MC Digital Edition 10.5.22

Michigan Chronicle

Is Michigan's Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Disparities Still Relevant?

By Donald James Senior Writer, Real Times Media

In March 2020, Gov. Gretch en Whitmer, after signing Exec utive Order No. 2020-55, formed the Michigan Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Disparities. Whitmer’s Executive Order was in response to staggering reports that African Americans while representing just 14% of Michi gan’s population, accounted for 40% of the coronavirus deaths in the state. And for Black people in Detroit and across Michigan who were not dying of the virus, a high and disproportionate number of them became sick and hospitalized.

Whitmer chose Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II, Michigan’s first Afri can American ever elected to the office, to chair the Task Force, which consisted of medical doc tors, health experts, scientists, community organizers, busi ness leaders, educators, and leg islators. Since its inception, the Task Force, the first of its kind ever assembled in the nation, has made valuable inroads in re ducing racial disparities caused by COVID and closing overall health and healthcare gaps ex perienced by Black, Brown, and other underserved groups.

The Task Force continues to meet virtually bi-weekly to further advance its agenda re garding COVID and help com munities receive valuable infor mation, resources, and tools to raise awareness and combat the deadly virus.

However, over the past summer, many Detroiters, other Michiganders, and Americans across the nation have returned to the life they experienced before the pandemic. President Biden recently put an exclama tion mark on where the COVID19 pandemic stands in America.

“The pandemic is over,” Biden said bluntly on Sept. 19, when interviewed at the De troit International Auto Show by CBS’s 60 Minutes. “We still have a problem with COVID. We’re still doing a lot of work on it. But the pandemic is over.”

Many public health experts, including those in Detroit, be lieve the pandemic is far from over and more work to address the deadly virus needs to be done, especially since the virus in many states is on the uptick.

“As a society and community in the United States, we basical ly have arrived at the place where we are learning to live with the pandemic,” said African Ameri can task force member Bridget Hurd, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s vice president of In clusion and Diversity, Chief Di

Highland Park’s Mayoral Race

Rooted in Confusion Sparked by Court Rulings

By Donald James Senior Writer, Real Times Media

It’s difficult – if not impossible - to find another race for mayor in Michi gan, perhaps the nation, where only one candidate is on the ballot for the November General Election. Yet, in the city of Highland Park, which didn’t have a Primary Election on Aug. 8, Council woman Glenda McDonald’s name will be the lone candidate for mayor that voters will see on the November ballot.

Nevertheless, at least three other candidates have mounted write-in campaigns to run against McDonald. According to the Highland Park City Clerk’s Office, City Council President Carlton Clyburn, Jerry Massey, and Maurice Turner have filed Declarations of Intent to run as write-in candidates. Individuals interested in running for mayor as write-ins have until Oct. 28 at 4:00 p.m. to file with the City Clerk’s office.

Whoever is victorious after the Nov. 8 General Election will face a litany of serious issues and problems in Highland Park – many that have been searching for solutions for decades. The list includes addressing a recent appeals court ruling ordering the city to pay a $21 million water bill, escalating concerns over the public safety of cit izens and businesses, a growing need to intensify the fight against spreading blight, and the necessity to bring more tax dollars and other revenue into the city. All of the mayoral candidates be lieve they have the answers.

“I believe Highland Park can arise from the ashes and become a great city again, but the city and its people need someone who has the vision and pas sion to make it happen,” said McDon ald. “And no one running for mayor has more passion for the city and its people than I do. I am the best candi

date to bring our city back.”

McDonald, who has lived in High land Park since 1971, said that the people want and deserve a clean and safe city where there are retail and other business developments.

“Without tax revenue, we can’t grow and develop our city,” said McDonald, who lost by 28 votes when she ran for mayor in 2019 against current Mayor Hubert Yopp, who is not running for re-election. “We need property tax dol lars from houses in our city that people need to buy. But we must put people over politics to succeed. We need a plan of action for now and for the next generations to come. I have that plan to move Highland Park forward.”

Several attempts were made to reach write-in candidate Jerry Massey but they were unsuccessful.

However, Clyburn sees himself as the next mayor who can best bring needed resources and revenue to the city to empower citizens.

“I’m the most qualified with the most experience,” said Clyburn. “I have been working for the city for over 10 years. I’m the sitting Council Pres ident, and I’m very familiar with how best to help our citizens and business es prosper.”

Clyburn is a fourth-generation High land Parker but said this is his first time running for mayor.

“It was important for me to first un derstand the legislative process before running,” he said. “You can’t really run anything unless you know how it moves, operates, and know the rules of engagement. Being the Council Pres ident has given me a lot of insight into how our city operates and what must be done to make it run better for all cit izens and businesses.”

When asked about his campaign for

mayor as a write-in versus his name appearing on the ballot with McDonald, Clyburn said a lawsuit was filed earlier in the year, which sought to keep him off the ballot because he allegedly vi olated his Affidavit of Identity (AOI) by not filling in his party affiliation as non-partisan. He left the space blank. The trial court concluded that Cly burn’s AOI was not in violation of the governing stature, and he could stay on the ballot. However, an appeal to that ruling was successful and ordered that Clyburn’s name be left off the Novem ber ballot.

The ruling had a ripple effect that has engulfed approximately nine other candidates running for various offices in Highland Park, many of which an swered the AOI party affiliation in the same manner as Clyburn by leaving it blank. Subsequently, multiple candi dates for mayor, city council, and city clerk filed Declarations of Intent to run as write-ins in the upcoming General Election.

Write-in candidate Maurice Turner, whose reason for running as a write-in is different than his opponents, is rela tively new to Highland Park but sees it as a strength. If elected mayor, he said keeping current and future residents and businesses in Highland Park safe is a top priority.

“I understand that some people in Highland Park consider me an outsid er,” said Turner, who moved to the city in 2019. “But I’ve done a deep dive into the history of the city and its govern ment. And if you look around High land Park, you don’t need a roadmap to identify the challenges, issues, and reasons why we need new, fresh, and strong leadership.”

Turner, the co-founder and presi dent of Rehab Highland Park, a 501 c

MI CARES Program Trains Medical Students on Substance Use Disorder Awareness

By Rasha Almulaiki

This article is part one of a two-part series for October’s Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Awareness Month. Part one will explore the outlook of SUD health and drug use for Black Detroit, what are the challenges to seeking help, and what train ing resources are available for health professionals.

October is Substance Use Dis order (SUD) Awareness Month, a time to mindfully check in with ourselves, our family and larger community on how to break down the misunderstandings of drug use and the people in our lives that battle addiction daily while on the road to recovery.

Seeking help is not always easy as those with substance use disorder, often undiagnosed, en counter obstacles when engag ing with the health care system.

Mark Greenwald is the asso ciate department chair of Wayne State University’s School of Med

icine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences. Greenwald is involved in 10 re search projects locally and na tionally to study participants with opioid, cocaine, marijuana, nicotine and alcohol use disor ders.

His research focuses on the neural basis of addiction and SUDs, including brain functions and genetics, as a way of under standing the persistence of drug use and the challenges people face when seeking treatment.

“We already knew before

COVID that African Americans were disadvantaged in terms of the rates of a variety of health conditions and not just sub stance use disorders,” said Gre enwald. “Their ability to access and engage in care was less often because of barriers that were unnecessarily present for them. Whether it be financial, [health] insurance or transportation, this kind of difficulty makes getting to a clinic hard in the first place.”

Greenwald said the impact of the pandemic exposed the reali ty of the disparity communities of color face in access across the board for dealing with health issues, including substance use disorders.

When it comes to Black De troiters, these systemic barriers exacerbate the presenting prob lem and make it harder to engage in a continuum of care and to “enact an effective long-term re covery.”

Carlton Clyburn

Glenda McDonald Maurice Turner

versity Officer, and leads the giant health insurance company’s Office of Health and Health Disparities.

“However, there is still a pandem ic because there is still nearly 400 people dying every day because of COVID-19, and in Michigan, we are averaging just over 2,000 cases of the coronavirus per day. In Detroit, the numbers are ticking up.”

According to Hurd, one of the most significant developments of the Task Force is the recent es tablishment of 11 regional health equity councils across the state. Hurd said how the councils would function is currently being deter mined by the Task Force.

In the spring of 2022, the Task Force released new recommenda tions to protect African Americans and other communities of color from COVID-19. The recommenda tions included that the Task Force would continue collecting data to thoroughly understand and ad dress racial disparities in health care, track Covid-19 infection rates

Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) pub lished the 2020 National Survey On Drug Use And Health: African Ameri cans.

The survey interviewed 36,284 people and found that 26.4 percent (8.1 million) of African Ameri cans had a mental illness and/or SUD.

When it comes to seeking help, the MSDUH survey stated, “Far fewer African American adults (18+) sought help for SUD or co-occurring SUD and (Any Mental Illness) AMI. More than 90 percent do not receive treatment— highlighting barriers to care including stigmati zation of SUD.”

In 2020, 4.8 million Black Americans did not receive treatment at any service location, defined as a hospital (inpatient), rehabilitation facility (in patient or outpatient), mental health center, emergency room, private doctor’s office, self-help group or prison/jail.

Out of all the treat ment options, self-help groups (e.g., Alcoholics/ Narcotics Anonymous) were the most popular due to the reduced fears of stigmatization because of the safety and mutual understanding they feel with the group leaders and participants’ shared life experiences.

“We need to destigma tize substance use dis orders,” said Greenwald. “Language and behavior perpetuate stigma, which makes it harder within the structure of the health care system and there are all these trickle-down ef fects, such as individuals

throughout the state, and decrease the number of people underinsured and uninsured.

“The recommendations in this report going forward are going to make a difference right now in the health of communities of color across Michigan,” Gilchrist said in a statement. “With these recom mendations, we’re taking anoth er step towards a more equitable, more just, more safe, and more re sponsive Michigan for everyone.”

Task Force member M. Roy Wilson, president of Wayne State University and a medical doctor, agrees. Wilson also believes that Detroiters are better prepared for other viruses because of the Task Force’s ongoing work.

“I feel that the Task Force has implications that broadly show with concerted efforts, improve ments can be made in healthcare access and delivery even beyond the COVID in African American com munities in Michigan,” said Wilson, who received his M.D. from Harvard Medical School.

“A difference can be made with certain interventions that can be quite encouraging when addressing other healthcare issues

who are living with sub stance use disorders in ternalize that stigma and think less of themselves.

“Health care profes sionals need to be pre pared to be non-judgmen tal and to have the tools available in order to listen and to offer care that’s needed.”

Mark Greenwald and his colleagues at Wayne State University part nered with Michigan State University to launch the Michigan Collaborative Addiction Resources and Education System (MI CARES) to address the growing demand for ad diction specialists in the health care profession.

“If doctors can be ed ucated starting in medi cal school, when they’re getting their training, to motivate them to be pre pared,” said Greenwald.

“Because they will see persons with substance use disorders during the course of their clinical care, regardless of their specialty. They need to be prepared to at least offer basic health and referrals to coordinate care if they don’t feel competent.”

For physicians, the program supports those applying for Addiction Medicine certification through the Practice Pathway with the Amer ican Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM).

Medical students are prepared during resi dency by providing them with a curriculum that covers the basics of di agnosis and medical care of persons with SUD and substance-related health conditions.

There are currently 665 physicians enrolled in the MI CARES program nationwide and 139 in Michigan.

and problems in Black and Brown communities.”

In addition to COVID-19, the Task Force is tracking and respond ing to the outbreak of Monkeypox in Detroit and across the state.

“We saw a quick ramp-up of Monkeypox, in terms of cases, but that has started to go down,” Hurd said. “Those who are most at risk are getting vaccinated. But it is still important that we all reflect on the best practices we learned from COVID and make sure those practices are being carried forward against Monkeypox and other vi ruses.”

While every member of the Task Force is busy in his or her profes sional space across broad spec trums in Metro Detroit, the work of each has not gone unacknowl edged.

“I am continually grateful for each task force member’s willing ness to serve and create mean ingful and lasting change,” said Gilchrist. “Governor Whitmer and I will not stop working alongside the people of color fighting against the odds to lead safer, happier, and healthier lives.”

MI CARES has received a third round of funding to expand the education al modules toward more medical students from Wayne State Universi ty and to other schools across the country.

The pandemic creat ed problems with peo ple’s mental health as the course of COVID has heavily impacted indi viduals already prone to substance abuse (or in troduced to it) in the last two years.

With nearly one in five Americans living with a mental illness, the Sub stance Abuse and Mental Health Services Admin istration (SAMHSA) re leased findings from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).

The 2020 data also es timates that 4.9 percent of adults aged 18 or older had serious thoughts of suicide, 1.3 percent made a suicide plan and 0.5 per cent attempted suicide in the past two years.

“SAMHSA’s annual NSDUH provides help ful data on the extent of substance use and mental health issues in the United States,” said Health and Human Ser vices Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Ph.D., who leads SAMHSA.

“These data help to guide our policy directions in addressing such priori ties as addiction, suicide prevention and the in tersection of substance use and mental health issues.”

“These data show the urgent need to intervene at every opportunity to reduce substance use disorder and meet people

where they are,” said Acting Director of Nation al Drug Control Policy Regina LaBelle. “The Biden-Harris Adminis tration is taking steps to quickly reduce barriers to evidence-based pre vention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery services. Over the long term, we must build an addiction infrastructure that can prevent addic tion, link people to quali ty treatment, and support long-term recovery.”

Stay tuned for Part two of this series as we hear from residents that have experienced substance use disorder, their roads to recovery and undoing the stigma of drug-related health concerns.

For more information on MI CARES, check out micaresed.org.

Staff Writer Sherri Kolade contributed to this report.

(3) non-profit created to beautify and revitalize Highland Park neighbor hoods, believes High land Park is positioned to move to another level but doesn’t have the right leadership in place. He feels that the city gov ernment has failed the people of Highland Park across all sectors.

“Residents want

change. They want a fresh face as their next mayor,” said Turner. “Voters are ready to find a way to get away from recycling the same people thinking that they are going to do something when they are not. Highland Park needs leadership that will fight for what citizens need and deserve. I want to be that leader for this city and its people.”

Get to the Heart of the Matter With Early ATTR-CM Diagnosis

By Sherri Kolade

Do you know what ATTR-CM is?

It’s a silent killer that primarily Black people are diagnosed with, re sulting in devastating heart-related problems sometimes if not caught early.

Transthyretin amyloid cardiomy opathy, or ATTR-CM, is described as a serious and often underdiagnosed cause of heart failure.

ATTR-CM, unfortunately, dispro portionately impacts Black, African American, and Afro-Caribbean com munities in comparison to other racial and ethnic groups. Even more alarmingly, roughly three to four percent of African Americans carry a mutation in the TTR gene (V122I) that makes it all the more possible that they might develop ATTR-CM –though not all carriers develop the disease.

Roots.

Former NBA player and coach Don Chaney and his wife, Jackie, are champions of early diagnosis when it comes to catching the rare, life-threat ening condition of ATTR-CM.

Heart-related ATTR-CM symp toms include:

• Irregular heartbeat

• Fatigue

• Shortness of breath

• Swelling in lower legs and feet

• Other ATTR-CM signs and symptoms include:

• Bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome

• Pain or numbness in the lower back or legs

• Eye disorders, such as glaucoma

“The health of a community is often about connecting. Connect ing with our neighbors, friends, and family to recharge our souls,” Nettie Riddick, president of, Detroit Black Nurses Association, Inc., told the Michigan Chronicle previously.

“ATTR-CM gets worse over time, which is why early diagnosis and management are so important,” Rid dick said.

To spread more awareness,

Voices For The Heart - National Black Nurses Association | Detroit, organization held a late September virtual discussion to share how get ting diagnosed with ATTR-CM can take years because of sometimes unrelated symptoms that appear like carpal tunnel syndrome, extreme tiredness, and swelling in the lower legs and feet, which can imitate other conditions.

The Detroit Black Nurses’ Associ

Detroit Public Schools District 2022-23 Literacy Plan

By Rasha Almulaiki

The 2022-23 school year is under way and the Detroit Public Schools Dis trict (DPSCD) launched its multi-year District Literacy Plan to improve the reading and writing skills of thousands of K-12 students.

According to 2019 testing results from the National Assessment of Edu cational Progress (NAEP), the Detroit schools average score of 183 is lower than 26 other school districts in major cities, including Albuquerque, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, New York City and Philadelphia.

In 2019, the average reading score of fourth-grade students in Detroit was 183 which was lower than the average score of 212 for public school students in large cities.

As outlined, the Literacy Plan in cludes “instructional materials and frameworks, talent and professional de velopment investments and initiatives to foster a culture of literacy; [it] is first and foremost grounded in the science of reading but takes a holistic view of literacy.”

DPSCD Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti proposed the Plan’s details and projected benefits at the DPSCD Curric ulum/Academics Committee Meeting.

“We saw improvement in growth last year for K-8 and our proficiency num bers in the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP),” said Dr. Vitti. “Right now, we are 1 percent above instead of being where we were, at 1 percent below last year. We expect to see improvements in our proficiency rate based on our Literacy Plan.”

Each K-12 grade level block will be reorganized to include supplementa ry reading and writing focus lessons. Grades K-2 will have a scheduled 150 minutes of English Language Arts (ELA). Grades 3-8 will have 100 min utes of ELA, half the time spent in con tent-based literacy module lessons and

the other half in small group instruc tion.

As for high school students, the plan states, “Unlike Grades K-8, which uses instructional minutes allocated in the school day, literacy learning in the high school space uses access to course work to meet students’ needs.”

Ninth graders will be provided tutor ing reading seminars, whereas 10th and 11th graders will be given SAT-prepara tion courses to meet the College and Career readiness State Benchmark.

The plan is divided into three-tiered components:

Tier One details the district’s cur rent progress on improving literacy from kindergarten to 12th grade.

Tier Two outlines the teacher-led computer intervention program through i-Ready.

Tier Three is a multisensory inter vention model for students that are at least two grades behind their peers. This process will be led by academic in tervention and school partners.

The committee preparing the Liter acy Plan also takes a more intentional approach toward identifying the lack of representation in the core texts stu dents interact with across all grade levels.

The committee found, “Despite the success of adopting an aligned, rigor ous curriculum, educators recognized that MyPerspectives did not provide both mirrors (works that reflect Detroit students’ lives and culture) and win dows (works that provide into others’ experiences).

As a result, a novel selection com mittee was convened to help fill some of the gaps of cultural connections, rel evancy and history. Eight novels were selected by this committee and paired with each of the units of grades 9- 12.”

Students will be exposed to more seminal works of fiction and non-fic

tion by Black authors, such as John Lewis and James Baldwin.

DPSCD School Board Chair Corletta J. Vaughn asked how the administra tion plans to stay accountable to exe cuting the plan.

Dr. Vitti responded, saying, ““Every month at the board meeting, we talk about the baseline scores, and how many students are at or above grade levels. This happens three times a year; At the beginning of the year, the middle of the year, and at the end of the year. Also, we do reviews on the level of im plementation of the plan and see what the data shows.

“2021 and 2022 were about show ing growth. 2022 and 2023 is a base line year, and we are looking to see improvements at or above grade level improvement. This is where account ability comes in. The Board is welcome to come in and see our results. Also, re member i-Ready does predict outcomes from its data.”

At the high school level most of the neighborhood schools use Beyond Basics systems, a Southfield-based nonprofit organization working to eradicate illiteracy by “diagnostic as sessment followed by one-on-one, pho nics-based, multisensory tutoring that combines the Orton-Gillingham pre scriptive approach with fine arts activ ities essential for building vocabulary and comprehension.”

DPSCD will set out to implement regular formative “cycle assessments” where teachers will gather data to ensure students are mastering target skills and adjust if any material needs to be reviewed.

Skill set mastery will include a grade-level based tool to assess ac countable independent reading, pho nemic awareness phonics, word work, vocabulary, language, writing, fluency and i-Ready individualized online learn ing path.

Detroit Alerts 365 System Notifies Residents of Emergencies in Real-Time

By Rasha Almulaiki

Whether it be navigating fallen power lines in your neigh borhood or construction-re lated traffic during a morning commute, residents can access real-time updates of emergency situations with Detroit Alerts 365.

In 2021, the city rolled out the new electronic emergency notification system to stream line interdepartmental commu nications to best provide imme diate alerts of safety situations and community awareness events.

“The big picture is just keep ing Detroit safe,” said Hilton Kincaid, deputy director of Homeland Security & Emer gency Management, which oversees the Detroit Alerts 365 system. “That’s what we’re doing, staying prepared in ad vance. The time to get geared up is not when an incident is occurring, it’s way before.”

On a national scale, the

Emergency Alert System (EAS) is a public warning system run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other partners that allows for important information to be broadcast through televi sion, radio, wireless cable sys tems, and more. This provides the President the capacity to address the American people within 10 minutes of a national emergency.

Kincaid and his team worked with the Detroit Police and Fire departments to craft an alert system that streamlines EAS messaging while designed with Detroit-specific emergency pre paredness in mind.

Detroit Alerts 365 is operat ed by CodeRED, an emergency notification system used na tionwide by emergency service teams and municipalities.

The system is free to use and allows residents to opt-in to the type of media they want to use to receive alerts, including tele phone, text message, email or

social media via Snapchat or Twitter. Users can choose lan guage preferences that reflect the multiculturalism of the city, including options in English, Spanish, Arabic and Bengali. Notifications will be target

ed to specific neighborhoods that are found to be impacted by a particular situation. This allows for relevant messaging to be directed to individuals depending on their location and relieves other residents from being overwhelmed with a stream of information that

doesn’t pertain to them.

CodeRed provides a mapping tool known as geo-fencing for municipalities to focus on the area of impact.

“Geo-fencing allows us to draw a diagram, a circle, a polygon, a rectangle, around a certain area and only the area affected will be notified of the situation,” said Kincaid. “That is how you section off the city for what you need to get and you fix it off such as this area needs to know about this sink hole, this area needs to know that the buses are going to be blocked because of road con struction.”

Impact areas are determined by the emergency management team through intelligence in formation sharing with other city departments and are also formulated by an observed trend of residents calling 911 to notify officials of an ongoing issue.

Hilton Kincaid is the Deputy Di rector of Homeland Security

Emergency

Photo Courtesy of

Raymond Solomon II is the di rector of the Department of Neighborhoods.

Photo Courtesy of

ation (DBNA) is a non-profit organization created to ad dress the health needs of the minority community. The DBNA is one of 95 chap ters of the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA).

During the roughly hourlong event, Dr. Brittany Fuller, intervention cardiol ogist at Henry Ford Health, shared how the event (an initiative through Pfizer) is targeting minority com munities throughout the United States to let them know that preventative as sistance is available.

“Early diagnosis is criti cal,” she said of the condi tion that “gets worse over time.”

“It is often missed,” she said. “It is very, very import ant … to talk to a doctor to discuss any symptoms (talked about today) even if you don’t think it’s related to heart failure.”

Fuller added that also people who experience heart failure symptoms should speak with their doctors, who could correct them and take action to find a proper diagnosis if patients have undiagnosed ATTR-CM.

Hereditary ATTR-CM is passed down from a relative and is caused by a change (or “mutation”) in one of your genes. In the United States, the most common mutation that causes he reditary ATTR-CM (V122I) is found almost exclusively in African Americans.

“The signs of ATTR-CM may be difficult to connect with a heart condition. AT TR-CM, as a cause of heart failure, can be missed. Family or friends can play an important role in help ing you or your doctor de termine health issues that you may not notice or talk about,” Riddick said. “Share all your health information with your doctor so that they can “connect the dots” and make sure health con cerns aren’t overlooked.”

Former NBA player and coach Don Chaney was di agnosed with the hereditary form of a rare, life-threaten

ing condition of ATTR-CM. Chaney spoke during the virtual event about his symptoms and life-changing (and saving) diagnosis.

“A few years ago, I start ed seeing a cardiologist for some heart-related symp toms, like fatigue, palpi tations, and shortness of breath,” Chaney said. “I was taking medicine for my palpitations as prescribed, but it was only making me feel worse. And because my mom and grandmother both passed away from heart disease, I was worried that I may be facing the same issues as them. I underwent several tests and procedures to figure out what was going on, which is how I found out I had heart failure.”

Chaney, who experi enced joint pain and carpal tunnel syndrome, said that he never imagined those would tie to his heart condi tion, especially because his extensive career in sports could have caused those very symptoms.

“After I was diagnosed with ATTR-CM, my doctor strongly recommended ge netic testing and counsel ing to find out which type of the disease I had,” he said. “Once it was confirmed that I had the hereditary form of ATTR-CM, I spoke with my 3 adult children, sisters, and brothers about getting tested to see whether or not they also have the gene mu tation that causes the dis ease.”

Chaney said that “we are connected by our health histories.”

“Sharing health infor mation among relatives is important too,” he said. “If you have relatives with heart-related issues – tell your doctor. If a relative is diagnosed with hereditary ATTR-CM, a doctor may sug gest genetic counseling and testing for relatives. Genet ic testing can help relatives understand what potential steps to take.”

For resources or more information on hereditary ATTR-CM, including a dis cussion guide to assist in conversations with a doctor, visit www.yourheartsmes sage.com/don.

Detroit Alerts 365 uses geo-fencing to assess the potential impact of a local emergency in a particular neigh borhood to notify impacted residents. The image is a screenshot of a free hand-drawn geo-fence diagram on Detroit’s eastside. Photo Courtesy of Detroit Alerts 365.

Alerts 365

Some of the most common alerts residents can expect are road and traffic issues, including open manhole covers, sink holes, road erosion and construction-re lated blockage, gas leaks, severe storm warnings, and positive community awareness events.

Detroiters Encouraged to Sign up to Stay Informed

As of August 29, Detroit’s Homeland Security & Emergency Management team reports 6,170 registrations for Detroit Alerts 365 since it launched, 3,454 of the sign-ups are by city employ ees.

With Detroit’s population at over 600,000, the city’s emergen cy service teams are encouraging more residents to sign up and

take advantage of the service to stay informed and safe.

Raymond Solomon is the director of the Department of Neighborhoods and works close ly with the Detroit Alerts 365 system to identify at-risk situa tions and distribute the informa tion to residents.

“For me personally, there was an incident a few weeks ago were we had an active shooter in the city,” said Solomon. “Police were on a man hunt looking for him. I was actually at a family function in my backyard at a barbeque and was able to get that notice because I signed up for it. At the time, I was able to get the kids inside, it helped ease a lot of anx iety of an unfortunate situation. I was grateful we received that notice that there was an armed, dangerous person in my area.” Solomon said some residents

Michigan Chronicle

Voice of the Community at your fingertips

have questioned the security of their private information should they share their location and other personal details with De troit Alerts 365. He assured De troiters that their privacy will be respected and will only be shared between the system and the Co deRED operating system.

“The focus is around safety,” said Solomon. “There is no surveil lance function and that’s some thing we requested to ensure it’s just emergency notices.”

Detroit Alerts 365 is available for those who live, work or visit De troit and provides a free CodeRED mobile alert app to download and opt in.

For more information on how to sign up, visit detroitmi.gov/ departments/homeland-securi ty-emergency-management-de troit/emergency-preparedness/ detroit-alerts-365.

Money.

Property Is Power! Saving for a Mortgage Down Payment? 4 Tips That Will Help You Get There Faster

For most people, the idea of saving more money each month is enough of a burden without having to think about investing in a home. A down payment, howev er, will require a lot more saving know-how and a lot more in liquid assets in order to be able to buy. If you’re trying to find ways to save a bit more each month, here are some sure-fire tips for raising the extra funds.

Anthony O. Kellum

Re-consider Your Commute

Outside of rent, there are few things that will cost as much mon ey as owning your own vehicle, so instead of holding on to yours, you may want to consider putting it up for sale. While a vehicle costs a lot in gas, there are also costs for main tenance, insurance and parking that quickly add up. By foregoing this expense, you can easily save signifi cantly!

Stick To Your Budget

It might sound like a silly tip, but actually sticking to your budget can make a big difference in how much you’ll save. While most people have a few rules to live by, writing down ev ery receipt and monitoring the things you overspend on can make a marked impact on your surplus when all’s said and done.

Cut Down on Coffee & Lunch

With the hustle of everyday life, many people run out for coffee or lunch every day and forget that these costs add up over time. Instead of spending $5 or $10 here and there, take your coffee to go and make your lunches at the start of each week. It may not seem like much, but this can easily add up to hundreds in just a short time.

Change Your Phone Plan

Many people think that all of the conveniences that come along with a smart phone are a necessity, but data can come at a high price and it may not be worth paying. Instead of eat ing a high monthly phone bill, talk to your provider about what deals they can offer you and what you can cut back on. It may seem small at first, but it will add up to a lot by the year’s end. It can seem insurmountable to try and save up enough for a down payment, but the little things that you spend on each day can easily add up. If you’re currently on the market for a home and are considering your saving options, contact your trusted mortgage professionals for more in formation.

Pay yourself first - This is real ly importance remembering to pay yourself first. Set aside a dedicated saving account of 10% or 15% of your income before you pay bills, enter tainment, and travel. By doing this you a making a commitment to your self and goals.

Midtown’s Woodward West Celebrates Ribbon Cutting Opening Ceremony

By Rasha Almulaiki

Midtown’s latest apartment develop ment building celebrates opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony with Mayor Duggan and other city officials, includ ing City Council President Mary Shef field (D-5) and Councilman James Tate (D-1).

“We believe that as Detroit continues its revitalization, Detroit-based busi nesses should be leading the charge,” said Chris Jackson, co-principal and managing partner of Queen Lillian.

“We are proud to have assembled a Detroit-based project team who deliv ered an exceptional building that is ex ceeding expectations.”

Woodward West is joint venture be tween Detroit-based developers Queen Lillian and The Platform.

Since 2008, Queen Lillian has invested in other local de velopment properties, including DMC Heart Hospital, Ford Field, Comerica Park, Cobo Hall/TCF Center renovation, Greektown Casino and Hotel, Wayne State Medical Office Building at Tolan Park, and more.

The Platform is a private real estate developer founded in 2016 to drive transformational developments in the city of Detroit that is inclusive and geared toward revitalizing neighbor hoods.

“This has been one of the most suc cessful developments I have seen in my 44 years in real estate in Detroit and na tionally,” said Peter Cummings, execu tive chair and CEO of The Platform.

“It’s a real testament to the team that over delivered on every aspect of the project from groundbreaking to resident leasing, and to the growing vibrancy of Midtown and demand for multi-family housing in this neighborhood.”

Woodward West features 204 apart

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ments and 25,000 square feet of retail space. As per the city’s agreement with housing developers, Woodward West offers twenty percent of their available units as affordable housing at below market rate. Low-income residents can qualify for rooms with 80 percent of the area median income (AMI).

City Council President Mary Sheffield addressed the gathered crowd on the strides of affordable housing.

“This project is not just for Detroi ters, but it is built by Detroiters,” said President Sheffield. “It just touches something that is very important to me and that is the inclusion of long-term generational Detroiters should be a part of the development and the rebuilding of the city.”

Amenities include a pet-friendly envi ronment complete with an outdoor rec reational roof deck with expansive views of the Detroit skyline, fire table and grills, a lounge for residents with a pool table and kitchenette, high-end theater, a fitness center with saunas, and offices for working on-site.

To qualify for affordable housing units, residents must provide pay stubs showing less than $51,160 in annual in come. Eligibility also includes a credit score check and qualification of 620 or above, otherwise a co-signer is needed.

Retail and Detroit-Based Art Gallery

Retail space is available on the ground floor at 7, 000 square feet leased. Several restaurants are slated to open, including a new spot from the owners of midtown favorite Mexican street fare and bar, Bakersfield Tacos. Thunder dome Restaurant Group’s south ern style fried chicken and craft beer restaurant, The Eagle Food and Beer Hall.

The second business expect ed to be announced is Sugaring NYC, an organic waxing and lash studio has leased 2,700 square feet.

Currently, seventy-five percent of the

units

leased, ninety-five per cent of

General apartment unit styles and

One of the standout features of Woodward West is the extensive art collection on display throughout the building.

Izegbe D. N’Namdi, executive director of The N’Namdi Center for Contemporary Art in Midtown will curate the exhibition of 41 Detroit-based artists of color to re flect the diversity and spirit of the city.

The building was designed by Hamil ton Anderson Associates, Saches Con struction served as the contractor, resi dential management is run by Beanstalk Real Estate Services, and O’Connor Real Estate leases retail.

For more information and to check out available units, visit woodwardwest. com.

Human-I-T Initiatives Are Helping Detroiters Bridge the Critical Digital Divide

By Donald James Senior Writer Real Times Media

It has been well documented and proven true that technolog ical accessibility is vital to all Americans. However, for Black populations in urban cities and rural locales, the digital divide is wider, more pronounced, and sometimes a total disconnect. Simply put, millions of Black men, women, teens, and chil dren across the United States are victims of a crippling real ity, where there is little or no access to computers, tablets, smartphones, internet services, and tech support.

In Detroit, a storied manu facturing hub with a popula tion of roughly 700,000 people – the overwhelming majority of which are African Americansresearch has shown that 30% of Detroiters lack digital access. That’s about 210,000 people who do not have access to desktop or laptop computers, smartphones, tablets, or oth

er electronic equipment con trolled by a Central Processing Unit (CPU). And many Detroi ters are computer illiterate and do not have access to technical support to get needed help.

Unfortunately, the conse quences of living in a digital divided community can nega tively impact learning and edu cational endeavors, desires for career growth, necessities for information, needs for social connectivity, and other aspects of living a fuller and more pros perous life - personally and pro fessionally.

One organization, Hu man-I-T, a nonprofit social en terprise, has made valuable in roads in bridging the digital gap in Detroit.

“Human-I-T understands the notion that in today’s market place, digital access is a prereq uisite to any level of personal or professional prosperity,” said Harvey Hollins III, senior man ager of strategic partnerships with Human-I-T.

“We believe

that technology is a right, not a privilege and that shrinking the digital divide can only be achieved by removing systemic and economic barriers. That’s been our focus from the very beginning, and it’s what we will continue to work toward.”

Headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., Human-I-T opened its second national lo

cation in Detroit in 2020 during the pandemic, which was wreaking havoc in all sectors of society, including school systems. General Motors made a $1.2 million investment to fund a partnership between Human-I-T and Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD). Human-I-T provided tech support that ultimately resolved approximately 17,700 tech support issues stemming from 51,000 DPSCD students using digital devices in remote and in-person learning settings sparked by the pandemic.

“On a broader scale, our mis sion is to shrink the digital di vide and allow all Detroiters to stay connected to a digital sup port system, including internet connectivity, devices, tech sup port, and digital literacy skills to create greater access to ed ucation and employment,” Pa dric Gleason, executive assis tant to Human-I-T’s CEO Gabe Middleton, told the Michigan Chronicle in 2021. “We want Detroit to be a national model

and leader in how to effectively close the digital divide, which allows people to study remote ly, apply for jobs, attend tele health appointments, connect with family, explore new ideas and perspectives, and more.”

According to Hollins, Human-I-T operates a 40,000-square-feet warehouse at Focus: Hope on Oakman Blvd on Detroit’s west side. The warehouse, said Hollins, has become a major center for col lecting and repurposing elec tronic waste (e-waste).

“Since coming to Detroit, we’ve collected more than a mil lion pounds of e-waste, which is the primary function of our warehouse,” Hollins explained, adding that the warehouse staff will ultimately grow from 30 to 150, with the vast majority of workers coming from Detroit.

“We determine whether e-waste can be reused, refur bished, and recycled. Our op eration will grow even more

Harvey Hollins III

Detroit-led and Black-developer backed, Midtown’s latest apartment development building has a lot to celebrate its opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in late September with Mayor Duggan and other city officials, including City Council President Mary Sheffield (D-5) and Councilman James Tate (D-1).

because we are processing e-waste from places like Florida, Maine, Washington, D.C., Kentucky, and eventually every where east of the Mississippi River.”

Later this year, Human-I-T will open a 30,000-square-feet retail store in the Livernois -West Seven Mile Rd. area (The Avenue of Fashion).

“It will be the first retail store that the company will have and operate,” Hollins said. “Our refurbished devices sold will have price points that will be extremely competitive and attractive for consum ers.”

According to a Human-I-T spokesper son, the nonprofit has given out more than 17,000 devices since setting up shop in Detroit.

Twin sisters Andria and Andrea Gar wood, who graduated from DPSCD’s Mumford High School in 2021 and are

now sophomores at Wayne State Univer sity, are thankful for the two laptop com puters presented to them by Human-I-T.

“My sister and I didn’t have comput ers until Human-I-T gave us the lap tops,” said Andria Garwood. “Receiving the computers meant so much to us because computers cost a lot and we didn’t have the money to buy them. Now that we are in college and just about ev erything is done electronically, the com puters have helped us tremendously!”

“Opportunities in Detroit are increas ing by the day, whether in education, employment, affordable housing, or a range of critical assistance programs,” said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. “How ever, in many cases, accessing those opportunities require a computer and internet access, and if you can’t access an opportunity, it may as well not ex ist. I can’t thank Human-I-T and other partners enough for their commitment to bridging the digital divide to open the doors of opportunity to every Detroit family.”

at

of

Why Are Black Men at a Greater Risk for PROSTATE CANCER? Learn more about factors that may increase risk and affect treatment

A lthough all men are at risk for prostate cancer, Black men are about twice as likely to get and die from it than white men. The reasons for this, however, are not definitively known.

“It could be a combination of factors, from genetics to access to care,” says Firas Abdollah, M.D., a urologist with Henry Ford Health, who has published extensive research on the impact of race in prostate cancer.

1. Genetics.

“Inherited, biological factors could be a factor,” Dr. Abdollah says. “Studies have shown that prostate cancer in Black men has a different genetic profile—the mutations are different. It’s a more aggressive cancer and, at diagnosis, they present with a higher stage of cancer.”

2. Low enrollment in clinical trials.

“Black men are usually not well represented in clinical trials,” Dr. Abdollah says. “Recruitment is low, so the results of a prostate cancer clinical trial don’t necessarily apply to Black men if they weren’t represented in the clinical trial.”

Henry Ford Health has an initiative to increase minority participation in cancer clinical trials. “The initiative is especially trying to boost clinical trial participation in breast, colorectal, lung and prostate cancers,” Dr. Abdollah says. These are more likely to result in death for Black people when compared to other racial and ethnic groups.

3. Access to care.

“Black men tend to get less active treatment and less surgical treatments than other men,” Dr. Abdollah says. “This could be because of a bias in the community, a lack of trust in the healthcare system, a lack of access to health centers of excellence, not having health insurance—or a combination of these.”

Or sometimes, it’s just being able to reach a particular community to ensure they’re getting cancer screenings. “Our data shows that Black men get fewer prostate cancer screenings than white men,” Dr. Abdollah says. “We have a grant to improve gaps in access to care and prostate cancer screenings in Black men.”

When Should Black Men Start Prostate Cancer Screenings?

The American Cancer Society recommends having a discussion with your doctor about screening as follows:

■ At age 40: If you have more than one first-degree relative (father or brother) who had prostate cancer younger than age 65.

■ At age 45: You should start screening at this age if you have no other risk factors.

How Screening Works

Screening typically consists of a prostatespecific antigen (PSA) blood test and a digital rectal examination (DRE). If either test is abnormal, further testing is done with a prostate biopsy, which involves obtaining a small sample of prostate tissue.

When the diagnosis is prostate cancer, we offer prostate MRI, a newer option that is used to diagnose the extent of the disease within the prostate and lymph nodes.

This screening tool is also used for men with a history of prostate cancer as a part of their follow-up if a repeat PSA test shows increasing levels.

“It’s so important that all men get screened, because prostate cancer is a silent disease until it spreads to other parts of the body and it can’t be cured,”

Dr. Abdollah says. “The PSA screening is the alarm bell. Before you feel anything, it tells you something is wrong. It’s a simple blood test, and it’s so important. It can save lives.”

Learn more about prostate cancer screening or make an appointment with a Henry Ford urologist Henryford.com/ YourProstateYourHealth.

Firas Abdollah, M.D.

Delray earth upheaval incident raises concerns for SW Detroit neighborhood

By David Sands

Authorities were baffled by a geological in cident that caused the ground itself to buckle in Detroit’s Delray neighborhood last fall.

On the night of Sept. 11, 2021, the intersec tion of Dearborn and West Fort streets experi enced a shifting of the ground that left a roughly eight-foot-high mound of earth. The upheaval disrupted gas and water service and destroyed the Stash Detroit medical marijuana dispensary.

Lara Rose, a Delray resident who lives near the site, remembers the chaotic fallout of the event.

“When I first heard about it, they were saying it was an explosion,” she says. “It was very crazy. All of my neighbors were talking about it.”

After the incident, the water in the down stairs apartment of Rose’s two-family flat turned brown and a faint gas smell lingered in the area for several months. The event has left Rose won dering about upcoming construction projects like the new Gordie Howe International Bridge.

“They’re going to be doing new construc tion and what have you. It’s definitely a con cern,” she says. “If it happened once, who’s to say it’s not going to happen again?”

Concerns and questions

Attendants at the scene included city emer gency responders, Homeland Security per sonnel, and workers from Detroit Water and Sewerage, Great Lakes Water Authority, DTE Energy, and several telecom companies. Ol adayo Akinyem, deputy director of Detroit’s Department of Public Works, coordinated the emergency response effort and investigation. While responders at the scene, however, com munity members were wrestling with questions of their own.

“There were a bunch of different entities, but we were never really clear what was hap pening,” says Angela Reyes, Director of the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation. “There was very little information [given] to res idents.”

To address these concerns, a coalition was formed that included Reyes, U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, former Detroit council member Raquel Castañeda-López, incoming council member Gabriela Santiago-Romero, and the Southwest Detroit Community Benefits Coalition (SDCBC). Members of the coalition engaged in door-todoor outreach and demanded more transpar

ency from officials and called for residents to be evacuated.

According to Hakim Berry, Chief Operating Officer for the City of Detroit, Homeland Securi ty and Detroit’s Department of Neighborhoods went door-to-door to notify residents adjacent to the incident site about the upheaval. While emergency protocols were followed, says Berry, an evacuation was not deemed neces sary.

In addition to the Sept. 11 incident, the area has also experienced two recent dock collaps es. In 2019, a portion of shoreline gave way at the Revere Dock near historic Fort Wayne. And In November of last year, another section of sea wall at the Revere Dock collapsed. In both cases, the docks were owned by Revere Dock, LLC and leased to Detroit Bulk Storage. Those incidents are believed to have been caused by storing heavy piles of material too close to the shoreline.

The city responded with investigations, tick ets, and cease-and-desist orders, and Detroit’s Inspector General has looked into permanently banning Detroit Bulk Storage from operating near the riverfront.

“In two of the incidents with the dock col lapses, the owner was in violation,” says Berry. “And so we have appropriately addressed them along with the state regulatory agencies.”

Reports and recommendations

After more than a month, the city released a geotechnical report on Dec. 15. Analysts with the Somat Engineering firm determined there had been significant ground movement on Sept. 11 in “two major heave areas” in the vicinity of Dearborn and Fort streets. A summa ry stated it was likely caused by the “presence of a nearby stockpile of metallic scrap and soft ground conditions.”

Angela Reyes is the director of DHDC

The stockpile in question was located at Fort Iron & Metal at 9607 Dearborn St. Heavy rainfall in the area had been 150% higher than usual in the 100 days prior to the event. The report’s au thors believe that “the weight of the stockpiled mill scale material exceeded the shear strength capacity of the underlying clay soils to cause the heaved areas and disruption to the existing structures adjacent to the Fort Iron site.”

In light of this and the two recent dock col lapses, SDCBC’s project director Simon Sagov ac thinks the city should be paying more atten tion to the permitting and enforcement of area businesses.

“This irresponsibly causes extreme vul nerability and danger to an already highly vulnerable population as well as to the Great Lakes,” she says. “We did get the Waterbody Protection Ordinance passed in the wake of the first collapse, but it clearly didn’t prevent the second. We have to ask why, how is it falling short?”

In the aftermath of the Sept. 11 incident, Sagavac believes there needs to be a citywide study of underground conditions to prevent future events. Berry says the city has been work ing to address the situation.

“It absolutely is a concern,” Berry says. “We are aware that this has happened and we’ve already begun the process of rewriting the or dinance.”

While businesses are required to have geo technical surveys in order to open, city officials have considered adding weight regulations and holding periodic check-ups for storage. But Reyes believes there needs to be more con sideration about what the upheaval and dock collapses might mean for the neighborhood.

“If the soil is not going to be able to sustain the weight of these types of industries in that area, maybe they need to be relooking at what the plans are long-term for that area, particular ly with climate change,” she says.

Berry is confident that engineers working on local projects can take ground conditions into consideration and says city officials are aware of the necessity of adapting to the challenges posed by climate change.

“We do need to upgrade our infrastruc ture,” he says. “The earth has changed, . . . but I think we’re better equipped to manage it. [We need to] have faith in the processes.”

Resilient

examines

Detroit

Kresge

Construction barricades stand near the site of a former marijuana dispensery in Delray

The upheaval site at the intersection of Fort St. and Dearborn St.

HBCUs are more than a place for higher education

They are a legacy, a place you become your true self and where past generations uplift you to your destiny. It's your family's history and your community’s future. It's your HBCU.

Xfinity recognizes the legacy, harmony, necessity, and impact of HBCUs. And as the world changes, the more we must remain connected to the culture. Just say, "Black Experience," into your Xfinity Voice Remote to experience more HBCU.

Visit x finity.com/blackexperience to learn more.

C ity. L ife

Where City Meets Life and Life Meets Style

Behind the ‘Woman King’ Controversy

By Sherri Kolade

The cinematic, historical master piece, Woman King, is a movie that many people love to hate for various reasons. From love interest controversies to his torical inaccuracies – can Black people ever be great on the big screen?

Starring actress Viola Davis and ac tor John Boyega, the newly-minted film follows the story of the Agojie, the all-fe male unit of warriors who protected the African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s with skills and a fierceness, un like anything the nation (or world) has seen.

Inspired by true events, The Woman King follows the emotional, harrowing journey of General Nanisca (played by Davis) as she prepares the next genera tion of female recruits and readies them for battle against an enemy determined to destroy their way of life.

Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood with a screenplay by Dana Stevens and Gina Prince-Bythewood based on a story by Maria Bello, the film also stars Thu so Mbedu (The Underground Railroad) as ambitious recruit Nawi, along with Lashana Lynch (No Time To Die), Sheila

Atim (The Underground Railroad), Hero Fiennes Tiffin (After trilogy) and Boyega (Star Wars).

While the movie is, for the most part, critically acclaimed, people.com report ed that Woman King is getting backlash and calling for a movie boycott.

“You’re not going to win an argument on Twitter,” Viola Davis told Variety when she was asked about the growing social media #BoycottWomanKing hashtag.

The controversy surrounds some of the film’s lack of historical elements, which don’t go into extreme detail about how the Dahomey Kingdom was in volved in slavery.

“First of all, I agree with Gina Prince-Bythewood’s saying is you’re not going to win an argument on Twitter,” said the Oscar winner, 57 in the article.

“We entered the story where the king dom was in flux, at a crossroads.”

Described by the movie spokespeople as “edutainment,” the film was to edu cate and entertain others and has some major fictional elements.

“They were looking to find some way to keep their civilization and kingdom alive. It wasn’t until the late 1800s that

they were decimated. Most of the story is fictionalized. It has to be,” according to Prince-Bythewood.

A Black studies lecturer noted in a Black Information Network article that boycotting the movie “makes no sense,” Aswad Walker said.

“Surely, if you’re Black, you’ve heard the criticisms of the Viola Davis-led movie that ruled the box office last week, taking in $19 million and exceed ing everyone’s expectations,” Walker said, adding that some people describe the film as whitewashing history and glorifying enslavers.

“I, however, have a different take. I’ve told everyone with whom I’ve come in contact that, from my vantage point, The Woman King is a ‘love letter to our ancestors and to Black women of all generations.’ Especially this current generation, i.e. Black women living and breathing and doing their thing today, like only Black women can,” Walker said.

Walker added that while it might seem like a “strange position” to be in for someone who has taught in the Uni versity of Houston’s African American Studies Program (now a department) for

(Family Features) A clean and in viting home doesn’t just look tidy, it smells pleasantly refreshing, too. However, running a household can be a stinky business and it may take some special effort to make your liv ing spaces feel more welcoming.

Consider these sensible ideas to improve the scents throughout your home:

Bring the Outside In

Wake Up Refreshed

Simple ways to begin your morning (Family Features) Ready, set, go. Just as you would set off at the starting line of a race, this hectic pace is how mornings begin for many men and women.

Instead of waking with dread to face another hectic morning, consider these tips for a healthi er way to ease into your daily rituals. While these activities may require you to allow extra time, you may be pleased with the productive results. Meditate. A practice that has been around for thousands of years may still be one of the best stress busters for hurried mornings.

To start, find a place in your home that is free of noise and distraction. Practice sitting still, with eyes closed, and focus only on your breathing. Us ing deep, controlled breaths, try to steer your thoughts away from negative and stress-inducing thoughts.

Stretch. While the most health-conscious per son may opt for a morning sweat-a-thon, working in some stretches can also be beneficial. When you awake, think about oft-used muscles and ex tend each one for 15-30 seconds.

Activate. Give your brain some fuel in the

Fresh air is a terrific option for banishing bad smells. Throwing open windows creates a cross breeze that can chase stale, musty air away in a hurry. You can also improve your air quality by adding house plants, which naturally help purify the air by absorbing pollutants and exchanging carbon dioxide for oxy gen. Plants like jasmine, eucalyptus and gardenias also offer their own pleasant scents.

Refresh Soft Surfaces

Textiles and other soft surfaces throughout your home easily trap odor-causing bacteria, dust and other particles that can contribute to unsavory smells. That’s why it’s a good idea to regularly give the rugs, carpet, bedding, throw pillows, curtains and other soft surfaces throughout your home a deep clean ing. If you can’t machine wash an item, use a vacuum with a hose at tachment to remove as many hidden particles as possible.

Install a Heated Towel Rack

Damp spaces like bathrooms are breeding grounds for bacteria. If you notice a musty smell in the bath

room but can’t pinpoint the source, it may be your towel. That’s espe cially true if, like many people, you reuse a towel several times before washing it. Hang-drying your towel may not be enough to chase away smell-inducing bacteria. However, the growth of bacteria is reduced on heat-dried towels by as much as 99%, according to a study commis sioned by Amba Products. What’s more, in the study, a heat-dried tow el produced a fresh smell over a sev en-day period, whereas an unheated sample produced a musty odor by the fourth day.

With a variety of styles and finish es to fit almost any decor, the line of heated towel racks produces radiant heat to gently warm and dry towels. That can help eliminate moisture,

18 years – hear Walker out.

“For many years now, I’ve criticized individuals and organizations that have bombarded our people with ‘epistem ic violence,’ the act (crime) of remov ing our contributions to global history from classrooms and/or stealing our contributions to human civilization and claiming them as their own,” Walker said. “I’ve been a stickler for telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about our story in this Bab ylon, and our longer and greater story before we arrived on these shores. So, why then, am I not joining the chorus of those who claim The Woman King is not true to history, and that it ignores the facts of the people/nation centered in this film?”

Walker said that several reasons in clude that the movie uplifts Black peo ple and delves deep into the “power of art.”

“Oftentimes, art has the power to teach people what scholarly books and university lectures cannot,” Walker not ed. “The Woman King is a work of fiction based on some historical facts.”

resulting in less growth of mold and mildew. They also offer time, water and energy savings, plus some mod els come ready to use and take as little as 5 minutes to set up.

Simmer Fresh Aromas

If you need to add a pleasant scent in a hurry, such as just before hosting a special event for guests, consider simmering something that smells delicious on the stove. Simmering a blend of orange slic es, cloves and cinnamon in a pot of water over low heat produces a sub tle, pleasing scent that doesn’t over power the room. Diffusers, candles and room sprays can also help add

Viola

Another form of controversy sur rounding the film is that Boyega only dates Black women, the British-Nigerian actor was recently quoted as saying.

His quote, found in a GQ UK inter view, unleashed a torrent of “hate-filled rants” on Twitter, huffingtonpost.com reported.

Many want to know why is his prefer ence of dating Black women, of his own ethnic and cultural background, so out rageous?

Some say there is a double standard as if a White man said the same thing he would be labeled as a racist.

“As many users rightfully pointed out in the replies, White entertainers and celebrities don’t say it; they just do it,” according to the article. “At most, they use vague descriptions such as “blondes and brunettes” and age-old eu phemisms such as “tall, dark and hand some” — and, more recently, “golden re triever vibes” — to describe their type.”

According to the article, Black wom en have been hypersexualized for centu ries and are being seen (in recent weeks by Boyega’s comment) as possibly full

humans beyond stereotypes run deep.

“Too often, Black women are deemed devoid of any desire or longing for com panionship,” per the article. “The expec tation is that we are worker mules, sav ing the world around us, gleefully and loyally, despite reaping minimal tangible benefits.”

“You cannot equate Boyega’s com ments to a double standard when Black women are not heralded on equitable ground,” the article noted. “If anything, the conversation amplifies society’s ac ceptance of whiteness as the epitome of beauty.”

morning while also doing something nice for your mind. For example, jour naling is a gentle way to ease into your morning and get your brain firing. If you can’t think of a topic, simply write down a few affirmations for the day, revisit a pleasant memory from your past or scribble down a goal for the week. Jour naling can be an uplifting way to engage the mind and express gratitude for the day ahead.

Find more tips for starting your day on the right foot at eLivingToday.com.

appealing smells in rooms that may need some extra attention.

Clean Common Culprits

Every household has some common culprits and, if you’re noticing smells, you may need to step up your game to keep these ar eas clean. Trash cans, litter boxes and pet beds all need regular attention that goes beyond the basics. Make a point of not only emptying the trash but also cleaning the trash can itself. Don’t just scoop the litter box. Re place the entire pan at least weekly. Strip and wash the exterior covering of pet beds and air out the cushion.

Keeping your home clean and smelling great does not have to be complicated. Main taining a regular cleaning schedule and incorporating ways to purify and enhance the air can make the space more enjoyable. To get your home refresh started, visit ambaproducts.com

New Birthing Center Aims to Help Black Mothers in Detroit

By Sherri Kolade

In 2020, the death rate among Black people was 55 deaths per 100,000 births –– nearly triple the rate of white people, jumping from 44 deaths per 100,000 births seen in 2019. Hispanic Americans also saw an increase from 13 deaths to 18 deaths per 100,000 births.

“The pandemic has uncovered the disparities in access to care, healthcare quality and delivery,” Dr. Janelle Bolden, assistant OB-GYN professor at North western University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, told NBC News.

For Black pregnant people, a new government report shows the year was three times more lethal, worsening a decades-long crisis, Black Information Network reported.

The National Center for Health Sta tistics released a report in February indicating that the number of people in the U.S. who died during pregnan cy, childbirth or within the first year of the baby’s life increased from 20 deaths per 100,000 births in 2019 to 24 deaths per 100,000 births in 2020. Overall, 861 pregnant people died in 2020, according to the report.

Heart disease, stroke and pregnan cy-related complications are among the top 10 causes of death in women ages 20-44 in the United States, based on the most recent official data available. To look at the fullness of racial dispari ties in the risk of heart problems during pregnancy or after delivery, Kapadia and colleagues reviewed health records for more than 46 million hospitalizations of pregnant or postpartum women includ ed in the National Inpatient Sample, the largest U.S. database detailing inpatient hospital care in 47 states, between 2007

and 2017, according to the report.

Also, after adjusting for socioeco nomic status, access to health care and other medical conditions, researchers found that compared to white women, pregnant Black women were:

• 45 percent more likely to die in the hospital;

• 23 percent more likely to have a heart attack;

• 57 percent more likely to have a stroke;

• 42 percent more likely to develop a blood clot in the lungs; and

• 71 percent more likely to develop heart muscle weakness.

Dr. Michelle Voeltz, an interventional cardiologist who also manages high-risk obstetrics patients at Georgia-based Northside Hospital Cardiovascular In stitute [who previously worked at Henry Ford Hospital], said that she is focused on improving the heart health in wom en who are thinking of getting pregnant, are pregnant or have recently delivered.

Voeltz said that pregnancy-related cardiovascular disease and general mor tality are a “double hit” in Black women when it comes to pregnancy and deliv ery.

A group of Black women in Detroit is hoping to change those statistics, es pecially in the city, through a new Birth Center, Birth Detroit, coming online next year.

Detroit’s first stand-alone birth cen ter would bring more options to expect ing mothers.

According to data, there are over 384 freestanding birth centers in the United States with six in Michigan, and Birth Detroit would be the first freestanding birth center in Detroit.

Birth Detroit is a community-based maternal health practice offering prena tal and postpartum care by midwives, as well as childbirth education and post partum support.

Leseliey Welch, Birth Detroit co-founder and CEO, told the Michigan Chronicle that the idea of the center came from doing public health work in the city for a long time and noticing that outcomes needed to change around ma ternal health but no one was willing to do anything “drastically different.”

“The benefits of a midwifery mod el of care had not been highlighted or leveraged in the city and we know the midwifery model of care and the center [would] improve the Black experience and it is a lower cost,” Welch said. “I strongly believe that all people deserve access to all safe birth options. This one is critical and part of the disparities.”

“Birth Detroit provides safe, quality, loving care through pregnancy, birth and beyond,” according to its website.

Birth Detroit also offers telehealth and in-person prenatal and postpartum care visits. Birth Detroit also accepts in surance, and no one is turned away for not having insurance.

The Birth Detroit Birth Center is not open yet but is actively fundraising to open the birth center and will launch a capital campaign this year.

Char’ly Snow, certified nurse mid wife, co-founder and clinical director, told the Michigan Chronicle that having women lead this experiential birthing experience is a win-win.

“We all come from different vantage points but as a practicing midwife … midwives only have an option of home birth practices and … there is a gap,”

she said. “This is an opportunity to cre ate an environment where women are leading.”

Elon Geffrard, co-founder and pro gram support director, said it’s about responding and meeting the needs of people.

“We see an express need of greater autonomy and power and birth centers give people that option, that opportunity and foundation of what birth centers do versus health systems, which tradition ally robbed people of that autonomy and decision making, especially Black fam ilies,” Geffrard said. “Having witnessed birth on a regular basis we’ve seen what that looks like for folks that look like me.”

The new location for the birth center is at 8575 Heritage Place in Detroit.

Birth Detroit recently closed on the land and will hold a celebratory commu nity event on October 16 to help fund raise.

With Midwifery Week being the first week in October, Geffrard wants to re mind people that while mothers do the work of giving back to the next gener ation, their job is to help carry them along during the entire journey.

“As a birth doula when I see people come to me and be present with them in their labor and birth experience because they’re afraid. They hear lots of statis tics about themselves and don’t want to be that. I remind Black women especial ly that they are powerful. Their body is powerful. Their decisions are powerful. … That is how one way we’re helping people rewrite their own story.”

Chicago Defender Managing Editor Danielle Sanders and Black Information Network contributed to this report.

The Junior League of Detroit Continues a 108-Year-Old History of Service to Residents in Need

By Sherri Kolade

The Junior League of Detroit (JLD) keeps on its 108-year-old promise of providing help to children and families in Detroit by continuing to serve – just like the organization has done since its founding in 1914.

The group’s first project, centered on providing a lunch room for working women in downtown Detroit, revealed the time they were in and the ineq uities that women faced in the booming city.

Much like then, JLD still continues to keep up with the times and help residents through impactful projects and programs, using its financial re sources and trained volunteers to help lead and participate in community-based collaborative partnerships.

The Grosse Pointe Farmsbased organization of women (committed to promoting vol unteerism, developing the po tential of women and improving communities) breaks barriers in many other ways, too.

The group has had past pres idents of color and continues to stand proud on its rich legacy of giving.

Since 1914, JLD has com pleted 53 major projects in and around Detroit, awarded over $250,000 in community grants and donated over 500 hours of volunteer time – not to mention the millions of dollars donated over the years in scholarships and local support.

JLD’s mainstay event, De signers’ Show House: The Dis tinctive House on the Hill, lo cated at 205 Lake Shore Road in Grosse Pointe Farms, is also a highly-anticipated event held every other year.

This year’s home will have the distinction of being the JLD’s 24th Designers’ Show House, according to a press re lease.

The organization selects a prominent local estate and curates a team of local and national interior designers to transform the home into a De signers’ Show House. League members Shelia Minetola of Grosse Pointe Park, Gabrie la Boddy of Grosse Pointe and Dianne Bostic Robinson of Detroit, are general co-chairs of the 2022 Designers’ Show House.

“The Junior League of De troit is excited to announce our 2022 Designers’ Show House.

We are very proud and honored to carry on this longstanding JLD tradition as our main fund raiser,” said Kimberly Burke, JLD president. “The Designers’ Show House will allow us to continue our League’s philan thropic work, which supports community impact initiatives that help meet the needs of De troit children, young women and families. It also allows us to provide community-based grants and scholarships.”

“The

troit is returning to the Grosse Pointes for this 2022 event af ter showcasing two very beau tiful Detroit homes for our De signers’ Show House in 2018 and 2020,” said Show House co-chair Robinson. “It is always an honor to showcase an amaz ing home in what has become a highly anticipated communi ty event. This year’s beautiful home also will give designers an opportunity to showcase the versatility and beauty of a truly magnificent setting.”

Minetola told the Michigan Chronicle that she joined the organization about 30 years ago when she moved to Grosse Pointe.

“There weren’t that many Blacks at that time in The Ju nior League,” she said, adding that the organization has done a great job of promoting inclu sivity and diversity within the group.

Minetola added that there have been three Black presi dents along with an Asian and Hispanic president.

“We’re growing in leaps and bounds to be inclusive and … (looking) like the city of De troit,” she said.

Bostic Robinson agrees.

“We are putting a big em phasis on diversity,” she said, adding that she was one of the few Black women in the orga nization about three decades ago and friendships have since been birthed from JLD. “The women I met are still friends of mine. It is wonderful in wanting to give back to the community. ... I never looked back.”

Minetola said that the proj ects throughout the years have been “wonderful,” especially organizing the biennial show house program.

“It is a bear to get it up and running [but] the joy we get out of it – it is a sisterhood,” she said. “During the show house, it takes you about a year and a half to find the right house and we form a sisterhood that is [like] no other. I think I see the sisters during the show house year more than I see my hus band and I work full-time.”

Bostic Robinson added that the dollars raised at the end of the day are all about giving back to the community, espe cially in Detroit.

“The transformational pro grams that we have been a part of [are] for the city of Detroit for many, many years,” she said.

Birth Detroit founders want to bring equity back into the birth space for Black expectant mothers.

Shelia Minetola of Grosse Pointe Park, The Junior League of Detroit member and general co-chair of the 2022 Designers’ Show House.

NOTICE

GENERAL

TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2022 DETROIT, MICHIGAN

TO THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN:

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that any qualified elector of Detroit, Michigan who is not already registered, may register to vote at the office of the Detroit Department of Elections, the office of the Detroit City Clerk, any of our satellite/vote centers, the office of the County Clerk, a Secretary of State branch office, or other designated state agency. Registration forms can be obtained at mi.gov/vote and mailed to the Detroit Department of Elections or the Detroit City Clerk’s office. Voters who are already registered may update their registration at www.expressSOS.com.

The last day to register in any manner other than in-person with the local clerk is Monday, October 24, 2022. After this date, anyone who qualifies as an elector may register to vote in person with proof of residency (MCL 168.492) at the Detroit Department of Elections, Detroit City Clerk’s office or any of the following satellite locations or vote centers:

District 1

WCCCD Northwest Campus 8200 W. Outer Drive Detroit, MI 48219

Greater Grace Temple 23500 W. 7 Mile Rd. Detroit, MI 48219

District 2 Northwest Activities Center 18100 Meyers Rd. Detroit, MI 48235

Tindal Activity Center 10301 W. 7 Mile Rd. Detroit, MI 48221

District 3

Farwell Recreation Center 2711 E. Outer Drive Detroit, MI 48234

Heilmann Community Center 19601 Crusade Detroit, MI. 48205

District 4

WCCCD Eastern Campus 5901 Conner St. Detroit, MI 48213

HOURS OF OPERATION:

• Satellite Vote Centers will open on Monday, October 17, 2022.

District 5

Butzel Family Recreation Center 7737 Kercheval Detroit, MI 48214

Department of Elections 2978 W. Grand Blvd. Detroit, MI 48202

City Clerk’s Office (Coleman A. Young Municipal Ctr.)* 2 Woodward Ave., Ste. 200 Detroit, MI 48226

District 6 Clark Park 1130 Clark St. Detroit, MI 48209

Kemeny Recreation Center 2260 S. Fort St. Detroit, MI 48217

District 7 Adams Butzel Recreation Complex 10500 Lyndon St. Detroit, MI 48238

*not open on weekends

• Regular business hours: Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Department of Elections) Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (All other locations)

• Saturday, November 5th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sunday, November 6th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

• Election Day, Tuesday, November 8th from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the City of Detroit will be voting in the General Election for the following offices:

Lieutenant

Governor

Secretary of State

Attorney General

Representative

Attorney General

State Senator

Representative in

Member of the State Board

of the

Trustee of Michigan State University

Governor of Wayne State University

County Executive

Sherriff (Partial Term ending 12/31/2024)

County Commissioner

Justice of Supreme Court

Judge of Cour t of Appeals (1st District, Incumbent

• Judge of Cour t of Appeals (1st District, Incumbent Position, Partial Term Ending) 01/01/2027

• Judge of Circuit Court (3rd Circuit, Incumbent Position)

• Judge of Circuit Court (3rd Circuit, Incumbent Position, Partial Term Ending 01/01/2027)

Judge of Circuit Court, (3rd Circuit, Non-Incumbent Position)

Judge of Circuit Court (3rd Circuit, New Judgeship, 6-Year Term)

Judge of Probate Court (Incumbent Position)

• Judge of Probate Court (Non- Incumbent Position)

• Judge of District Court (36th District, Incumbent Position)

• Judge of District Court (36th District, Non-Incumbent Position

• Judge of District Court (36th District, Incumbent Position, Partial Term Ending 01/01/2025

Judge of District Court (36th District, Incumbent Position, Partial Term Ending 01/01/2027)

• Community Advisory Council (Districts 4 and 5)

• Board of Trustees Member Wayne County Community College

• Board Member Detroit Public Schools Community District

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the City of Detroit will be voting on the following proposals as presented and listed below:

PROPOSAL 22-1: A proposal to amend the state constitution to require annual public financial disclosure reports by legislators and other state officers and change state legislator term limit to 12 total years in legislature.

This proposed constitutional amendment would:

•Require members of legislature, governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, and attorney general file annual public financial disclosure reports after 2023, including assets, liabilities, income sources, future employment agreements, gifts, travel reimbursements, and positions held in organizations except religious, social, and political organizations.

Require legislature implement but not limit or restrict reporting requirements.

Replace current term limits for state representatives and state senators with a 12-year total limit in any combination between house and senate, except a person elected to senate in 2022 may be elected the number of times allowed when that person became a candidate.

Should this proposal be adopted?

YES O NO O

PROPOSAL 22-2: A proposal to amend the state constitution to add provisions regarding elections.

This proposed constitutional amendment would:

• Recognize fundamental right to vote without harassing conduct;

• Require military or overseas ballots be counted if postmarked by election day;

• Provide voter right to verify identity with photo ID or signed

Invalidate state laws

Should this proposal be

Full text of the ballot proposal may be obtained

Woodward Ave., Room

YES O

O

YES

County Clerk’s

OF HIGHLAND PARK, WAYNE COUNTY, MICHIGAN

Highland Park

City of Highland Park is

Michigan’s

and

Product Engineer – Electrical BorgWarner Transmission Products, LLC seeks a Product Engineer Electrical based out of our office at 3800 Automation Avenue, Auburn Hills, MI 48326. Note, this is a hybrid position whereby the employee will work both from home and from the aforementioned office address. Hence, the employee must live within a reasonable commuting distance of the aforementioned office address. Note, this position requires international and domestic travel, as needed, up to 10%.

Management

a minimum of 335 water service lines within the City of Highland Park for identifying the material of the line. The list of addresses will be provided by the Water Department. The verification needs to be conducted by the hydro-excavation on both sides of an existing curb stop.

scope of work involves

The proposed bidder shall provide a proposal that includes:

Project Schedule for Phase 1 (first half of excavations Fall 2022) and Phase 2 (second half of excavations Spring 2023)

• Unit Cost for Two (2) Hydro-Excavations Per Address

• Unit Cost for Restoration Per Address and provisions for the following:

• All materials used shall comply with the requirements of Safe Drinking Water Act and other Federal regulations for potable water systems as applicable.

• Hydro excavation -technique to be used for locating and identifying the material of the water service line

• Reports of the field investigation and findings

Bid documents will be made available on Friday, September 9th, 2022 and the bids must be received by 12:00 p.m. Local Time on Friday, September 23, 2022.

City of Highland Park Customer Service Center Water Department 14110 Woodward Avenue Highland Park, Michigan 48203

Recommendation and Award • Monday, October 17th, 2022, 7:00 p.m. (Local Time)

Robert B. Blackwell Municipal Building 12050 Woodward Avenue Highland Park, Michigan 48203

The Contract Documents may be obtained by emailing procurements@metroca.net. To collect hard copies of the documents, Bidders are required to email procurements@metroca.net to coordinate pick-up free of charge for up to two (2) copies per contractor.

All qualified vendors are encouraged to bid on all City of Highland Park construction projects.

A refundable bid deposit in the form of certified check, cash, or surety bond payable to the City of Highland Park for a sum not less than five percent (5%) of the amount of the Proposal shall be required with each Proposal. The successful bidder will be required to furnish satisfactory performance, labor, and materials and maintenance and guarantee bonds in the amount of one hundred percent {100%) of the Contract price.

The City of Highland Park reserves the right to waive any irregularity, to accept or reject any or all bids, and to accept the proposals that, in the City’s opinion, are in the best interest of and to the advantage of the City of Highland Park. No bidder may withdraw his bid within ninety calendar days after the date of bid opening.

Bids (Proposals) will not be received unless made on forms furnished by the City of Highland Park and delivered to the City Clerk’s office on or before 12:00 p.m. Local Time on Friday September 23, 2022.

City of Highland Park Brenda Green, City Clerk

Duties include: Provide program management and technical leadership in the execution of customer programs and internal development projects and primary technical customer contact for BorgWarner’s ECUs in the Electronics Systems & Controls (ES&C) team; among other duties. Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Electrical and Computer Engineering and five years of experience in the job offered or related Apply to job reference number R2022-6564 at borgwarner.com/careers

Senior Engineer

FEV North America, Inc. seeks a Senior Engineer based out of our office at 4554 Glenmeade Lane, Auburn Hills, Michigan 48326. Note, this is a hybrid position whereby the employee will work both from home and from the aforementioned office address. Hence, the employee must live within a reasonable commuting distance of the aforementioned office address. Note, this position does not require travel.

Duties include: Function in a lead role within the Engine and Hybrid Powertrain Systems Business Unit and be responsible for managing projects, supervising direct reports, mentoring lesser experienced engineers and providing general technical direction to the team as required; among other duties.

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or Automotive Engineering and one year of experience in the job offered or related. EOE M/F/Disability/Vet. Apply to job reference number 22-00135 at: www.fev.com

Test and Validation Engineer

Warren, MI, General Motors. Test, validate, debug &improve Infotainment modules &features

NOTICE OF GENERAL ELECTION

CITY OF HIGHLAND PARK, MICHIGAN COUNTY OF WAYNE TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2022

Park:

To the qualified

polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the following polling locations:

District 3 Faith Tabernacle

District 3 Healing Spring Church

Precinct

Electors will be voting for State, County, Judicial, and Local candidates, Local School Board Member and the following Statewide Proposals:

PROPOSAL22-3

to amend the state constitution

establish new in dividual right to reproductive freedom, including right to make all decisions about pregnancy and abortion; allow state to regulate abortion in some cases; and forbid prosecution of individuals exercising established right.

WAYNE COUNTY PROPOSAL: Wayne County Public Transportation millage: If approved, this proposal will renew the 0.9949 Mill levied by the Wayne County Tran sit Authority for the years 2022 through 2025 and will allow continued support to the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) for a public trans portation system serving the elderly, disabled, and general public of Wayne County. Full text of the proposals may be obtained at the City Clerk’s office 12050 Woodward Ave. Highland Park, MI. 48203 and may be viewed at www.highlandparkmi.gov. Sample ballots can be found at www.highlandparkmi.gov Absentee ballots are available for all elections. Due to the passage of the statewide ballot proposal 18-3, all eligible and registered voters in Michigan may request an ab sent voter ballot

a

may obtain an A.V. Ballot IN-PERSON at the City Clerk’s office until 4:00 p.m. on Monday, November 7,

a.m.

will be

The

p.m.

and

Requests to have an absent voter ballot MAILED to you must be received no later than 5 p.m. the Friday before the election. (November 4, 2022)

To comply with the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), voting instructions will be avail able in audio format and in Braille. Arrangements for obtaining the instructions in these

formats can be made by contacting the clerk in advance of the election.

locations are accessible for voters with disabilities.

Brenda Green, CMC City of Highland Park Clerk 12050 Woodward Ave. Highland Park, MI 48203

220

252-0050

NOTICE OF REGISTRATION FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2022

WAYNE COUNTY, MICHIGAN CITY OF HIGHLAND PARK

TO THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF THE CITY OF HIGHLAND PARK: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that any qualified elector of the City of Highland Park not already registered, may register to vote at the office of the City Clerk, the office of the County Clerk, a Secretary of State branch office, or other designated state agency. Registration forms can be obtained at mi.gov/vote and mailed to the City Clerk. Voters who are already registered may update their registration at www.expressSOS.com.

The last day to register in any manner other than in-person with the local clerk is Monday, October 24, 2022.

After this date, anyone who qualifies as an elector may regis ter to vote in person with proof of residency (MCL 168.492) at the City Clerk’s office, located at 12050 Woodward Ave., Highland Park, MI 48203 (313) 252-0050 ext. 220 at the fol lowing times:

Regular business hours: Monday – Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Friday 9:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m.

– Saturday, November 5, 2022 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Election Day, Tuesday, November 8, 2022 from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Persons with special needs as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act should contact the clerk’s office at 313-252-0050 ext. 220.

Tier I &Tier II suppliers) to assess technical feasibility, KPIs, &reqrmnts of new features. Participate in system peer reviews &create interoperable validation plans w/ internal teams &external suppliers in an Agile framework. Master, Electrical or Telecommunication Engineering, or related. 12 mos exp as Engineer, evaluating electrical syss, products, cmpnts, &applications by designing &conducting research programs, &confirming systems &cmpnts capabilities by designing testing methods &testing properties, or related. Mail resume to Ref#1415, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center,

Brenda Green City Clerk

Community

Working together to drive progress

At Bank of America, we continue to support diverse local communities to help fuel economic opportunity and growth. We’re inspired by the determination and passion of Hispanic-Latinos and are committed to doing more as a trusted partner. Here are some of the ways we’re helping:

Listening

Our Hispanic-Latino Business Councils across the country are focused on understanding the needs of our clients so we can better serve them.

Supporting

We’re furthering our partnership with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, Inc., helping emerging leaders succeed in today’s economy.

Delivering

Our Better Money Habits® platform is available in Spanish, Mejores Hábitos Financieros,® to help people build financial know-how and make informed, confident decisions.

My teammates and I are proud of the work we’re doing in Detroit to address the needs of our clients and the diverse communities we serve.

Matt Elliott President, Bank of America Detroit