MC Digital Edition 4.26.23

Detroit’s I-375 Freeway

Repurposing Aims to Reconnect Communities

By Andrea Plaid

According to Leslie Love, the Michigan Department of Transportation Metro Region’s (MDOT) Senior Executive Assistant Deputy Director the proposed repurposing the mile-long I-375 freeway is planning to take the deteriorating section of the highway system and pack it with dirt to the point that it’s a paved street-level boulevard. The department aims to start the project in 2025, with major construction occurring in 2026 through 2028.

However, the state transportation department’s grander vision, which they revealed at their I-375 Reconnecting Communities Project Open House on April 19 at Eastern Market’s Shed 3, is to offer an olive branch of sorts to Black Detroiters for destroying the thriving community that was Black Bottom. The city wants to rebuild the area around the boulevard with Black-owned businesses and Black residents and Black employees benefiting from the businesses.

MDOT unfurled maps of how I-75 would be redirected, showed short film presentations of the project’s timelines and projected build-out, displayed posterboards of potential public art and other aesthetic options where attendees could vote for their favorites with sticky dots and had city historian Jamon Jordan on hand to place the current project in the historical context of immigration patterns, housing, slavery and colonization, the northern version of Jim Crow and the “urban renewal” program that created and eliminated the Black Bottom community.

“The project is transformative,” Love stated. “We’re hoping to make this a destination spot, a mature, grown-up Detroit that respects and honors the history that was there.”

But a still, achingly real question wafted through the open house: can a decommissioned, elevated freeway heal the collective broken heart of the Black Bottom?

“There is a long history of development and displacement in the history of the city of Detroit,” Jordan said to the Michigan Chronicle before his presentation. “The [history] of Black Bottom is well-known and misunderstood. People know about it, but they don’t know the intricacies of what happened to Black people in Black Bottom, Paradise Valley and Hasting Street. So, people need to understand that history first and how it’s involved in the new development. They need to know this history.”

But the history isn’t only for

WHAT’S INSIDE

2023 Pancakes & Politics II: A Call to Action for Detroit’s Startup Community

Ready to Roar in Upcoming NFL Draft The Detroit Lions

By Donald James Senior Writer, Real Times Media

The 2023 NFL Draft is almost here, and the 32 NFL teams are ready for the annual spring ritual of selecting collegiate gridiron talent to improve their squads for the upcoming season and beyond. The Detroit Lions and their fans may be at the top of the excitement list when the three-day draft begins on Thursday, April 27, in Kansas City, MO. The 2024 NFL Draft will be held in Detroit next April.

While there is excitement in the Motor City about the 2023 draft, a stark reality check hit the Lions on April 21, when the NFL announced the League suspended four Detroit players for violating the league’s gambling policy. The players are receivers Jameson Williams (six games), Quintez Cephus (indefinitely), Stanley Berryhill (six games), and safety C.J. Moore (indefinitely). The NFL also suspended the Washington Commanders defensive end Shaka Toney.

Although Cephus, Moore, and Toney were suspended indefinitely, they can apply for reinstatement after the 2023 season. Yet, the Lions have already released Cephus and Moore.

NFL analysts and pundits are wondering if the suspensions will alter the Lions’ 2023 draft strategies. Detroit has nine picks: Round 1, Pick 6 (from L.A. Rams) and 18; Round 2, Pick 48 and 55 (from Minnesota); Round 3, Pick 81; Round 5, Pick 152 and 159 (from Atlanta); and Round 6, Pick 183 (from Denver) and 194.

Some believe the Lions should take

Savor

the best QB available at 6, even though quarterback Jared Goff played well in the team’s remarkable turnaround after a dismal 1 and 6 start to finish the season 8 and 2. The Lions need depth at quarterback, and drafting a talented QB could be the answer. Yet, confirmed reports have surfaced recently that the Lions have offered a strong contract to veteran signal-caller Teddy Bridgewater to be the No. 2 QB next season. If Bridgewater signs the contract before the Lions pick at 6, the team’s plans to select a quarterback could be altered.

If the Lions stay at 6 in the first round, they probably don’t have a shot at Bryce Young (Alabama) or C.J. Stroud (Ohio State), considered the best two QBs in the draft. One of the quarterbacks will likely be the overall No.1 pick for the Carolina Panthers, with the other going No.2 to the Houston Texans. However, Stroud could drop in the draft after a recent report surfaced that the quarterback struggled with S2 Cognition tests, which evaluate players’ visual learning, instinctive learning, impulse control, and improvisation while measuring how players process and make split-second decisions.

In essence, Stroud could fall to the Lions at six. If he’s gone, QB Will Levis (Kentucky) could be there, as well as quarterbacks Anthony Richardson (Florida), Herndon Hooker (Tennessee), and Dorian Thompson-Robinson (UCLA) – if Detroit wants to make a QB splash with its pick 6.

“I would say this, man. And I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. I love Goff, we love Goff, and he is our quarterback,”

The Cost to Drive: How Renewable Energy Policies Impact Our Future Transit

By Andre Ash DIGITAL ANCHOR

Detroit was the origin for putting the world on wheels, and ultimately dubbed the Motor City. Yet, the way we drive is slowly changing. The automotive industry has hit the accelerator button in its transition to produce electric powered vehicles.

Americans have been paying more at the pump and the rising cost have led some owners of gasoline powered cars to seek an alternative.

The federal government has also pursued a policy to push for renewable energy to address climate change and reducing greenhouse emissions for an increasingly warm planet. One of the ways it hopes to conduct such policy is incentivizing the cost on manufactures and drivers.

One of the driving factors is whether drivers will choose to purchase an electric vehicle is not only the cost, but also the lack of

infrastructure needed to charge the batteries of electric cars.

“There are a lot of programs to spear-head EV infrastructure,” said president of both Plug Zen L.L.C. and Q Works L.L.C.

“The money is there (federal funding) and in workforce development that will create jobs for underserved or disadvantaged people. But it’s not just the government responsibility as they are not the only stake holder. There are a lot of businesses that will benefit from electric vehicles.

Q is focused on developing new technologies, processes, and strategies for application within the automotive industry. He collaborates with original equipment manufacturers and automotive tier suppliers to pilot, launch, and fully implement these innovations and strategies, according to his company’s profile.

His automotive career at Ford Motor Company progressed where from 1996 to 2007

Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell said in a recent interview with FanNation/ Sports Illustrated. “Nothing’s going to change that. But we’re always looking to upgrade the roster at any position. If the right guy presents himself at one of our picks, and we feel like it’s the right thing to do, we’ll do it.”

Other Lions’ options at pick six could be Jalen Carter (Georgia), the 6’ 3”, 314pound powerhouse, who many consider the best Defensive Lineman in the draft. Christian Gonzalez, the talented cornerback from Oregon, or CB Devon Witherspoon (Illinois), has also been mentioned by draft pundits as possibilities of going at 6 to the Lions. And Tyree Wilson (Texas Tech), the 6’ 6”, 271pound edge-rusher, would add impactful depth to Detroit’s defense.

At Pick 18, and after losing three wide receivers to suspensions – two for six weeks – would the Lions draft wide receiver Quentin Johnston (TCU) or wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Ohio State)? Detroit could also choose to run at Pick 18 and track down running back Bijan Robinson (Texas) – if available. Robinson masterfully blends quickness, speed, power, aggressiveness, and acute vision to see holes in the defense and run for paydirt.

If the defensive side of the ball is on Detroit’s radar at 18, Adetomiwa Adebawore, the DT from Northwestern, would fit nicely with his natural inclination to stop opponents’ run game and chase down quarterbacks.

There are many players the Lions

he worked in the New Model Development Center as a Prototype Specialist and Lean Management Consultant. In this role, Q worked closely with engineers and vendors to develop new products and processes to ensure future vehicle models were produced to the highest quality standards, employing the most efficient methods. Most of these vehicles were alternative fuel vehicles such as hybrid electric and natural which gave Q insight into the technologies that showed the most promise which were electric vehicles, according to his biography.

I-375 Freeway

From page A-1

the lifelong Detroiters, but also the newcomers to the city and the people who live in [the Black Bottom] area but don’t know what happened, such as how Greektown and Lafayette Park can to be, Jordan said.

As far as the I-375 Project and its role in Detroit’s current renaissance, Jordan put it in perspective.

“Detroit has had a series of renaissances and, of course, declines,” Jordan observed. “And I’m always promoting that we as a city move forward and not back, but [the destruction of Black Bottom and Paradise Valley] is one of the seminal moments, the changing of everything that happens to the city of Detroit. It displaced 140,000 people in this predominantly Black neighborhood. It wipes out 350 businesses in Paradise Valley, and it destroys the strip that is Hastings Street. That strip is the foundational creation of the Black business environment in the city of Detroit.

What people know about Detroit, such as Motown, is because Hastings Street, Black Bottom and Paradise Valley, Jordan stated. “These things are connected to that history.”

Jordan articulated the floating question that moved through the event. “[The destruction of the area for I-375] stunted where Black Detroit could have gone. Many great things came out of the area. How many more things could have come out of it if the area wasn’t

Declutter

Property Is Power!

Hello Spring

Spring is finally here, and it’s the perfect time to freshen up your home with a good cleaning and decluttering. While it may seem daunting, following these simple house cleaning tips can make the process much more manageable:

Plan it out

Before you start cleaning, make a plan. Decide which areas you want to tackle first and what tasks are most important.

Creating a checklist can help you stay organized and focused on what needs to be done. Consider tasks that are often overlooked, such as changing your air filter, wiping down the walls, and machine washing your curtains.

stunted or destroyed?”

The second benefit of knowing the history is when these new developments tries to displace people and destroy Black business areas like Black Bottom, Hastings Street and Paradise Valley, “we don’t let it happen again and, if it does happen, we are on alert about it and don’t let it happen again.”

That need to stand watch and witness the unfolding of the project is what brought Quinn Johnson and Nia Lee to the open house.

“My biggest concern is how they are going to bring Black business back into the area,” Johnson said. “They put a highway through all of Black history. It’s something that I’m definitely mindful of.”

Lee agreed. “I’m concerned that MDOT is going to say that this is for Black people, but it’s going to be platitudes. So, I’m hoping there’s some meaning and action behind it.”

Lee also expressed that MDOT needs to involve the community that still lives in that area, particularly the lives of the children in the neighborhood and the local schools.

Another concern Lee and Johnson shared is, in light of the city’s continued gentrification, this project doesn’t become another engine to make Detroit a chocolate city in abstraction, similar to Harlem in New York City.

For more information, including future open houses and other public forums, go to michigan.gov/I375.

One of the most helpful things you can do when spring cleaning is to declutter. Take some time to go through every room and get rid of anything you no longer need or want. Consider donating or selling items that are in good condition and throwing away or recycling anything that is broken or unusable. This can help create more space and make your home feel more organized.

Deep clean

Once you’ve decluttered, it’s time to deep clean. This includes dusting, vacuuming, mopping, and wiping down surfaces. Don’t forget to clean the areas that are often overlooked, such as baseboards, light fixtures, and appliances. Giving your home a good deep clean can help get rid of any dirt or grime that has built up over the winter months.

Wash windows

Let the sunshine in by washing

your windows inside and out. Use a squeegee and a window cleaning solution to get streak-free windows. Don’t forget to clean your window sills and frames as well. This can help brighten up your living space and make it feel more open and welcoming to guests.

Organize

Once everything is clean, it’s time to organize. Use storage solutions to keep everything in its place, and label items for easy access. This can help keep your home looking tidy and make it easier to find things when you need them, while making the most of your space. By following these simple spring house cleaning tips, you can have a fresh and organized home in no time, helping you reduce stress and improve your overall well-being. So, put on some music, grab your cleaning supplies, and get ready to give your home the TLC it deserves!

Whether you’re getting your house in order for a spring seller’s market or a first-time homebuyer looking to make a purchase.

could target after the first round, including Brian Branch (Alabama), touted as one of the best tackling defensive backs in college. He can play corner and safety, which is significant after the Lions released safety C.J. Moore due to violating gambling policies.

DJ Dale, the D-lineman from Alabama, would also be a great addition to the Lions. At 6-foot3 and 300 pounds, Dale is stellar at stopping the run and loves beating offensive linemen with his quickness and fundamentally sound blocking skills.

Last season the Lions’ secondary ranked near the bottom, although it improved in the latter part of the season. However, with excellent free agent signings this offseason, the Lions’ secondary will be incredibly better with C.J. Gardner-Johnson (safety) from the Philadelphia Eagles, Emmanuel Moseley (cornerback) from the San Francisco 49ers, and Cam Sutton (cornerback) from the Pittsburgh Steelers. And adding Branch from the draft would be an outstanding selection for Detroit.

He believes to drive down cost on consumers and to paved the way for advancing the output on batteries for electrics cars, everyone has to play there role.

“We’re talking about the automakers, the utility companies, and then there are investors making money on EV infrastructure.”

The narrative has been that most electric cars have has a starting price for over $60K, but Q rebukes the idea that EV is expensive, rather the automakers are bringing the price right in range now with gasoline powered cars or less than $30k.

The other case for electric vehicles is the cost it will have on the environ-

Detroit’s general manager Brad Holmes deserves much of the credit for his shrewd draft picks and free-agent signings the last two years, adding “good starters and needed depth” to the team, something winning NFL squads must have for successful seasons and deep playoff runs.

In a recent power ranking of the NFL’s 32 general managers, colleagues and NFL pundits picked Holmes as the seventh best.

“I’d give him an A – a solid A,” veteran ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said recently about Holmes. “You could go A-plus. Holmes has built the Lions into a competitive team in just two years with many of his draft picks making an impact.”

“We’re just going to take the best football player for us,” Holmes said at a press conference at the NFL Owners’ Annual League Meetings in late March. “With everything we’ve done at free agency, I think we’re in a better position to really just sit and take the best player available in the draft and just kind of add the right fit.”

ment but in a good way.

“Over 40% of power produced today is used through renewable energy so we have the capacity to double that over the next few years. We’re reducing greenhouse gases not eliminating it.”

Q saw the potential for EV being the future of the market over 10 years ago during his time as an engineer for Ford Motor Company. His vision and experience is putting his company and product in the lineup to be a part of the new and growing market for charging batteries to electric cars.

“Right now we are working with several entities and I see us being an integral player for workplace charging and within disadvantaged communities.”

Photo credit: Andrea Plaid

Anthony O. Kellum

Celebrating MISS DIG Awareness Month

Detroiters, did you know that before you start any digging projects at your home, it’s required by law to call MISS DIG at 811? It is! By dialing these three numbers at least three business days before digging, you are ensuring your safety and the safety of your neighbors. Plus, April is MISS DIG Awareness Month so it’s a great time to learn more about the importance of safe digging.

When MISS DIG gets a call about a digging project, they call all companies who have underground utilities at or near the project site to come out and properly flag them for safety. Digging without knowing the location of underground utilities can result in serious injuries, service disruptions, and costly repairs when gas, electric, communications, water and/or sewer lines are damaged.

Roots.

The majority of homeowner damages are caused by hand tools like shovels when doing projects such as:

• Installing a fence, mailbox, deck or pool

• Planting trees and bushes

Laying a patio

Erecting an event tent with large stakes in the ground

If you plan to dig in your yard, contact MISS DIG at 811 or www.missdig811.org at least three business days before digging, wait until flags have been placed to mark your utility lines, and leave flags in place until underground work is complete.

Please remind your friends and family to always call MISS DIG at least three business days before digging in their yard by calling 811 and stay safe this spring/ summer!

Energizing youth with FIRST Robotics

This year, the FIRST Robotics season resonated with DTE. FIRST Energize encourages young people to think about how energy will power us into the future and how we can build a more sustainable, reliable and affordable energy future.

FIRST is all about innovation, and DTE is proud to once again support this program across the state. The DTE Foundation sponsored 25 high school teams this season, with 9 of those teams based in Detroit--Renaissance High School, Cass Tech High School, Detroit International Academy for Young Women, Cesar Chavez High School, Pershing High School, Detroit Cristo Rey High School, Voyageur College Prep, Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation, and Mercy Education Project.

DTE also sponsored district events at Wayne State University and Cass Tech High School, and dozens of employees volunteered their time to help at events and mentor teams. Students build robots, work through problems, learn important life and business skills, and compete against teams throughout the season.

FIRST is an important part of our talent pipeline; many students go into engineering, programming and STEM careers. Congratulations to all the teams on an energizing season!

Creating the grid of the future

The world is becoming more dependent on electricity and Detroit is no exception. In many areas serviced by DTE, from Detroit to Ann Arbor and Birmingham, the equipment that powers homes and businesses was installed in the early to mid-1900s. Now it’s time to modernize and rebuild the grid in Detroit.

DTE is investing more than $1.3 billion annually to modernize the grid across Southeast Michigan, including many areas in the city of Detroit. These upgrades will help improve reliability, safety and more for our customers. One of the most exciting upgrades we’re making is rebuilding/converting our aging overhead and underground infrastructure in some communities of Detroit.

What does rebuilding/converting mean?

We remove and replace the aging infrastructure with new, modern overhead and underground equipment. This includes the poles, wires, conduit, transformers and other electrical equipment that help deliver power from our substations to homes and businesses.

Why are you rebuilding/converting the infrastructure?

Some of the electric infrastructure in Detroit was first installed in the early 1900s. As we move to a more technology-driven, electrified lifestyle, areas of Detroit with older infrastructure will soon need more electric power than the old systems can deliver.

The new infrastructure is stronger and more resilient to extreme weather, which means improved safety and reliability for our customers. Additionally, it has a greater capacity to support existing and new residents and businesses in the city. The added capacity also will support more clean energy solutions like electric vehicles and a more electrified future.

Which neighborhoods will be converted?

Currently, we’re converting customers in the following Detroit neighborhoods. These areas were chosen based on data-driven research, with more being added as we progress.

Brewster, Brush Park, Douglas and Midtown neighborhoods

Core City, Corktown, Hubbard Richard, Jeffries, North Corktown and Woodbridge neighborhoods

• Downtown Detroit — Central Business District, Midtown and New Center East Village, Elmwood Park, Gold Coast, Indian Village, Islandview, Joseph Berry Sub, Lafayette Park, McDougall-Hunt, Rivertown and West Village neighborhoods Airport Sub, Buffalo-Charles, Gratiot Town/Kettering, Gratiot Woods, a portion of Hamtramck, Pingree Park and West End neighborhoods

Why aren’t you converting my neighborhood now?

We have plans to eventually update our entire service territory. However, to keep energy bills affordable for customers, we are staggering our conversion/ rebuild schedule. Crews are starting in neighborhoods with both the oldest infrastructure and the greatest need for additional capacity.

I’m not getting converted to the new infrastructure yet.

What are you doing to maintain and improve my electric reliability?

If your neighborhood isn’t getting converted at this time or doesn’t need conversion because it is already operating at our newer, higher voltage, we are still working to improve your reliability now. Here’s how:

Constructing, modernizing, and expanding new substations

Trimming trees near power lines

Upgrading and replacing some electrical equipment and poles

• Reconfiguring and relocating existing power lines

• Increasing automation, which allows power to be rerouted to customers during an outage, so they continue to have electric service while we make repairs

Incorporating preventative inspections and maintenance

Continuous improvement

DTE is dedicated to continuously improving our infrastructure, so you have the power you need now and far in the future., and the reliability you deserve Get more information on reliability improvement work happening in your neighborhood at empoweringmichigan.com/reliability-improvements.

DTE Foundation grants $3 million to United Way for Southeastern Michigan and local agencies to feed families in need

The DTE Energy Foundation recently granted $3 million grant to United Way for Southeastern Michigan and partner agencies to help feed Michiganders in Southeastern Michigan, including Gleaners Community Food Bank in Detroit.

As food insecurity continues to rise and assistance programs decline, this support for meals and critical nourishment will help bridge the gap for families in need. According to United Way, food insecurity calls have increased more than 33 percent over the last two months. This grant will provide immediate support, however more still needs to be done to ensure long-term stability for those in need.

This month, households across Southeastern Michigan saw a significant decrease in food support under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, as increased benefits designed to provide relief to low-income households during the COVID19 pandemic expired. This is driving what’s being called a “hunger cliff” by many as the decline in benefits combined with an increase in grocery prices due to inflation drives a spike in food insecurity for struggling families.

“Many in our state are facing significant challenges and especially with our neighbors losing the SNAP boost, we knew we had to expand our support and provide hope in a truly tangible way,” said Lynette Dowler, DTE Foundation president. “At the DTE Foundation, we know a healthier, more vital Michigan begins with creating stable households where basic needs are met. United Way for Southeastern Michigan shares our commitment to addressing critical needs, removing barriers to basic needs. We’re grateful for their direct line to Michigan’s most vulnerable residents and their ability to change lives in our community.”

“This support from the DTE Foundation is putting food on the tables of people who need it most and helping fund ongoing work to address food insecurity in our region. The timing couldn’t be more vital for families, so many of whom are struggling

with grocery bills as federal support decreases and food costs continue to rise,” said Dr. Darienne Hudson, president and CEO at United Way for Southeastern Michigan. “United Way works every day to ensure families have access to programs and services to get out of crisis and achieve stability. At a time when there is so much need, we are grateful to partners like the DTE Foundation for providing the resources necessary for us to help those most in need.” Within the past year, the DTE Foundation has awarded more than $500,000 to address food insecurity.

“This is a historic grant for the DTE Foundation, one of the largest in our history. We know that families are struggling and are blessed to make a difference in Southeast Michigan,” said Dowler.

“With our partners like the DTE Foundation, we are working every day to help families get out of crisis — and stay out,” said Dr. Hudson. “We hope other organizations will join in this mission to help stabilize Michigan homes.”

The grant allowed United Way for Southeast-

ern Michigan to distribute the $3 million funding throughout the region where the need was greatest. 20,000 households have been provided a $100 gift card redeemable at Kroger to use towards food and basic needs.

Additionally to help bridge the grocery gap, a portion of the support will be distributed to Gleaners, Forgotten Harvest, Food Gatherers, Fair Food Network, Operation Refuge, Redford Interfaith Relief, and Hospitality House to boost supply for local food pantries. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates roughly 31 million people will be affected by the reduced assistance as grocery prices remain high.

To get this one-time support in the hands of those who need it most as quickly and efficiently as possible, United Way for Southeastern Michigan used two basic eligibility criteria to distribute the gift cards. Those who have participated in select United Way assistance programs in the last two years, as well as those who live in areas with the greatest concentration of need as defined by United Way’s ALICE report were eligible to apply.

By Lynzee Mychael MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST

Big blue checks and grateful smiles filled the room at StartupNation Media Group in Birmingham, Mich, as donations form the 11th annual SAY Detroit Radiothon were disbursed. Funds totaling more than $1.83 million were raised last December and after months of anticipation community partners and SAY Detroit initiatives were awarded from $5,000 to $800,000. SAY Detroit Founder Mich Albom led the presentation that awarded over two dozen partners and community organizations.

Every year, SAY Detroit donates a portion of its Radiothon contributions to partner organizations and charities that align with its objective of providing underprivileged citizens in Detroit with opportunities for success. Since 2012, the Radiothon has accumulated a total of almost $12 million in donations. Albom said the goal is for the Radiothon to get larger every year and bring in bigger donations than the last.

In December of last year, Albom served as the emcee for a 15-hour radiothon held at the Somerset Collection in Troy. Community leaders and celebrities garnered attention for the radiothon by generously donating to the cause. Donations from notable figures such as Barry Sanders, Hugh Jackman and Tim Allen, among others, were received. Tom Gores, the founder of Platinum Equity and owner of the Detroit Pistons, pledged a sum of $350,000, which will be used to establish

a new media center and production studio at the SAY Play Center.

Located in Detroit, Mich., the SAY Play Center is a community-based organization that offers after-school programs and activities for children in the area. The organization’s acronym, SAY, represents its focus on Sports, Academics and Youth, which are the fundamental values it strives to impart to the children it serves. The SAY Play Center provides a diverse range of services such as tutoring, mentorship, athletics and performing arts programs, which facilitate the development of children’s skills and interests in a secure and nurturing environment.

Albom said, “Helping other like-minded nonprofits in our region who help others is very meaningful and we know the money will be put to good use in their respective operations.”

SAY Detroit saw an increase in new recipients this year, signifying the expansion of the SAY Detroit family. Some of the new programs included Boys Hope Girls Hope, Full Count Foundation, the TeMaTe Institute for Black Dance and Culture, Urban Innovators and Volleyball Elite. SAY Detroit intends to continue to increase its reach and grow further.

After transitioning to a virtual ceremony in 2020, this year’s event marked the first occasion in three years where the annual ceremony was held in person. This provided an opportunity for recipients to meet, network and potentially collaborate on programming.

2023 Radiothon Distribution Charity Recipients

The Avalon Village, $5,000

Better Together, $50,000

Bing Youth Institute, $5,000

Boys Hope Girls Hope of Detroit, $7,500

Building Better Men, $15,000

Cass Community Social Services, $25,000

Detroit Dream Scholars fund at the College for Creative Studies, $45,000

COTS Detroit’s Bright Beginnings, $12,500

Detroit’s North End

The sixth in a Monthly Series of Feature Stories

Sponsored by the Knight Foundation

By Donald James SENIOR WRITER, REAL TIMES MEDIA

It’s difficult not to be impressed by the Considine Little Rock Family Life Center, located at 8904 Woodward Ave. and Holbrook St., in the city’s North End community. After all, under several names, the storied four-level brick structure has been anchored on Detroit’s most iconic urban thoroughfare since the 1930s. The facility, once known as Considine Recreation Center, has been operated by its next-door neighbor, the Historic Little Rock Baptist Church, since the mid-2000s.

“Considine was – and still is - a vital part of the North End community,” said Charlie Beckham, former director of the city’s parks & recreation department under Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s administration. “The center is critical to people who have depended on it for job training, social programs and activities for children, seniors, and families year-round.”

Beckham said during the early years of the Kilpatrick administration, the mayor looked for ways to cut costs because of tough financial times in the city. Several recreation centers were closed, and Considine was on the shutdown list until the pastor next door spoke out.

“I went to the city asking to please not close Considine because of the value it added to the welfare of youth, seniors, and the whole North End community and beyond,” said Rev. Dr. Jim Holley, who, at the time, was senior pastor of the Historic Little Rock Baptist Church where he ultimately served 50 years before retiring in 2022.

“The city heard my plea, and Mr. Charlie Beckham helped complete a unique deal for the church to take over operating the Considine Recreation Center.”

Since brokering the agreement with the city, Little Rock Family Life Center has offered a broad range of services to empower the North End community. Over the years, activities and events under Little Rock’s purview have included providing quality sports and

recreation programs, after-school programs, summer camps and educational activities for inner-city youth, seniors and families. For a few years, beginning In 2017, Considine was the Detroit campus for Cleary University, a four-year business-focused educational institution based in Howell, Mich. The satellite campus offered Detroiters a range of job training and career certificates.

“Detroit is moving forward, and this new campus is about transforming lives,” Holley said at the time. “As economic development thrives downtown and Midtown, the North End is the next link in the chain along the Woodward corridor.”

Considine Little Rock Family Life Center currently operates two adult daycare drop-in centers, one of which is named North End Village. Considine also implements healthcare programs and services for children with autism, and Wayne County Community College District (WCCCD), one of Considine’s longest tenants, offers GED programs.

“We host many community activities and events,” said Little Rock Family Life Center’s director, Gwen Vining. “We have hosted the Delores Bennett’s Christmas Adopt-a-Child Christmas giveaway registrations, monthly meetings of the North-End Youth Improvement Council, District 5 meetings, Detroit Area Agency on Aging forums, Detroit Board of Police Commissioners’ meetings, banquets, birthday celebrations, and lots of other events for the community.” Vining said there are plans to refurbish and reopen the center’s bowling alley. And the center’s gymnasium is where many basketball and other sporting events are held for various age groups.

“There were some tough basketball players who played at Considine,” said Beckham, who played ball there in the mid-to-late 1960s. “I know basketball was played fiercely at St Cecelia on the west side, but games at Considine and Brewster-Wheeler Recreation Center on the east side were just as competitive.”

The history of Considine Recreation Center runs long and deep. A part of the facility was built in the early 1930s after two Jewish organizations merged to form Detroit’s first Jewish Community Center. At

the time, the North End was overwhelmingly white, with a heavy population of Jewish families.

In 1939, the Aaron DeRoy Memorial Building of the Jewish Community Center, now the Considine Little Rock Family Life Center, expanded to include a gymnasium and Olympic-sized swimming pool, thanks to generous donations from Jewish members of Temple Beth EL, particularly Helen DeRoy and the Carrie Sittig Cohen Estates. The Temple was diagonally across the street from the Jewish Community Center.

In 1955, as more African Americans moved from Black Bottom to the North End, the recreation building was leased to the Detroit Department of Parks and Recreation. In 1963, the City bought the center from the Jewish Welfare Association.

The Aaron DeRoy Memorial Building of the Jewish Community Center’s name was changed to Considine Recreation Center in honor of John J. Considine Sr., the city’s superintendent of Parks & Recreation, from 1946 to 1962.

“In the coming months, we are looking to do upgrades to the building to continue serving the community, as we have the Rev. Jim Holley Senior Residences opening later this year across the street,” Vining said. “And there are other senior buildings under construction in the area, so we want to have a place where seniors can come for various events, activities and classes along with the greater community.”

Holley said he is optimistic about the center’s future. While the facility is owned by the city but has been leased and operated by Historic Little Rock Baptist Church for almost two decades, Holley said the center will eventually carry another name instead of Considine Little Rock Family Life Center.

“The church feels that it can no longer operate the center,” said Holley, who plans to refurbish Considine’s gymnasium and Olympic-size swimming pool. “Under another 501 c3 organization, the present facility will be renamed The Considine Community Recreation Center. However, I have no plans to detach myself from the center because I feel like I owe it to the community to be a part of it. I’m still working in and for the betterment of the North End.”

Money.

If your Lease is Expiring, Should You Rent or Buy?

If you’re a renter, you might find yourself considering whether you should buy a home instead especially when your lease is about to expire. But it’s not always as simple as paying rent versus paying a mortgage. When you’re thinking about making the leap to homeownership, consider some of the factors that might come into play. Of course, money will be a top consideration as you weigh your options. Be realistic about what you can afford. Homeownership isn’t just about the cost of your base monthly mortgage payment.

Cost

Insurance and property taxes: Most people pay them as part of their monthly payment to their lender, and it’s important to have a realistic view of how much these fees will add to your total payment. Your real estate agent can help you estimate these expenses to get started, and your loan originator can give you a specific amount later in the process.

Maintenance and repairs: From painting to replacing appliances, and from lawn care to changing your furnace filters, there’s a long and sometimes costly list of things you must do to keep your home in good condition. To protect yourself from surprise repair costs, HGTV recommends making sure you have 1-3% of your home’s cost saved for annual maintenance.

Utilities: Some new homeowners are shocked by the costs of all the utilities needed when you own a home such as electricity, gas, water, internet and steaming services. If you’re used to some or all of these expenses being included in your rent, do some research to find out how much they’ll add to the total monthly costs of homeownership. Your local utility providers can often give you an estimate based on square footage. Both home and rental prices are escalating quickly right now. If your lease is expiring, evaluate your financial situation carefully to find out if investing in a home makes sense.

Household

No one can precisely predict the future, but the “buy or rent” decision must also focus on who will live there with you in the short- and long-term future. How will the number, age and relationship of those who will live in the space affect what you need from it? Lease expiration often prompts these considerations.

Will someone else, such as a roommate or a partner, share the costs with you? Are those arrangements long-term, or likely to change from time to time? If being an empty nester is on the horizon, you might wish to have less space and less maintenance to worry about, potentially making renting a better choice.

If you plan to add to your family, it’s wise to consider not only how much space you’ll need, but also

2023 Pancakes & Politics II: A Call to Action for Detroit’s Startup Community

Business leaders gathered at the Detroit Athletic Club on Friday for the latest Pancakes & Politics event, where they discussed how to make Southeast Michigan a more attractive destination for start-ups and high-growth companies. Hiram Jackson, CEO of Real Times Media (RTM) and publisher of the Michigan Chronicle, kicked off the event by thanking the sponsors, panelists and attendees. He said that entrepreneurs create jobs, excitement and repopulate our area.

Michael Vickers, PNC’s Regional Director for Detroit and Southeastern Michigan, followed Jackson and spoke about the importance of hope and dreams. He told the audience about how PNC staff had reached out to young people and other Detroiters to listen to their aspirations.

“I bring all that up because, as we talk about this question around Michigan participating in innovation, we really don’t have a choice in Michigan but to answer that question and affirm it or two things will happen: we’ll lose those young people and their dreams to other states, and those who are left behind or can’t leave will get left behind one way or another.”

Dennis Archer, Jr., the Chairman and CEO of Sixteen42Ventures, followed Vickers and introduced Margaret Trimer, Vice President of Strategic Partnership of Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio and Indiana.

“Today’s conversation,” Trimer said, “is about making sure that economic conditions in this region are robust enough to support entrepreneurs and their start-up businesses. And I’d submit that, if the commentary in this room

today suggests that we’re not ready, then the people in this room will walk out, determined to fix that. And that is the power of Pancakes & Politics—it’s thinking big and getting it done.”

Archer then introduced the panelists: Marlo Rencher, PhD, CDE, and President of Detroit Means Business; Quentin Messer, CEO of Michigan Economic Development Corporation and President & Chair of Michigan Strategic Fund; Dug Song, Co-Founder and President of The Song Foundation and former co-founder and CEO of Duo Security; and Patti Glaza, Executive Vice President of Invest Detroit and Managing Director of ID Venture.

The panelists discussed a variety of topics, including the differences between start-ups and small businesses, the obstacles that systemic oppression places in the way of people of color and white women who get into those ventures, and how Michigan can evolve its business thinking from “a blue-collar, manufacturing state of mind.”

The panelists discussed a variety of topics, including the need to diversify the tech industry, the importance of access to capital, the obstacles that systemic oppression places in the way of people of color and women and the role of government in supporting start-ups.

“We need to make sure that everyone has a seat at the table,” said Rencher. “We need to create an environment where everyone feels welcome and supported, regardless of their race, gender, or background.”

Messer agreed, saying that “the state of Michigan is committed to creating an inclusive environment for entrepreneurs.” He pointed to the state’s recent investments in tech education and

workforce development as evidence of this commitment.

Song said that one of the biggest challenges facing the tech industry is the lack of access to capital. He called on the government to do more to support early-stage companies.

“We need to make it easier for entrepreneurs to get the funding they need to grow their businesses,” he said.

Glaza said that Invest Detroit is committed to investing in high-growth companies. She said that the organization has invested in over 100 companies since its inception in 2012.

“We are looking for companies that have the potential to create jobs and grow the economy,” she said.

The panelists’ discussion generated a lot of interest and discussion among the attendees.

“This was a great event,” said Regina Ann Campbell President and CEO, Build Institute, “It was great to hear from such a diverse group of panelists and to learn about the challenges and opportunities facing the tech industry in Detroit.”

“I’m excited to see what the future holds for Detroit,” said Dawn Batts, Director of Growth Capital, Tech Town Detroit. “I think we have the potential to be a major player in the tech industry.”

The discussion showed there is a lot of interest in making Detroit a more attractive destination for start-ups and high-growth companies. The panelists’ discussion provided a lot of valuable insights, and the event generated a lot of excitement about the future of Detroit.

Andrea Plaid and Andre Ash contributed to this story.

4 Tips to Grow Cash Flow For Your Small Business

(StatePoint) As every small business owner soon learns, growing sources of revenue and cash flow are key to survival, particularly during a venture’s first few years. While this is easier said than done, small businesses can focus on attracting new customers, building partnerships and scaling up sustainably to improve cash flow.

To get you started, Wells Fargo is sharing actionable tips for entrepreneurs, along with information about how to leverage helpful resources:

1. Create an action plan: Don’t just make a business plan, put it into action. Tech tools can help. For example, the Silver Lining Action Plan, a data-driven software service from the American Small Business Growth Program, provides wide-ranging support and structure so you can develop behaviors and drive actions that lead to long-term, sustainable growth. The program also offers the opportunity to build capital, lending money to business owners based on their behavior in the program, not their credit history. With Wells Fargo philanthropic funding, the program is expanding and is now available in Spanish.

“Having access to a trusted expert in business and financial planning can be a game-changer for any small busi-

ness owner to get their initial footing and grow for the long-term,” said Jenny Flores, head of small business growth philanthropy at Wells Fargo. “We are very intentional about funding non-profit organizations that can help guide small business owners through goal setting and improving their profitability.”

2. Expand your network: Expanding your network can be a powerful path to attracting new customers, contracts and cash flow. In addition to joining your local chamber of commerce, consider opportunities like Wells Fargo’s Connect to More program, which through the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center, places women entrepreneurs from across

the country into “circles” that receive virtual and in-person peer and professional coaching over 12 weeks, plus the support of a growing network of fellow business leaders. Since its inception, the program has empowered more than 1,200 entrepreneurs in 47 states to grow their business through a wider network of engagement.

3. Scaling up: From streamlining operations to adjusting the business model, there are many moving parts to scaling up a business. Look into programs that can help you develop a growth mindset and provide you with an empowering ecosystem of support needed to make it happen.

The Latino Business Action Network’s Business Scaling Program, a nine-week online and in-person hybrid program at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, teaches participants about funding and capital options and pairs them with mentors who will challenge and support them. Corporate funders like Wells Fargo make it possible for the program to offer significant scholarships to admitted participants.

4. Get certified: If you’re a diverse business owner, consider getting certified

Anthony O. Kellum

Patti Glaza, Exe. VP Invest Detroit & Managing Director ID Venture, Dug Song, Co-Founder & President, The Song Foundation, Quentin Messer, CEO MEDC & President/Chair, Michigan Strategic Fund & Marlo Rencher, President Detroit Means Business

BofA Offering Free Financial Counseling Through Operation HOPE in Select Metro Detroit Financial Centers

Program proven to help individuals improve their overall financial health by building savings, reducing debt and improving their credit score

DETROIT — Bank of America is expanding HOPE InsideTM, a program in partnership with Operation HOPE, offering free, in-person financial coaching services in select Bank of America Metro Detroit financial. The program, now available in 17 markets nationwide, is designed to help people build savings, improve their credit scores and decrease debt.

In addition to the comprehensive credit and money management counseling HOPE Inside™ coaches provide, Metro Detroit clients can also participate in financial education workshops with Bank of America’s Better Money Habits guides, tools and content on topics including establishing and repairing credit; budgeting, savings and money management and home buying.

“Good financial health is at the root of strong communities. We are committed to ensuring more communities have access to solutions and resources that help them achieve a healthy financial future,” said Matt Elliott, President, Bank of America Michigan. “Operation HOPE and the HOPE InsideTM program help our clients build solid financial foundations by working with them to address short-term issues and plan for longterm financial goals.”

Operation HOPE has served more than four million people and directed more than $3.2 billion in economic activity into disenfranchised communities

In Metro Detroit, 10 BofA financial centers now offer one-on-one financial health sessions with a HOPE Financial Wellbeing Coach, available in-person and virtually, including:

25001 Van Dyke Ave., Center Line (Van Dyke Ave. and E. 10 Mile Rd.)

13024 Michigan Ave., Dearborn (Michigan Ave. and Hartwell St.)

13020 W. Warren Ave., Dearborn (W. Warren Ave. and Hartwell St.)

4001 8 Mile Rd., Detroit (8 Mile Rd. and Livernois St.)

3031 E. Grand Blvd., Detroit (New Center One at W. Grand Blvd. and 2nd Ave.)

17540 Grand River Ave., Detroit (Grand River Ave. and Longacre St.)

13900 Livernois, Detroit (Livernois and Oakman Blvd.)

3670 Woodward Ave., Detroit (Woodward Ave. and Mack Ave.)

1950 Dix Hwy., Lincoln Park (Southfield Rd. and Dix Hwy.)

25177 Greenfield Rd., Southfield (Greenfield Rd. and W. 10 Mile Rd.)

— turning check-cashing clients into banking clients, renters into homeowners, small business dreamers into small business owners, minimum wage workers into living wage consumers and uncertain disaster victims into financially empowered disaster survivors.

“Bank of America and HOPE Inside have already had a real, measurable impact on the financial health of so many individuals,” said John Hope Bryant,

Property Is Power

From page A-5

how you’ll use it. Do you need more outdoor space or a larger kitchen? What about areas of your home for family members to spend time together?

Maintenance Skill

When you rent, there’s always someone you can call to address any issues with your home. The cost and the trouble of maintenance are the responsibility of the property owner or property management company. When you own a property, however, you become responsible for all maintenance. Are you handy? Do you feel confident in your ability to learn these skills? Learning to fix a toilet that won’t stop running, for example, is pretty easy with the help of the right YouTube video, but what about bigger tasks like masonry or HVAC work? DIY projects can save money, but you could also end up causing bigger, more expensive prob-

lems if your skills aren’t up to par. Be honest with yourself about your ability to handle or budget for maintenance issues.

Amenities

While amenities offered in rentals versus owned property can vary widely based on your location and the amount you pay, figuring out the most important features to you is a key factor in your decision. If they aren’t dealbreakers, they can sometimes break a tie as you choose to rent or buy.

Parking: Will a rental home or apartment be able to provide you with covered parking or a garage, or would you be forced to park on the street? How much parking space will you need now and in the future for you and those you live with? Depending on the area you’re looking in, parking can be a complicated issue, or hard to find altogether.

Laundry: Do you need a

Grow Cash Flow

From page A-5

with a third party, such as the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce or Disability:In. Doing so can open up lucrative opportunities. For example, Wells Fargo, which is committed to working with diverse suppliers, spent over $330 million with certified women-owned businesses in 2021 alone.

For more small business ideas that will help

you take action and increase your opportunities for business success, visit https://smallbusinessresources.wf.com.

“As a bank that serves millions of small business customers, we know that success is hard to come by without support,” said Flores. “That’s why we’re always trying to connect entrepreneurs to valuable resources and contacts. It’s important to find the right expertise for where you are on running or growing your company.”

dedicated laundry room, or are you comfortable sharing with your neighbors? Owning a home isn’t a guarantee of an on-site washer and dryer. Older buildings and urban areas sometimes don’t offer these features, while many rentals in other areas do include inunit laundry.

Recreation space: Do you want a pool or workout room? Do you want to shoulder the cost of having those on your own property, or would you rather rent or buy in a community that provides them? Many neighborhoods have amenities like playgrounds, pools, trails and sports courts, but beware: they often come with the additional cost of a monthly or annual homeowner’s association fee. Rentals often offer these amenities and include them in the cost of your lease payment.

As your lease draws near its expiration, the decision to renew, find a new rental, or buy a home can feel a bit overwhelming.

Chairman and CEO, Operation HOPE, Inc. “The expansion of HOPE Inside is proof that empowering individuals with the knowledge and resources to navigate financial planning can have significant results on individuals, families, and communities.”

The HOPE Inside™ program was successfully piloted in four financial centers in Atlanta and Los Angeles be-

fore expanding to 15 initial markets. The results were clear: By the end of 2022, participants had on average improved their FICO scores by 21 points, increased their yearly savings by $4,313 and reduced their annual debt by $837. Counseling is available in both English and Spanish at most locations. For more information, visit www.OperationHOPE. org.

BE A PART OF THE CHANGE

The Community Foundation proudly partners with donors and community leaders across the region to create positive change that lasts for generations to come.

We can create charitable giving strategies that provide sustainable support for the programs, organizations and causes you believe in. call 313.961.6675 or visit CFSEM.org/Pancakes

The Economic Development Corporation of the City of Detroit is soliciting qualified Small Business

Professional Services providers for Technical Assistance and Architectural Design & Engineering service providers for the Motor City Match Program Motor City Match is seeking qualified firms that can provide services in the following categories:

Technical Assistance Services:

Legal Services

Accounting & Financial Planning

Marketing & Branding

Business Planning

Business Consulting

Technology & Web Services

Architectural Design & Engineering Services:

Architectural Services Engineering Services

Pre-Construction Services

Project Management Building Condition and Feasibility Assessments

The deadline for this Request for Proposal will be Friday June 30, 2023 at 11:59PM EST. Responses must be submitted via the Submittable Platform at the following links:

Technical Assistance Services: https://apply.motorcitymatch.com/submit/54221af7-4004-4cce-80f5d1ca99f44a71/edc-issued-rfq-march-2023-small-business-professional-services-application-te

Architectural Design, & Design Services: https://apply.motorcitymatch.com/submit/8d301ef8-3ce743ae-a367-133d976ad8c0/edc-issued-march-2023-small-business-professional-services-rfq-architectural Request for Qualification packages will be available on or after Wednesday, March 15, 2023 via the DEGC website at www.degc.org, the Motor City Match website at www.motorcitymatch.com, the Detroit Means Business website at https://www.detroitmeansbusiness.org/ and https://www.bidnetdirect.com/mitn/detroiteconomicgrowthcorporation

Pre-bid conferences will be held on the following days and times:

Technical Assistance Services: Wednesday, April 12, 2023 at 10:00 am via Zoom Conference: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83188105219?pwd=WHNYcDFhcWx3NWdlZTFxVHZ2dmNYQT09

Architectural Design & Engineering Services: Wednesday, April 12, 2023 at 11:00 am via Zoom Conference: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83188105219?pwd=WHNYcDFhcWx3NWdlZTFxVHZ2dmNYQT09

All submissions shall comply with the relevant federal funding guidelines, as described in the Bid Packet Each submission must demonstrate its ability to obtain Corporate Clearance from the City of Detroit as a condition of award ability.

C ity. L ife . Style .

Thrifting in Detroit: Rising Prices, Declining Quality

By Andrea Plaid

The New York Times declared about a year ago that “the golden age of thrifting is over” due to clothes created to keep up with the quick turnover of fashion trends—or ‘fast fashion’—being donated to thrift stores instead of clothes made from durable fabric and stitching.

Detroit hasn’t escaped this trend—and the increased prices that go along with it.

“I’ve been thrifting for a little over 15 years,” said Andrea Johnson, in an email exchange with the Michigan Chronicle. “Over the years I’ve noticed the quality of items in thrift stores has declined. Also, not as many designer items are able to be tracked down.”

When asked why this is happening, she said, “I attribute this to people deciding to resale items on various platforms, such as eBay, Poshmark, Facebook Marketplace, etc.”

And she’s not wrong. Alana Rodriguez, owner of Mama Coo’s Boutique on Trumbell, shared a similar feeling.

“I have been in the thrifting/ reselling/ flea market game for pretty much my whole life,” she told the Michigan Chronicle in an email exchange. She has owned her boutique for six years. “I remember going to the original Salvation Army on Fort Street as a child with my mom. Back then it was out of necessity, though I didn’t know it. There was a stigma then about having to shop at places like that, but I thought it was super dope. Finding treasures and one of a kind pieces was fun and a challenge.

“Now as I stroll the thrift isles, seeing people checking items on eBay, or making TikTok videos it’s a whole new ballgame,” Rodriguez continued. “Thrifting has become super ‘trendy.’ Like with many trends, the demand has created a scarcity as well as a surge in pricing. With all these new Instagram stores, pop-up shops and resellers surfacing, it’s making it super difficult for people like me who have made this a career and have been at it for years.”

Rodriguez, a lifelong Detroiter, said the current resale and thrifting scene in the city is “disheartening.”

“I see the new shops opening and most are outrageously priced. It’s disheartening and honestly a [crappy] feeling not being able to afford stores opening in your own neighborhood.

“That’s one of the reasons Mama Coo’s has always had a mission to be super affordable while offering a boutique upscale shopping experience. With that being said, our mission is becoming more difficult with the resale inflation. I have had to raise prices and sourcing is a lot more tedious.”

Savor Red

By Lynzee Mychael MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST

Grandma’s cooking is a staple in the Black community and very rarely can it be duplicated. A dish from grandma is filled with love and every bite is packed with flavor. Recipes have passed through generations, expanding the impact and keeping families connected by eating familiar dishes and celebrating together.

Mercedies Harris, owner of Savor Red, has had a passion for cooking for as long as she can remember. Savor Red, which is a Black-owned food pop-up and catering service, specializes in a variety of dishes that can surly please any palate. Harris recalls cooking with her Grandma Red as a child and carries the memories of her now during her culinary career. She paid homage to her grandmother for her love and influence by including her name in her company and logo.

“You know how you can eat something, and it taste like grandma’s cooking? It takes you back. I have people tell me that all the time and that’s when I tell them it’s my grandma. She taught me how to cook. It’s like the cookout or like the holiday dinner where you would come together, and everything is good.”

After having the time to reevaluate her career path during the pandemic, Harris decided to step out on faith and pursue the food service industry seriously. She wanted to work in a field that made her happy, doing something she is

passionate about.

“You cannot do it for money. If you do it for money, customers will know. For me the money is just extra, that’s like the cherry on top. You have do it because you love to do it when it comes to food because the food speaks to you. So, you know when you’ve been fed some bull.”

Harris prides herself on bringing variety to the menu while switching seamlessly between food types. Currently covering a few weekly pop-up locations, she loves creating the staples, but she

always adds a side of excitement.

Burgers, tacos, corned beef and chicken wings are some of the options you can expect on a typical bar night.

Now working in her passion full time Harris is excited to continue expanding. Along with making delicious and savory dishes, she can also bake. She takes credit for the majority of her food recipes, but proudly admits that her dessert menu options are personal recipes of her grandma Red. Cupcakes, cookies and delicious Bundt cakes are all made with patience and love just like her grandmother taught her.

“She would bake a lot. She cooked too, but I remember being in the kitchen with her when she would bake and make sauces. She literally did everything. She was the person on the block who would make cakes for every single neighbor for Christmas day. This wasn’t a career for her. It was a passion. It was a love for her. It’s a passion for me too.”

Harris plans to continue cooking in the name of her Grandma Red, keeping her name and spirit alive. The future for Savor Red includes travel, more pop-up locations and some surprises with her dessert menu. She is also sharpening her culinary skills by expanding her training and expertise. This year will showcase increased pop-ups and Good Mood Food for Savor Red. To stay in the know of all things Savor Red follow their Instagram @SAVOR_RED.

D Loft Commercial Kitchen Offers Affordable Space for Food Entrepreneurs

By Andre Ash DIGITAL ANCHOR

She created a new space for aspiring chefs and food vendors in July 2022. It was a journey that began after engaging with health officials from Oakland County as ideas formulated on how to develop space for food entrepreneurs as the population for this particular industry sector outpaced the space needed to shelter and prepare food for their individual businesses.

“We found something that had good bones,” said Brandi Shelton, CEO and co-founder of D Loft Commercial Kitchen, a building she rehabilitated. Shelton created the commercial kitchen to give space to food professionals who oftentimes know how to cook, yet discover early-on that the business of food can be costly. Shelton’s kitchen provides the space for food entrepreneurs in business without a brick-and-mortar, or to food truck vendors to refrigerate, freeze and cook.

“We are excited to offer this space immersed in the heart of the community,” Shelton said. “The D Loft Commercial Kitchen caters to food entrepreneurs regardless of whether they

are starting up or expanding. Our space is for anyone with the desire to prepare food that inspires, which is our motto.”

It was Shelton’s participation in the Detroit Community Wealth Fund (DCWF), which helped her business progress to where it stands today.

The DCWF’s focus is to empower historically marginalized Detroiters, blending education and programming about cooperatives, with non-extractive loans to support democratic and community-based businesses in Detroit, according to its mission statement.

Shelton spotted the 1500-squarefoot facility she wanted, located at 20499 Schaefer, and over the course of several months would transform the building that would become a welcome space for food-based entrepreneurs and culinary enthusiasts.

“Being able to purchase all of the equipment from ovens to fryers, gas charcoal grills to burners, refrigerators to freezers, all of this would have cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

Shelton is using a concept used in places like Chicago, Miami and New York known as ghost kitchens.

“The concept is where a chef or business owner would come into our space and sell food through Door Dash, Uber Eats or Grub Hubb [and would] also have customers purchase directly online for an in-person pick-up of their food.”

The D Loft Commercial Kitchen, which is one of the first ghost kitchens to open in the state, gives budding food entrepreneurs a place to test an idea or call home at an affordable rate. The facility offers 24-7 availability for food professionals.

Shelton explains this is an opportunity for many culinary professionals to share a kitchen with no overwhelming cost.

“This experience still cost less than owning your own restaurant house,” Shelton adds. “For startups you learn pathways on how to operate more efficiently, you can create your own process flows to learn what works and what doesn’t. Chefs can also can also try out different menu items to see what your consuming public would look for.”

The demand for commercial kitchen space (and ghost kitchens) has increased since the onset of the pan-

See THRIFT SHOPS Page B-2

The increased numbers of resellers, along with brick-and-mortar and online thrift shops, doesn’t equate to lower prices for thrift-store shoppers. In fact, prices are going up and pricing out the people who need to buy thrift.

Thrift Shop

From page B-1

Nicole Delano, the owner of the resale store Hiptique Resale and Gifts, said that resale is its own cottage industry that’s very competitive—and because of that, the price would go down.

“You would think so,” she said. “For example, eBay is a huge market. I bid and buy things from there if I’m looking for something in particular. It’s become a huge and serious business. Some people are gouging, and some aren’t.

Delano explained the difference between thrifting and resale.

“Thrifting is 501( c ) 3. They get the donations and can sell things reasonably cheaply. Those have been my suppliers. But I try to stay out of the immediate area to let the local people who really need to [use the stores] be able to do so. I buy a lot of my stuff online.

“When it comes to thrifting, the prices have almost tripled,” Delano said. “What used to be a $9 jacket easily turns into a $20-$30 jacket. [Places] like Salvation Army have gone up a bit, too.”

She gave the example of vintage eyeglasses.

“A pair of glasses you could buy three years ago for six or seven dollars is now sold for $10-$15. On resale those glasses would be $30-$40.

“’Vintage’ just means ‘expensive’ now.”

According to Delano, inflation and people jacking up the prices are two causes for the price increase.

“Prices will go up because they can. And everybody is a reseller now—even

D-Loft

From page B-1

demic, and D Loft Commercial Kitchen is committed to accommodating those who want to pursue their passion for food. The facility offers daily, weekly, monthly or annual memberships that also include small business support services.

“We assist entrepreneurs in growing their products, expanding their market and networking with similar businesses in the Michigan food community,” Shelton says.

In the food truck businesses which are some of Shelton’s clients, she says the space they utilize conforms to holding refrigerated items for storage and

Amazon and Wal-Mart are now selling used goods.”

es and resale prices are nearly the same for quality items, Delano said. mate change.

tainable goods is really important to me. Fashion is one of the biggest creators of trash on the planet, and whatever I can do to stop that, I do.” rious about the environment, and some people are serious about their pockets.”

The stores that supply resellers like Delano are also changing how and where they are distributing their clothes, making it harder for entrepreneurs like Delano.

“The clothes aren’t always used. Some stores are writing off their new products to thrift stores, so the clothes still have their tags. The items aren’t used; they just weren’t sold. There are a lot of retailers shutting down, so they’re going to do what they can to save some dough.”

Another aspect to the ever-changing world of thrifting and reselling is that, due to people donating their “fast fashion,” the quality of it gets funneled to the people who thrift out of necessity while also driving up labor costs. It takes more employees to sort through the volumes of clothes given to such a store. That cost also drives up the prices.

Mack Avenue, where Hiptique Resale & Gifts is located, has been nicknamed “Resale Avenue” because of the number of reselling businesses there.

“Reselling is a big business.”

mainly prepping for food to prepare to stack in their trucks on an as-needed basis as it relates to event retail whenever a food truck business is booked to set up shop.

As the food industry grows across Detroit and the need to support culinary professionals expands, there is something that keeps Shelton being in that position to provide support and pushing forward.

“You can find peace and tranquility in serving others,” Shelton added. “When you serve others, the things you want or need will always come to your table.

The D Loft Commercial Kitchen is part of the D Loft brand/suites, a Michigan-based social company specializing in entertainment, hospitality and food/ beverage.

Teacher and Activist Sanaa Green Reclaims Black Womanhood Through Belly Dancing

By Andrea Plaid

Multihyphenate Sanaa (pronounced sah-NAH) Green’s primary job is “to help women connect with their brighter selves through earth-touch practices.”

One of those practices is teaching belly dancing. She currently conducts a four-week class at the General Baker Institute on Livernois, which Green describes as a “social-activist hub.” The class started on March 21.

The classes are sponsored by the Wisdom Institute, which received a grant from the Transforming Power Forum “to organize marginalized people in a nontraditional way and build political power,” said Green. The grant, which is called “Passing the Torch, Preserving the Flame,” is in the third year of its three-year span. Green is one of the teaching artists that the grant supports.

“I’m starting the class in the Spring because I wanted women—cisgender, transgender and nonbinary--to be able to start this new season in a celebratory way. I know how important it to mark the change of seasons so we’re in concert with the earth, but I don’t push that on the students.” She did ask the class to contemplate what was “budding” for them, such as new projects.

Green’s class is also “a reclamation for women of African descent.”

Giving & T hriving:

How to Move

of Solitude

Sanaa Green’s four-week belly dancing class at the General Baker Institute welcomes cisgender, transgender and nonbinary women to welcome Spring “in a celebratory way.”

“I love to provide a space for those who are on the front lines of social justice work as a counterbalance of having to be ‘big and bad.’ It’s OK to be big and bad, and it’s OK to be feminine and soft—and be those things at the same time.”

Belly dancing has helped Green reconnect with her femininity, fullness and sensuality in a way that’s non-judgmental, she said in a one-on-one interview with the Michigan Chronicle. She’s been doing the dance on and off since the early 2000s.

That non-judgmental reconnection was momentous for Green. “I’ve always been hippy, and I always wanted to cover up because I didn’t want to give the wrong impression.”

That impression came from social strictures on women’s bodies, in particular how respectability politics dictate how ‘good girls’ are supposed to look and move.

“’Good girls’ don’t move their hips. As a matter of fact, in this society, we walk in a way so that we don’t move our hips. But hips are designed to be flexible and to move, to walk and bend and sit and even give birth. In order to do those things, we have to move them.”

African dances and dances that are of African descent are pelvic- and hip-centered, Green said. “And we Black women love to move our hips.”

The hips are related to the root chakra, or the energy center that flows from between the legs and into the earth, said Green, who has done master’s-level work in ecopsychology at the renowned Naropa University and is a reiki master.

The root chakra keeps humans grounded physically and energetically, she explained. She connected the root chakra and how Indigenous women in West Africa and the Amazon sit or squat when they cook as another demonstration of how women of color are linked to the earth.

“The way I teach belly dancing, my intention is to activate all seven chakras, or energy centers and the students’ overall energy and to become aware and connect with the Divine Feminine within.

“You may think that moving your hips and being sexy connects you to the Divine Feminine—and that’s a part of it. But it’s also the interconnectedness of all the chakras working together that creates that awareness of yourself as someone wonderfully and sacredly made.”

Not that everything is and will be perfect and happy, Green stated, but there’s this part in ourselves that is created to love and be loved.

When asked how belly dancing fits into the current conversations within Black communities about divine femininity in terms of wearing makeup, dressing up in certain clothes and being submissive to attract a man, Green said, “The divine feminine was hijacked centuries ago.”

Belly dancing, she continued, came out of North Africa and danced throughout what historians and archaeologists call The Fertile Crescent, such as what is now known as Syria, Persia, Ethiopia and other countries in that region. That is where the Goddess religions were “strongly felt” and practiced.

Belly dance was created with the awareness that women are the bearers of life, “not only human life but also communities. The men in those communities were magicians.” Therefore, “masculine and the feminine are designed to work together, both in the [human interactions and relationships] and inside of us,” Green said.

The dance done in the presence of a group of women is a form of bonding. However, when the Goddess-centered communities dispersed and women had to make a living, that’s when belly dancing became a performance, including decorating hip scarves with coins, according to Green.

For more information about the current class and future workshops, please visit www.centerherpower.com.

By Sherri Kolade

Author and Poet May Sarton eloquently speaks of the power of solitude that impacts people of all different walks of life going through varying seasons of solitude.

Whether going through a devastating breakup, job transition, the loss of a loved one or another major life change, moving into a period of solitude can be heartbreaking and confusing and can produce feelings of misalignment and mistaken identity.

Sometimes, though, periods of solitude are exactly what you need to hack your greatness as a party of one. From maximizing your rest to getting new business tips—seasons of prioritizing yourself can mean great things when working on yourself.

American business magazine Inc.com wrote that a science-backed report can show that even setting aside 10 minutes a day can do wonders for the brain, mind, body and more.

In the Inc.com article, 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do, it’s noted that while it’s crucial to spend time with other individuals having too much “people time” could potentially be detrimental.

“Your health and well-being depend on having time alone. But as a therapist, persuading clients to spend time alone themselves can be challenging,” psychotherapist Amy Morin said in the article, adding that some people who spend significant time by themselves feel like an outcast.

“Many people who enter my therapy office are already feeling lonely. And there’s evidence that says loneliness is becoming a health epidemic.”

However, being alone and feeling lonely are quite different things. Even when there are many people there, many still feel lonely. Yet, while some people spend a lot of time alone, they never feel lonely.

We all know that great things come to those who wait but great things also come to those who learn to thrive in the season where they are standing tall alone. Some benefits Inc.com reports include:

Getting to know yourself

You make decisions while you’re by yourself since there are no outside influences. You are free to decide how to spend your time without considering how others may feel. You’ll gain more understanding of who you are as a person by exercising your own judgment when making decisions.

You’ll also learn to feel more at ease in your own skin by spending time alone. The more self-aware you are, the easier it will be for you to be yourself among other people.

Spending time alone might enhance your relationships

Time spent with friends, family and coworkers helps to foster a “we vs. them” mindset. You’ll unintentionally come to have less empathy for people who don’t

belong in your inner group since you’ll perceive them as being different from you.

These restrictions are removed with alone time. Research has shown that scheduling alone time helps you grow more compassionate toward others. Here are some ways that resonate the most:

1. Creativity and productivity are enhanced by solitude.

There’s a good reason why creative people like musicians, writers and artists like alone. They can be more creative in a private setting, whether it’s a quiet studio or a log cabin in the woods. Research has shown that solitude frequently encourages creativity.

Alone time increases productivity in addition to creativity. Studies repeatedly demonstrate that individuals do better when they have privacy (which means open floor plans make terrible work environments).

2. You can plan your life when you’re alone yourself.

While it’s important to have shared objectives with your spouse, children or coworkers, you also need to make sure that you’re living your best life on your own. Be proactive in making plans for your life, just as you may make plans for retirement or a trip.

Setting aside time for solitude can encourage reflection on your objectives, desires and dreams.

Consider whether you are living your life following your principles and whether making some changes when you take a break from the hustle and bustle while living in this season of being solo doesn’t have to be complex.

Now, putting your feet to do the work once alone is a game changer, too. Just ask solopreneur, business coach and wealth-building guru Pamela Hilliard Owens, who built her business from the ground up working solo.

Hilliard Owens helps many people, in particular independent writers, creatives, and solo professionals, who come to her when they want to “maximize their branding, marketing influence and authority-building reach.”

“I help creative, solo professionals and small business owners throughout the United States, Canada, the U.K. and 12 other countries to set up, grow and maintain their businesses, make successful decisions and plans that will put them on the right path to success,” she said of her business, Global Creative Community Branding and Marketing Academy (GCCBMA), which helps many people in their season of solitude stretch themselves to their next level.

Whether one is looking to improve their life for the better or getting more serious about their coins, living in a season of solitude can help repair the soul (and pocketbook) in more ways than one.

To benefit from isolation, you don’t need to set up huge blocks of time. Just 10 minutes a day of alone time can do the trick. Whether it be a business plan, future endeavor, accomplishment or budding success story, think about positive ideas that go beyond just words of affirmation to transform your light and life.

“Loneliness is the poverty of self; solitude is the richness of self.”

Business coach and wealth-building guru Pamela Hilliard Owens.

Bloodline Dynasty:

Tattoo Shop Brings Unique flare to Metro Detroit

By Lynzee Mychael

DIGITAL CONTENT WRITER

You’re getting more than just your typical tattoo experience when visiting the eclectic and talented artists at Bloodline Dynasty. Industry veterans Krissy the Butcher and Quinten Harper have taken their 30 years of combined experience and created a safe, creative space inspired by friendship and artistry.

The co-owners of Bloodline Dynasty, located in Farmington Hills, have invested in their shop to ensure that the ambience reflects them as a team and individual artists, while making their clientele comfortable with their visual sense and craftmanship.

Harper also took lots of art classes in his adolescent and teenage years and began tattooing in his 20’s because he felt it was something he would be good at. Harper, who is a calm and calculated man, said he is satisfied with the modest things and is appreciating the joys of the new shop and this new chapter.

“A good big tattoo to work on and good music is all I need. I am content with the simple things.” Outside of being a tattoo artist, Harper enjoys myology, working out and spending time with his family.

Krissy the Butcher describes herself as a good mixture of city and suburban life and depicts her style as hardcore and sweet. With years of learning from artists from all different backgrounds, she prides herself on not being in a box and delivering whatever a canvas may request.

“I’ve worked with so many tattoo veterans over the years so there’s no one specific style that I do. I’ve picked up on everything. I can do pretty much anything, and I just cater to the clients and their needs.”

With 10 years of experience together, these Detroit natives have found a rhythm and balance with one another and leverage each other’s strengths while learning together. The two express having parallel aspirations which make their partnership unified and aligned.

“Me and Krissy both had similar goals, as far as long-term achievement and where we wanted to take our lives next,” Harper explained. “It seemed like it would be a good thing to do beyond just our ability to tattoo. It’s where we see ourselves 15 to 20 years from now.”

Both artists had similar starts by finding a love for art at a young age. Although the path leading to a career in tattooing wasn’t always clear, their interest in art never wavered.

“As a kid I was always drawing and then I took more serious art classes in high school,” said Krissy the Butcher. “It wasn’t until college when I didn’t have an art class that I started tattooing. I needed an outlet focused on art, but I didn’t know that a career in tattooing was possible for someone like me. I didn’t see any women who looked like me having successful tattoo careers.”

An example of Krissy the Butcher doing whatever it takes is when she flew to Florida and completed multiple sessions with NFL athlete Devin Funchess. She described the experience as life changing and looks forward to the next opportunity where she can travel and create different styles for future clients.

Harper said black and grey realism and portrait work are his preferred styles, but he has interest in learning more color realism in the future. As of now his focus is fostering his current strengths and improving his technique.

“I like color realism because it’s nice to look at. I wouldn’t mind learning more in the future, but right now my focus is on learning and advancing with black and gray and my portrait work.”

Late last year the Bloodline Dynasty team debuted their newly renovated shop to family, friends and current clients. Both artists played an equal part in tackling the interior design of the shop, and while both had different ideas on the projects and art displays, their visions fused together effortlessly, creating breathtaking rooms and memorable backdrops. Krissy credits her interior design experience and Harper’s ability to execute his unique ideas to the positive outcome of their space.

“It’s a reflection of me and him as

friends and partners. We have worked together for over a decade. How we work together and as separate artists naturally bled over into the design.”

By combining modern day Black excellence, ancient pyramids, Black art and Black religion with heavy golds, rare pieces, and even a waterfall, Bloodline Dynasty exudes African royalty. Even the logo, which Harper designed, was pulled from the Egyptian God Horus. Harper said he loves the way the falcon-headed God looks in the shop and visitors do too.

The business pair both talk about soon bringing relaxation and providing more than just tattoos to the shop. “We want to expand so more people can be a part of the vision without necessarily getting a tattoo or piercing,” said Krissy.

The shop will also provide quality tattoo supplies for other artists, wellness and rejuvenation services, massage options and apparel. The team at Bloodline looks to cater to the client’s mind, body and soul while creating relationships with those supporting the concept.

Bloodline Dynasty is more than just a tattoo shop they are family. The other artists in the shop add to the personality and variety making this one of the coolest places in the world. As the team continues to make connections with

other Black artists in the industry, Krissy sees a bright future for her and her crew.

“We link up and form teams and become super powers in the art world. We really stick together. We talk together and do art together. It’s a bond I really appreciate.”

When asked what describes Bloodline Dynasty as a whole, Harper explains the sincerity of their art.

“We take our craft very seriously. We take ourselves very seriously. And we like dealing with people who treat themselves the same way and have the same respect for the craft that we do.”

Being on the same page seems to be a common trend between Krissy the Butcher and Harper. Krissy’s response was very similar, showing that this team has the same qualities and standards.

“We are a very enlightened group. Come with good energy and we are going to cater to you. You are going to have a good time, you’re going to feel great, and you’re getting a great piece of artwork.”

Follow Bloodline Dynasty @bloodlinedynasty on Instagram to check out their work and stay in the know for upcoming events and specials. Krissy the Butcher can be followed @thexbutcher and Harper can be followed @inkheadtattoos.

“Don’t Trip, Get a Grip!”

Detroit’s Chef Tony Expands Culinary Footprint to Texas with The Gripper Kitchen

By Lynzee Mychael

Chef Tony, owner of Durden’s Catering and creator of the famous Yung Gripper sandwich, officially expanded to Houston, Tex., earlier this year and the city couldn’t be prouder. Many Detroiters have had the pleasure of enjoying Chef Tony’s delicious meals and have followed his exciting entrepreneurial ventures for the past 10 years. Originally known as one of the hottest event caterers in Detroit, Chef Tony wowed the city with his soul food staples, elaborate seafood dishes, perfectly grilled BBQ and delectable desserts.

In 2019, at the height of the chicken sandwich wars, Chef Tony flooded the streets with his spin on the classic dish. The sandwich caught the attention of news outlets and celebrities, bringing large crowds every day to grab a Yung Gripper sandwich, no matter the weather. Noticing the outpouring of support and increasing demand, Chef Tony introduced The Gripper Food Truck, allowing for the first phase of the expansion.

No stranger to hustling and perseverance, Chef Tony grinded through the pandemic delivering much needed positivity and tasty food around the city with his unique Tony Island menu. His popularity continued to skyrocket due to his infectious D-Boy personality and daring approach to culinary arts. His meals are known to have a heavenly presentation that you can almost taste through the pictures.

Fast forward to 2023 and all of the hard work is paying off as the Texas operation is officially up and running with The Gripper Kitchen. Texas is becoming

a new hub for flourishing Black businesses in many different industries, including restaurants, real estate and media. Chef Tony said he chose to expand to Texas due to weather, economics and peace of mind.

“It is a fresh start for me. Nobody knows me so they can’t put a stigma on me. I’m enjoying showing my children something different.”

The Gripper Kitchen is a taste of Detroit in the south, even carrying Faygo products.

“You know I got Detroit all through the restaurant telling where the Gripper was born. People know I’m not from here, but everyone is very receptive. Everyone in the area is saying ‘try this spot, they are amazing.’ The restaurant is getting great feedback. They ain’t trippin’, they just Grippin!”

Chef Tony says the future is franchise and the moves he and his team are making now are setting the organization up for even bigger opportunities.

“The ultimate goal is to franchise. It’s just me as a perfectionist and a master of my craft, I have to have everything right in order for me to take that next step with this. I have been getting a lot of calls and DMs about the franchise

weekly. A lot of people want to be a part and be involved because they see the vision and it’s going to happen. Of course, one is coming to Detroit, no question.”

For Chef Tony transparency is important and he has no problem sharing his journey with hopes to inspire his followers that with faith and determination anything is possible.

“I like to document and share my story and my journey as it relates to me building this location because it wasn’t easy. I had a lot of barriers stacked against me. I had a lot of stuff stacked against me. It wasn’t easy, but the relentlessness in me and the Detroit in me -- it was going to happen regardless. Because God already told me that.”

More than anything else Chef Tony is a devoted family man. As a loving husband and father, a huge part of the Durden brand is his wife and children. Chef Tony credits the guidance from his grandfather for his love for food and family. He said his grandfather played a key role in molding him into the man he is today.

“Probably 90 percent of my inspiration as it relates to me just being who I am in general, from cooking to being a father to being a devoted and dedicat-

ed husband, to being a hard worker and being relentless and everything that I do came from my granddaddy. My granddaddy taught me work ethic and how to always put your best foot forward and get to it.”

Another important piece of the Durden family is Chef Tony’s wife ReNika Durden. As an entrepreneur in her own right, this supportive wife helps with the inner workings of the restaurant and handles the finances and advertising. ReNika said that keeping their children involved is key to passing down this legacy and creating generational wealth.

“We are training them to know that this is yours and not only do you have to run it, you have to work it and you have to know how to do this. Our favorite saying is, you don’t have to do it for a living, but you have to know how to do it.”

ReNika said the expansion should not be looked at as leaving Detroit, but a fantastic opportunity that will essentially drive traffic back to the Detroit area.

The Gripper Kitchen is located in the Houston suburb of Pearland and serves a full menu of unique Gripper sandwiches. Detroit operations are still going strong. Detroit supporters can still experience the Chef Tony taste we know and love by ordering with Durden’s Catering and the Gripper Food Truck located on Livernois.

“I am trying to set the foundation for generations to come. I’m trying to break barriers and stigmas that’s associated with Black men in itself and show that there is a different way,” said Chef Tony. “We not trippin’, we just Grippin. That’s what you gotta know.”

Co-owners Krissy The Butcher & Quinten Harper

Tattoo by Krissy The Butcher. PHOTOS: BLOODLINEDYNASTY.COM

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Notice is hereby given that the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) has prepared the FY 2024 Annual Operating and Capital Budgets. The total estimated budgets include the following programs: 5307 Formula ($41,088,434), 5307 LETC Governor’s Apportionment ($2,615,082), 5339 Formula ($4,541,295), 5339 LETC Governor’s Apportionment ($204,379), CMAQ ($6,350,000), 5310 SMART & Monroe ($4,830,698), 5310 NOTA ($375,212), 5311 Nonurban JARC ($623,298), Act 51 Operating ($46,947,000), 5311 LETC Operating ($554,000) and Other State Subsidized Services (Operating) ($938,294). SMART ensures that the level and quality of transportation service is provided without regard to race, color, or national origin in accordance with the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. For more information regarding our Title VI obligations or to file a complaint, please contact us at the below address. The proposed Capital and Operating budgets are on SMART’s website (https://www.smartbus.org/About/Our-Organization/ Financial-Reports). If you are unable to access the budgets electronically, they are on file at SMART, Buhl Building, 6th floor 535 Griswold Street, Detroit, MI 48226 and may be reviewed from Tuesday, April 25, 2023 through Wednesday, May 24, 2023 by appointment only. To reserve an appointment, please call, 313-223-2149, or email a request to publichearing@ smartbus.org.

Written comments regarding the budgets must be received by Wednesday, May 24, 2023 at SMART, Buhl Building,

Attention: Manager of Capital and Grant Programs, 535 Griswold Street, Detroit, MI. 48226 or, at the following email address: publichearing@smartbus.org A public hearing on the Operating and Grants budgets will be held during the regularly scheduled SMART Board of Directors meeting on Thursday, May 25, 2023, at 2 pm to allow public comment and the reading of written comment on the FY2024 Capital and Operating Budgets.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

SUBURBAN MOBILITY AUTHORITY FOR REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION (SMART)

Proposed Service Adjustments

Notice is hereby given that Public Hearings have been scheduled to consider the following proposals to modify service on the following routes:

305 Grand River – extend current route from Farmington Hills through Novi to Wixom.

• 400 Southfield/Orchard Ridge – discontinue route.

430 Main Street - operate peak service only.

450/462 Woodward/FAST – operate new service in Bloomfield Hills.

• 492 Rochester Road – new route on Rochester Road from Troy through Rochester to Auburn Hills.

740 Twelve Mile – extend current route from Farmington Hills through Novi to Wixom.

759 Highland Road – new route from Auburn Hills through Pontiac, Waterford and White Lake Twp. along M-59.

• 790 Pontiac Perry/Opdyke – modify current route to better serve Pontiac and Auburn Hills.

805 Grand River P&R – extend current service from Farmington Hills to Novi.

• 851 W. Bloomfield/Farmington Hills P&R – extend current route from W. Bloomfield through Orchard Lake, Keego Harbor and Sylvan Lake via Orchard Lake Road.

760 Thirteen Mile/Fourteen Mile - discontinue route on Saturdays only.

796 Pontiac Perry/Opdyke – discontinue route on Saturdays only.

Public Hearing – Monday, May 15, 2023, 5:00 p.m. Oakland University Oakland Center – Gold Room

312 Meadow Brook Rd. Rochester, MI 48309

Public Hearing – Tuesday, May 16, 2023, 5:00 p.m.

The Hawk - Farmington Hills Community Center – 3rd Floor

29995 W 12 Mile Rd, Farmington Hills, MI 48334

Public Hearing – Thursday, May 18 23, 2023, 5:00 p.m.

Berkley City Hall – Council Chambers

3338 Coolidge Hwy. Berkley, MI 48072

SMART will host a virtual community engagement session on Thursday, May 11, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. Please visit SMART’s website for the link prior to the meeting.

An interpreter for the hearing impaired will be made available if SMART is contacted seven (7) days prior to the public hearings.

Comments will also be accepted by telephone via Michigan

Relay: 711 or calling 866-962-5515 option #2.

For those unable to attend the meetings, written comments will be accepted through May 18, 2023. Written comments should be addressed to “Public Hearing” and mailed to SMART

Administrative Offices, 535 Griswold Street, Suite 600, Detroit, MI 48226. Comments may also be emailed to PublicHearing@ smartbus.org.

Proposed service change information will be posted on SMART’s website www.smartmovesus.org or you may call

SMART Customer Care for details at (866) 962-5515, Monday – Friday from 5:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

IT industry. Alt: Master’s deg (or foreign equiv) in Comp, Elect Eng, Elect and Comm Eng, or rel with 3 yrs of exp in the IT industry. Exp in embedded SW dev in Auto Platform, C, C++, Linux, QNX, Android, RTC, GDB, GIT, JENKINS, WIFI, Audio, Navigation, BT- Bluetooth, Android Auto, Car play, CAN.

How to Apply: Send your Res to Harman Connected Services

C/O Gokulakrishnan Deivanayagam (Job ID - SESW-M-HCS-01) 2002, 156th Ave, NE Suite 200, Bellevue, WA 98007.

Senior Program Manager

Senior Program Manager, 01 Pos, Novi, MI. Job Code: SPMHCS-M-01. Complete prod dev which covers all aspects HW, SW and mech by adhering to process. Build and mng cust relationships and prod delivery with good qual. Build highly capable team for flawless proj del. Ensure overall success and profitability of the proj (i. e. work with fince team etc to ensure operating margins in projs. Own and ensures that budget, scope, and prog sched are m’tained in his progs.

Dr. James E. Austin

Dr. James E. Austin, age 88, born October 10, 1933, in Portsmouth, Ohio, made his transition to his heavenly home on April 14, 2022. He attended Bellaire High School in Bellaire, Ohio and was a graduate of Central State College in Wilberforce, Ohio. While at Central State, he became a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. He also met and married his college sweetheart, Dorothy Ann Caldwell. To this union four daughters were born. Dr. Austin went on to attend Meharry’s School of Dentistry graduating in 1964. From there he relocated to Newton, Massachusetts and attended Boston University’s Graduate School of Dentistry, where he specialized in periodontal disease receiving his M.Sc.D. in 1967. Dr. Austin also earned certificates in both Periodontology and Oral Pathology. He retired from active practice in 2017, yet he continued in the field he so loved by contributing his knowledge and expertise as an adjunct professor and trustee at Meharry School of Dentistry until 2018.

Dr. Austin was preceded in death by his father and mother, Lovell Austin and Dorothy Tanner Austin, daughter, Greta Faye Austin, and a host of aunts and uncles. He leaves to cherish his memory, daughters, Liscia R. (Eric) Bass, Monica A. (Eric) Benning and Aleta A. (Grady Jr.) Wyche; grandchildren, Alfonso (Domonique) Banks III, Austin D. Wyche, Alexis C. Wyche and Calvin Charles Benning; 6 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great granddaughters. In honor of his life, a memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 6, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. at Hartford Memorial Baptist Church, 18700 James Couzens, Detroit, Michigan 48235. In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to:

SPM-HCS-M-01) 2002, 156th Ave, NE Suite 200, Bellevue, WA 98007.

Meharry Medical College

Attention: Gift Management Services Hulda Margaret Lyttle Hall 1055 Dr. D.B. Todd Jr., Blvd. Nashville, Tennessee 37208

Make checks payable to: Meharry Medical College and In Memo Section: In honor of Dr. James E. Austin, D.D.S. – Class of 1964 OR Donate online: https://registration.mmc.edu/giving.html In the comment section: In honor of Dr. James E. Austin, D.D.S. –Class of 1964

ELECTRICAL ENGINEER

American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc. has openings for

REQUEST FOR QUOTES

The Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) is soliciting RFQ for No. 23-3779 for R-134A Refrigerant Canisters. RFQ forms may be obtained beginning, April 25, 2023 from http://www.mitn.info. RFQ is due by 3:00 PM ET, May 26, 2023.

COVENANT HOUSE ACADEMY DETROIT SOUTHWEST CAMPUS

1450 25th STREET, DETROIT, MI 48216

Phone: (313) 297-8720 Fax: (313) 297-8730

Applications for the 2023-2024 academic year will be available at the school for enrollment and re-enrollment from May 01 through May 26, 2023. An Answering machine is available for messages.

Applications will be accepted for grades 9-12,serving students ages 15-22. Should applications exceed available space, a random selection drawing will be held on June 5, 2023 at the school.

COVENANT HOUSE ACADEMY DETROIT EAST CAMPUS

9100 Gratiot, DETROIT, MI 48213

Phone: (313) 267-4315 Fax: (313) 267-4320

Applications for the 2023-2024 academic year will be available at the school for enrollment and re-enrollment from May 01 through May 26, 2023. An Answering machine is available for messages. Applications will be accepted for grades 9-12, serving students ages 15-22. Should applications exceed available space, a random selection drawing will be held on June 5, 2023 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 2023-2024 academic year will be available at the school for enrollment and re-enrollment from May 01 through May 26, 2023. An Answering machine is available for messages.

Applications will be accepted for grades 9-12,serving students ages 15-22. Should applicationsexceed available space, a random selection drawing will be held on June 5, 2023 at the school.

Metro Engineering Solutions, LLC has available positions of Electrical Engineer in Livonia, MI. Position requires a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering & 6 months experience as an Electrical Engineer (internship(s) acceptable) &/or University Research Assistant. Position also requires: 1) Exp. must include 6 mos. exp. analyzing power systems using CYME; & 2)

Successful completion of one university course in Power Systems Analysis or Electrical Circuit Theory. Job duties: Design & coordinate all Power Systems aspects of work related to distribution for utilities, Smart Grid automation systems, & integration of smart devices. Coordinate a team of engineers & designers who execute evaluation & resolution of engineering-related customer challenges in substation, distribution, & transmission projects. Interpret technical electrical engineering drawings. Ensure internal design teams deliver functional & constructible job packages for construction crews. Complete load flow balancing, contingency plans, protection analysis, grounding schematics, & fault analysis using CYME software. Coordinate various groups & departments for design quality management. Coordinate, evaluate, & resolve engineering-related customer challenges in substation, distribution, & transmission projects. We maintain a drug-free workplace & perform preemployment substance abuse testing. Refusal to submit to testing will result in disqualification of further employment consideration. Qualified applicants should e-mail resume & verification of reqs. to James A. Moskal, In-house Counsel, at jmoskal@metroes.net.

Software Technical Project Managers at its facility in Detroit, Michigan. Job duties include:

1 Leading engineers from multiple engineering disciplines to develop & deliver embedded systems software for automotive electronics control units in driveline domain products, including electrified driveline systems, electronically actuated clutch systems, electronically controlled shift systems, and all wheel drive systems.

2 Working across multiple disciplines to develop & deliver electronic control units with software, in a system V development process including requirements, software, controls, electrical & electronics hardware, systems, test, and manufacturing.

3 Coordinating work status with customer engineering including application & vehicle integration topics. Negotiating software delivery content with customers, setting implementation and defect resolution priorities and managing release of software to customer.

4 Incorporating Functional Safety (ISO26262), Cybersecurity functions utilizing ASPICE process implementation for embedded systems software. Leading preparation & completion of quality audits incorporating ISO26262, Cybersecurity and ASPICE.

5 Completing project planning, scope break down & allocation, issue management & resolution with Agile principles, utilizing IBM RTC.

6 Leading change control board meetings with stakeholders in determining scope and work breakdown for software execution.

7 Leading development, integration, test and delivery of software compliant to AUTOSAR standards, utilizing CAN, CANFD, FlexRay and Ethernet. Position requirements: Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Automotive Engineering, or foreign equivalent education, and 5 years post baccalaureate progressive work experience in the Automotive Electronics field. 5 years’ experience is required in each of the following:

1 Developing and releasing automotive electronics embedded systems software with communication protocols including CAN, CANFD, FlexRay and Ethernet.

2 Planning & developing embedded systems software with V development model.

3 Interfacing & planning with automotive customers in embedded systems software projects 4 Developing software incorporating automotive industry standards & processes including Cybersecurity, ASPICE and AUTOSAR.

5 Utilizing agile project management. Experience may be obtained concurrently. Applicants should apply online at careers.aam.com and reference ID# JREQ-203360.

American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc. has openings for Sr. Computational Fluid Dynamics Engineers at its facility in Detroit, MI. Job duties include:

1 Performing Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis on Axle, PTU, RDM, E-drive internal components to predict lubrication performance and thermal parameters using 3D CFD/CHT models utilizing ANSYS Fluent or STAR-CCM+ and coding tools Matlab, C++ or FORTRAN.

2 Performing 1D Thermal modeling using Amesim or GT-Power.

3 Performing Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis on vehicle underbody airflow and thermal analysis of driveline systems using ANSYS Fluent or STAR-CCM+ and CFD coding tools Matlab, C++ or FORTRAN.

4 Analyzing design parameters, testing results and FEA results and providing design guidelines for better axle efficiency and lubrication performance using Matlab or C++ or FORTRAN.

the employee performs specialized technical and administrative support services for the U.S. Probation Department. Professional and friendly work environment, great benefits and close to the downtown amenities. EOE

5 Working with Product Engineering to ensure axle efficiency and lubrication meet performance requirements.

6 Coordinating projects and priorities within the department.

7 Analyzing simulation and test data and making recommendations on unusual or complex technical problems using Matlab or C++ or FORTRAN.

8 Writing technical reports.

9 Creating and presenting oral presentations to internal and external customers.

Position requires: Master’s Degree in Energy Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering or related field, or foreign equivalent education, and 3 years’ experience working in CFD field. 3 years of experience is required each of the following:

1 Hands on 3D CFD modeling experience including Multiphase simulations, using ANSYS Fluent or STAR-CCM+ within OEM(s) including interior and exterior, transient and steady-state flow regime modeling.

2 Fluid/solid interface temperature effects modeling including radiation.

3 Working with 3D CHT modeling for system thermal management characterization and optimization.

4 1D thermal modeling experience, using Amesim or GT-Power.

5 Application of CFD theoretical concepts, such as adequate meshing resolution, solution accuracy and convergence, boundary condition setup, transient modeling, turbulence modeling.

6 Cross-functional teamwork experience which would include interacting with CAE, test and manufacturing engineers to provide optimum product design recommendations.

7 CFD coding experience using Matlab or C++ or FORTRAN.

8 Analyzing test data trends and CFD model benchmarking. Experience may be obtained concurrently. Applicants should apply online at careers.aam.com and reference job ID JREQ-203359.