummings to keynote Fellowship Chapel’s 50th anniversary celebration Fellowship Chapel United Church of Christ, pastored by the Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony, is celebrating its 50th Anniversary Jubilee year. The church, located on Detroit’s west side at 7707 W. Outer Drive, was built in 2005 on land once occupied by drug houses, burned garages, abandoned cars, weeds, and drug paraphernalia. It now stands as a monument to neighborhood development. According to Rev. Anthony, who has served as pastor of Fellow-ship Chapel for the past 29 years, “Where my pulpit now sits, used to sit a dope house. Now it has been trans-formed from a House of Dope to a House of Hope.” The Jubilee year marks a series of special anniversary celebra-tions, to be sponsored by the church and its 40 ministries.

Congressman Elijah E. Cummings, from Baltimore’s 7th District, is a member of the House Committee on Trans-portation and Infrastructure, and the Ranking Member on the Committee of Oversight and Government Reform. Among his most notable contributions is of course as the past chair for the Congressional Black Caucus, during the 108th Congress, and the Ranking Member on the Select Committee on Benghazi. He has recently been a most notable critic against and a vocal advocate on behalf of the citizens of Flint Michigan, who are victims of poisoned water identified in recently held congressional hearings.

Congressman Cummings will keynote the Jubilee Banquet at the MGM speaking on The Importance of the Black

Gospel Explosion comes to Cobo The Church of God in Christ Department of Women will celebrate its 66th Annual Women’s International Convention/ Crusade, Monday-Friday, May 30-June 3 in Detroit. Services will be held 9:30 am Wednesday-Friday and 7:00 pm Monday through Friday at Cobo Convention Center. Consecration service will be held Sunday, May 29 at 11:00 pm at the Marriott Renaissance Hotel, 400 Renaissance Drive, Detroit. Events include Pre-Convention Gospel Explosion, training seminars for men and women, and glorious nightly worship services.

This convention is led by the organization’s president and the sixth general supervisor of the Department of Women, Mother Willie Mae Rivers, who resides in Goose Creek, South Carolina. She is the mother of twelve children; two sons (deceased) and ten daughters. She is a member of Calvary Church of God in Christ, where she has served as church mother for over 69 years. She is the president of the Community Christian Women/ Men Fellowship. Mother Rivers is a lover of people, a woman of wisdom, who walks with integrity and leads with diligence.

The Women’s International Convention began 66 years ago in Los Angeles, California with 100 women in attendance. It has experienced tremendous growth. This convention is held annually in various cities across North America and now has nearly 10,000 people in attendance. Delegates from all over the world

will journey across land and sea to attend these spirit-filled, over-packed, and life changing sessions. The convention is designed to promote women and men’s ministry through evangelism by retaining values and principles of holiness. Our Convention/Crusade will also recapture the determination of our predecessors whose focus was to: Teach women to love their husbands, nurture and train their children.

Develop godly character through the Word of God. Give qualifications and practical applications for leaders.

Encourage women to be mentors in their homes, on their job, and in the community.

Prepare future leaders.

Many workshops and services will provide women with a clear vision of their God-given purpose, destiny, and remain focused on their journey to greatness.

It is the endeavor of the organization’s president to spiritually impact this great city by ministering to the incarcerated, those who do not know Christ as their personal Savior, to visit the extended medical facilities and to make a contribution to one or more charitable organizations, as we have done in previous years.

Come and enjoy the Lord with us in the beauty of holiness, with our hearts full of praise, and the women of God adorned in their “Crowns of Glory.”

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Church in Community Development, Social Justice, and Economic Opportunity. He will also be recognized for his positive advocacy for the children and families of Flint, Michigan at this most crucial time. The banquet begins at 6:00 PM on Friday June 3rd.

Saturday will also mark a special community Golf Outing to be held at the Copper Ridge Golf & Banquet Center in Davison Michigan, for the benefit of the James E. Wadsworth Jr., Community Center, founded by Rev. Anthony in 1987.

The Wadsworth Center sponsors programs such as the Rites of Passage Institutes, known as Isuthu and Intonjane for boys and girls ages 6 to 18 (youth mentoring), family counseling, job referrals, tutorial services, Narcotics Anonymous, Alcohol Anonymous, health screenings, and financial literacy and planning.

On Jubilee Sunday, June 3 at 9:30 am, a special guest preacher, the Rev. Dr. James C. Perkins, president of the Progressive Baptist Convention USA, and also pastor of the Greater Christ Baptist Church, will bring a historic message. The worship will also include music from the Fellowship Chapel Mass Choir and a special presentation of the Xpressions of Praize Mime Ministry of Fellowship Chapel.

Fellowship Chapel was founded June 5, 1966 by Rev. James E. Wadsworth, Jr., who was also President of the Detroit Branch NAACP from 1967-1969.

Rev. Anthony has served

as President for the past 23 years.

Fellowship Chapel has an international outreach ministry which serves an indigenous population in the West African nation of Ghana, through its health care clinic, built in 1996, for children and families.

Located in Cape Coast, the clinic has served thousands of persons over the past 20 years providing medical supplies, food, and clothing, along with nurses and a doctor for the central region.

Fellowship Chapel has also awarded over 500,000 in scholarships for students in and outside of the church over the past 20 years.

Faith leaders, union officials, business persons, and elected officials from across the country have been send-ing their congratulations and support for the work of the church.

The banquet will conclude with an evening of dancing, music, and fellowship. Entertainment will provided by the most popular and Detroit’s own 313, a band noted for its high energy and contemporary music across the nation.

Anniversary co-chairs are attorney John E. Johnson Jr., Esq. and Judge Izetta F. Bright.

The banquet chair is Mr. Heaster L. Wheeler. All events are open to the general public.

For more information on tickets and special events, please call (313) 347-2820 or go to www. fellowshipchapel.

May 18-4, 2016

Page D-5

Helen Catherine Smith Services for Helen Catherine Smith were held on Saturday, May 21, at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses with Brother Kenneth Jackson officiating. Mrs. Smith passed away on May 15, 2016.

MY STORY Helen Catherine Smith (Greer) was born on March 26, 1926 in Monticello, South Carolina to John and Nellie Greer. She moved to Detroit, Michigan in the 1940’s where she continued her education and met the love of her life, David Smith.

Mrs. Smith retired from a teaching position at Denby High School and continued her service to Jehovah full time.

She dedicated her life to Jehovah God on May 23, 1963 and being a part of the faith for 20 years prior to her baptism.

Our mother loved all of her family and friends, but there are a few she was especially fond of: Mrs. Jackie Martin, her ministry partner; Christina Givens, her granddaughter who was her identical twin in every way; Ariel, her granddaughter who was her precious joy; Yolanda, her first grandchild who taught her unimaginable love and selflessness; and her dear cousin, Jean Watkins, who was more like a sister, who preceded her in death.

Helen loved to play bid whist, sew and care for her family and home although her greatest joy came from being David’s wife and partner. They had an unbreakable bond of love and trust that spanned several decades. He was her husband and friend while they served Jehovah God together until her passing.

Daddy was by her side until the end. They loved and accepted anyone into our family, resulting in many people loving them as a parent or grandparent.

Throughout her long blessed life she lost many dear ones who preceded her in death: Her parents, her parents-in-law, both of her sisters, Daisy Brown (Isaac) and Alberta Lyles (Bennie); two of her dear children, Valeria Ray, her oldest daughter, and Derrick Maurice, her youngest son, along with several other family members and friends.

Helen leaves to cherish her memory: David Smith, her loving husband; children, Rezia Givens Givens, Michelle Jackson, David Myers Smith (Karla), Adrienne Hardmon (Charles), and Andrea Smith. Twenty grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, six great-great-grandchildren, many spiritual brothers and sisters she spent years with serving the only true God Jehovah … Ps. 83.18, also a host of family members and friends.

Special love for the extra care that was given to her throughout her entire illness by her daughter, Adrienne Hardmon; her granddaughters, Jarica, Ariel and Kyla; her loving caregiver, Tameka, who began to study the Bible with her; and all the wonderful nurses, especially her doctor and friend, Dr. Robinson, who cared for her over several years prior to and during her illness.

Arrangement were entrusted to James H. Cole Home For Funerals, Inc.

Page D-6 • THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE • May 25-31, 2016