I am writing today to announce the closure of the Michigan Messenger. After four years of operation in Michigan, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news into a single site, The American Independent at Americanindependent.com. This is part of a shift in strategy, towards new forms [...]
An abstinence-only presentation provided to numerous school districts in Calhoun and Eaton Counties in October of this year provided false and misleading information to students about HIV, experts allege.
Two county registers of deeds filed a class action lawsuit Monday on behalf of Michigan’s 83 counties alleging that the Mortgage Electronic Registration Services owes millions of dollars in property title transfer taxes.
Despite evidence of the impact of mercury on children and public health, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette last month joined with 24 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to scuttle new EPA regulations that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants.
The third and final televised Detroit mayoral debate of the primary season aired Tuesday night on WADL-TV Channel 38. This time the candidates chosen in WADL’s random drawing included Jeroll Sanders, Duane Montgomery, Warren Evans and Joe Holt.
Candidates answered questions from Detroit News associate Editor Richard Burr and Detroit Free Press Associate Editor Ron Dzwonkowski. The questions focused on issues needing exigent attention such as blight, deficit, education, employment, crime and public transit. All candidates agreed the city was facing a deeply troubled time.
Most of the candidates seemed anxious, awkward under the studio lights and in front of the camera. Holt appeared to be sweating while Sanders and Bradley often stumbled on their words, letting their nerves show.
Of the four candidates, Wane County Sheriff Warren Evans was the most comfortable in front of the camera. Montgomery also held his ground, focusing on tax reduction for residents and higher taxation for thriving casinos.
Evans criticized Montgomery’s plan to tax the casinos more, saying it would hurt the city on a larger level if the casinos faced tax increases.
When asked if they thought interim Mayor Kenneth Cockrel Jr. was doing a good job, both Holt and Bradley said they thought he was, while Evans, Sanders and Montgomery lashed out at Cockrel for not balancing the budget as promised.
Sanders repeatedly said she would take a “no holds barred” approach to policing and pubic safety.
Evans said he thought public safety was one of the biggest issues.
Bradley said he would focus on jobs; Montgomery said he would lower taxes by 10 percent and increase taxes on casinos while Holt reiterated the need for trolley cars for regional public transit to help bring people to the city.
Many Detroiters have heard these same themes before; there was little new or exciting that came of this debate. Detroit’s mayoral primary election will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 24, when they’ll offer their own opinion on the candidates’ performance during this primary race.
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