Comedian Chris Rock famously said…

You can't beat white people, you can only knock them out.

…no, not that…

You would think that cops would occasionally shoot a white kid, just to make it look good. You'd think every couple of months they'd look at their dead nigga calendar and go, "Oh my God, we're up to 16. We gotta shoot a white kid quick."

…no, the one about Black History Month!…

Black History Month is in the shortest month of the year, and the coldest—just in case we want to have a parade.

Well, not only is February the shortest and coldest but, WTF, Black History Month has to share the first week of the month with Michigan's Chicano History Week! I know our Governor is awfully busy doing right by her state but did no one hip her to the fact that February is Black History Month? It's a national designation since the 1980s! Excuse me if BHM is feeling a little…jealous?…neglected, maybe? There's already a National Hispanic Heritage Month, signed into law in 1968 by President Lyndon Johnson! BHM is feeling a little like the "middle child" here…

Screw it. BHM is taking the high road. We're big enough to share a few days with our Mexican brothers! As national treasure Morgan Freeman said, "I don't want a Black history month. Black history is American history."

🇲🇽 🇲🇽 🇲🇽

To kick off Chicano History Week, which runs from Feb. 2-8, Nuestra Cultura is hosting a free screening of American Homeboy at Detroit’s Senate Theater. The event will celebrate Chicano culture and highlight accomplishments of Mexican Americans in the U.S. through film, live art, music, and a panel discussion.

The film draws from interviews with Mexican American historians, academics, artists, activists, cholos, and former law enforcement officers against a backdrop pulled from 50 hours of restored archival footage. Following the screening is an hour-long panel discussion by the film’s director Brandon Loran Maxwell alongside special guest speakers.

Saturday, February 3, 5:00pm -- 2:00am
Senate Theater, 6424 Michigan Ave, Detroit
The entire night (panel, exhibitions and film) is gratis but you must register.

Okay, okay, so that title's not an exact quote from Donald J Trump, millionaire ("I own a mansion and a yacht"), but how else can you describe his intelligent and measured retort regarding Shawn Fain's explanation on why the UAW endorses President Biden for the upcoming presidential election? "I've seen Shawn eat his boogers!…and he'll eat yours, too!" I've heard more reasoned debate on my elementary school playground.

And to think, there are people reading this that voted for this crybaby, others who will vote for this clown in November, and even those that voted for this clown AND will still vote for this dangerous little man in November. It boggles the mind.

Alternate links for your convenience…

• "To The Wayback Machine, Sherman."
• 1ft.io
• archive.is

[Manually] Crossposted from https://midwest.social/post/8084074 [Lemmy 19.x, the Agat of social media -- rr]

“There were two things my dad loved: pulling pranks, and fucking with VICE reporters. He’d always send Vice reporters information that the KKK was holding a rally at a local Safeway and just laugh and laugh when they showed up and found nothing more than a sale on Triscuits. But the Juggalo myth was his magnum opus,” said daughter Kristi Davidson-Carillo. “This joke took on a life of its own — all of a sudden, there were ‘I saw a Juggalo’ shirts and ‘Juggalo Country’ bumper stickers being sold at every tourist trap in central California.”

metroDetroit™-related post. Deal.

Black History Mysteries: Focus on Books, Authors, and Illustrators
Every Friday in February 2024, 10:00am -- 5:00pm
Southfield Public Library
26300 Evergreen Rd, Southfield, MI

Every week in the Month of February there will be pictures of Authors and Illustrators hiding throughout the Youth Room. It is up to you and your family and friends to work as a group follow the clues and find them. Each member of your group can then enter for a chance to win a $25 Gift Card to Amazon.

For more information on this family-friendly event, call the SPL at (248) 796-4200.

Book Talk and Celebration for Ibram X. Kendi
Thursday, February 1, 5:00pm -- 7:00pm
The Charles H Wright Museum of African American History
315 E Warren Avenue, Detroit, MI

The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History kicks off its Black History Month Program on Thursday, February 1, 5-7pm, with the #1 New York Times bestselling author and scholar Ibram X. Kendi as he discusses his adaptation of Zora Neale Hurston's Barracoon for young readers with Neil A. Barclay, President/CEO, The Wright Museum. This adaptation gives young readers a well-done introduction to the true-life story of Cudjo Lewis, one of the last-known survivors of the Atlantic slave trade, who was abducted from Africa on the last "Black Cargo" ship to arrive in the United States.

Admission is gratis but reservations are required. Autographed copies of Dr Kendi's book are available for $20.00.

metroDetroit™-related post. Cope.

The Extraordinary Story of John Sella Martin

Wednesday, January 31, 2024, 6:30pm -- 8:00pm
Southfield Public Library
26300 Evergreen Rd, Southfield, MI

Born in 1832, he was enslaved by 11 different enslavers before fleeing Alabama, reaching Southfield via the Underground Railroad in 1857. Here, he was sheltered and educated by local abolitionist minister, J.S.T. Milligan for six weeks before continuing his amazing life journey. This is the story of John Sella Martin, who became a highly regarded orator and minister, anti-slavery activist, colleague of Frederick Douglass and one of the most important forces in the anti-slavery movement in America and England.

The evening's talk will be presented by Leslie Pielack and Joy Young of the Oakland County Underground Railroad Research Project. Everyone is invited and admission is gratis but reservations are requested. Register here via localhop.com.

cross-posted from: https://midwest.social/post/7976128

Woof.

He is facing several charges, including enticement of a minor and producing and/or attempting to produce child pornography. If convicted, he would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and up to a maximum of 30 years.

[The band's reaction posted on social media:] "We are shocked to learn about the horrifying allegations involving Evan Mercer, a recent addition to the band," the statement read. "We learned about these deeply troubling allegations earlier today and he is no longer a member of the band. Our focus continues to be on our new record, the current tour, and our amazing fans."

The investigation involving Ferndale Police and the FBI was sparked last fall by Mercer's ex-girlfriend discovering screenshots of Mercer masturbating with children on the video chat website Omegle, according to the FBI agent. The screenshots were on the woman's laptop, which was synced with Mercer's cellphone.

Wow. I'd say the band's newly-released album's title was presciently chosen. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The Freep's band-centric, concert-focused article…

• Mac Saturn, shocked but resolute after member's arrest, summons good vibes at Fillmore Detroit

---

Alternate links for your convenience…

• "To The Wayback Machine, Sherman."
• 1ft.io
• archive.is

When the City of Hamtramck isn't busy defending child marriages, banning Pride flags or renaming streets, they're hosting Gleaners' food distribution events. Maybe somebody on the council misunderstood?

“Anyone in need of food is encouraged to attend, and will receive 30 pounds of nutritious groceries, like milk, fresh fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and other shelf-stable items while supplies last,” Gleaners said Wednesday.

While signing up is not required, it is encouraged and can be done by visiting foodbankhelp.link2feed.com.

Drive-up food distribution sites will take place at the following sites:

• Wednesday, January 24

  • 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. — Hamtramck Town Center: 9215 Joseph Campau in Hamtramck
  • 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. — Detroit Friendship House/Harvest House: 9540 Conant St. in Hamtramck

• Thursday, January 25

  • 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. — Southwest Solutions at St. Anthony’s: 3553 West Vernor Hwy. in Detroit
  • 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. — Fraser High School (off of Klein Road): 34270 Garfield in Fraser
  • 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. — Oakland Hope: 20 E. Walton Blvd in Pontiac

• Friday, January 26

  • 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. — City of Wyandotte – Yack Arena: 3131 3rd Street in Wyandotte
  • 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. — Urban Neighborhood Initiative: 8300 Longworth Street in Detroit

Lemmy's markdown stinks.

Over at BridgeDetroit, that handsome devil Malachi Barrett writes his weekly CIty Council Notebook, a round-up of topics discussed and voted upon at the City Council meeting. This week…

Trash fee hike looks likely

[Mayor] Duggan says Detroiters should have weekly collection of bulk and yard waste, recycling and construction debris like suburban communities. It can be done for extra $12 million every year.

Duggan originally said he’d cover the cost by moving funds from other parts of the budget. On Monday, his administration pitched a “hybrid” option that relies on raising annual garbage fees from $240 to $270 over three years.

Fee increases could be inevitable. A recent LPD report found garbage fees already aren’t keeping up with current service levels. Each $10 increase in the Solid Waste Fee raises $2 million.

Downtown parking lots get a facelift

The DDA [Downtown Development Authority -- rr] approved an $828,000 plan to fully cover the cost of landscaping upgrades based on site plans created by the city. The DDA will also cover 75% of costs for fences and bollards and 50% of the cost for signage.

The City Council’s Budget Finance and Audit Committee filed a report last week that showed the DDA collected $63 million in tax revenues in fiscal year 2023. The DDA will continue collecting taxes from increases in downtown property values until 2051.

The report shows $298 million in outstanding bonds issued to build Little Caesars Arena must be paid off. Interest adds $238 million, raising the total to $537 million in debt.

City Council redistricting slows down

The City Council is taking a few more weeks to consider new district boundaries that take effect after 2025 elections.

A vote originally planned for the end of this month was bumped back to Feb. 6 after a wave of residents voiced a desire for more outreach and engagement. The City Planning Commission created six map options.

Developer daycare fund

Whitfield-Calloway is proposing an ordinance requiring developers to fund childcare services.

The proposal is modeled off a San Francisco program that charges fees based on the square footage of projects. Fees can be avoided if developers provide family daycare on-site.

Under Whitfield-Calloway’s proposal, developers of new office, residential, and hotel projects would pay a fee based on the size and type of their projects.

Reparations task force replacements

The council will vote later this year on whether to appoint Edythe Ford, Director of Community Engagement at MACC Development, and Jashan Larosa, executive director of GreenLight Fund, a Boston-based nonprofit that supports wealth generation programs in Detroit.

Stephen A. Myth

ESPN Analyst Stephen A. Smith tried to pass off a ridiculous representation of Detroit after the latest victory on Sunday. I’ll leave it to Darren Nichols from the Detroit Free Press to explain what’s wrong with Smith’s tired take.

[City Council President Mary] Sheffield also called out Smith for promoting a false narrative about Detroit in a TikTok video.

Is the mentality finally changing? Do Detroiters and metroDetroiters™ finally see the need for reliable mass transit? Most likely not — it's probably because the QLine and its older sister, the People Mover, are as of recently free to ride.

Detroit's streetcar system said Tuesday it had more than 1 million riders in 2023, representing a 50% increase over the prior year.

The QLINE's ridership numbers last year showcase a rebound from the pandemic, which led to a service shutdown in 2020 that ended the following year as well as changes in work patterns that meant fewer people commuting.

The decision to keep QLINE as a free service, which was not always the case, has likely helped as well.

I can dream, can't I?

Alternate links for your convenience…

• "To The Wayback Machine, Sherman."
• 1ft.io
• archive.is

Further reading at The Metro Times…

• Detroit’s QLine says ridership is up, wait times are down

Your Detroit-based church group got a plot of land and just don't know what to do with it? Maybe your Detroit neighborhood association was willed vacant land and it's just overgrown with weeds and detritus? That handsome devil Malachi Barrett over at BridgeDetroit informs the civic-minded and/or aesthetically-sensitive of you…

The Neighborhood Beautification Program provides grants between $500 and $15,000 for registered block clubs, neighborhood associations, nonprofit organizations and faith-based groups that own vacant land. The deadline to apply is Feb. 23. The city is also helping organizations buy or lease lots from the Detroit Land Bank Authority.

Organizations seeking more details can view a recorded information session or attend upcoming meetings on Jan. 24 and Jan. 31. Residents can attend virtual office hours with program staff on Wednesdays from 9-11 a.m. or Fridays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The mayor says he doesn't care what stock you bought -- or what investment you own -- there's no way it tripled in value in the same amount.

Earlier this month a new real estate report by CoreLogic said the Motor City passed Miami as the fastest-appreciating housing market in the country.

Assessment notices have been mailed out to the city's 408,000 residential, commercial, industrial, and personal property owners, letting them know about the proposed assessments for 2024. It's important to note this is not a bill.

After a Dec. 21 federal court ruling threw out 13 state House and Senate districts, the three-judge panel ordered new state House maps in place by March 29.

Barring Supreme Court intervention, mapmakers must deliver new political district lines after a group of metro Detroiters successfully challenged the current maps on grounds that commissioners improperly used racial data to dilute the power of Black voters.

rr says there only one thing to know: when you can have your say!

• Monday, January 22 [hey...that's today!]
  10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. and 6:00-8:30 p.m.
  Huntington Place, One Washington Boulevard
• Tuesday, January 23
  10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. and 6:00-8:30 p.m.
  Huntington Place, One Washington Boulevard
• Wednesday, January 24
  10:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
  Cadillac Place, 3044 W. Grand Boulevard
• Thursday, January 25
  9:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
  Cadillac Place, 3044 W. Grand Boulevard
• Friday, January 26
  9:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
  Cadillac Place, 3044 W. Grand Boulevard

LaTicia Kilpatrick, who married the disgraced former mayor in July 2021 at Detroit’s Historic Little Rock Baptist Church, purchased the home through the Pathfinder Consulting Firm, a Warren-based company that she owns. She took out a $645,600 mortgage, according to property records obtained by Metro Times.

A Bible study video posted by Kwame Kilpatrick on Facebook on Friday morning showed cabinets in the background that look identical to the ones shown in photos for the home’s real estate listing.

In February 2023, U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds lambasted Kilpatrick for only paying $5,000 in federal restitution, saying he “has a history of spending his money on a lavish lifestyle rather than paying off his obligations.”

According to a recent real estate listing, the Kilpatricks’ new 5,600-square-foot home on Southwyck Court near Nine Mile Road features five bedrooms, five bathrooms, a three-car garage, a catwalk overlooking a “dramatic” open room with a dual-sided wood burning fireplace, and a main bedroom with a fireplace and bathroom with a carpeted dressing area, dual large walk-in closets, dual vanities with quartz countertops, and custom mirrors.

About 70% of Black children in Detroit can’t swim, according to data collected by the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit, and, per a 2021 report from aquatics planning and design firm Counsilman-Hunsaker, Detroiters are more afraid of the water than residents from other southeast Michigan communities.

Metroparks Director Amy McMillan told BridgeDetroit it’s too early to know how many spots will be designated to Detroiters each year but the city is a priority; she anticipates a large number of classes will roll out at community centers, such as the Adams Butzel Complex in northwest Detroit.

The program offers free indoor classes from January through May. Classes are being held at the Adams Butzel Complex, Heilmann Community Center, Northwest Activities Center, and the Patton Community Center. Families can register on the Metroparks website.

Living here, odds are you will find yourself in a body of water sooner or later. According to Michigan State University, the State of Michigan has 86 watersheds, over 26,000 inland lakes and 120 rivers. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) states Michigan's area is 41.5% water! That's more than Hawaii (41.2%)!

It may sound trivial or unimportant or some other excuse you've already got in your head, but knowing how to swim is up there with knowing how to cross a busy street or driving.

cross-posted from: https://midwest.social/post/7645189

raoul "Mr Thorough" raoul says: crossposted due to the Detroit connection

Good news for those of you who enjoy threatening people's lives! Death threats by SMS/MMS[^1] cost only 30 days in Federal prison![^2] Act now!

A New Hampshire woman [Katelyn Jones, 26, formerly of Olivet, Michigan] was sentenced to 30 days in federal jail Tuesday for texting threats to a Detroit-area election official after a November 2020 meeting to certify local results in that year’s presidential race.

Investigators say Jones sent photos of a dead body and threatened Palmer on Nov. 18, 2020, apparently because she was upset that Palmer and another Republican on the four-member Board of Canvassers initially refused to certify Wayne County’s election results on Nov. 17. The certification is typically a routine step on the way to statewide certification.

Of course, the poor thing was…

[…] was coping with unspecified physical and mental health issues, The Detroit News reported.

Aren't we all?

---

Alternate links for your convenience…

• "To The Wayback Machine, Sherman."
• 1ft.io
• archive.is

[^1]: Photos were involved, hence my MMS designation -- Raoul "Mr Accurate" Raoul [^2]: Your attorney's mileage may vary.

The answer is never…with caveats.

An interesting article by WSU's Dean of the Irvin D. Reid Honors College and Professor of Philosophy, John Corvino Ph.D I'd seen in the Freep, but originally published over at https://theconversation.com.

As a college dean, I regularly observe campus controversies about the Israel-Hamas war, race relations and other hot-button issues. Many of these concern free speech – what students, faculty and invited speakers should and shouldn’t be allowed to say.

The primary argument for the big tent approach is rooted in intellectual humility: properly recognizing the limitations to what each of us knows. In one sense, it is a recognition of human fallibility – which, when combined with hubris, can have disastrous results.

[Philosopher Jeremy] Fantl grants that such engagement can have value but worries that it is often ineffective or dishonest. Ineffective, if you tell your opponents from the outset “You’re not going to change my mind” – a conversation-stopper if anything is. Dishonest, if you pretend to engage open-mindedly when you’re really not.

Possibly a little headier than what you were expecting in a Lemmy post but, hey, I'm trying my best to raise us all up a little.

Over at BridgeDetroit is that handsome devil Malachi Barrett's weekly CIty Council Notebook, his round-up of topics discussed and voted upon at the City Council meeting. This week…

Detroit won't pay for rouge murals

The City Council refused to pay a New York nonprofit $215,000 for six murals intended to spruce up downtown ahead of 2024 NFL Draft that were painted without approval.

Council Member Angela Whitfield-Calloway said Detroit taxpayers shouldn’t pay for murals on private property, especially when the City Council doesn’t have oversight. “Mr. Ilitch is one of the building owners, maybe we can send him a bill,” she said.

Lawmakers consider amusement tax plan

“Detroit is one of the most-visited cities in the country for its cultural and sporting events,” she said. “We (should) ensure that those who benefit from Detroit's attractions also contribute to its well-being.”

[State Sen. Sylvia] Santana’s bills would have charged a 10% admission fee on events with more than 500 people, including sporting events, festivals, zoos, theaters and museums. School events were exempt, including college athletics.

Bus drivers get a pay bump

Pay increases are welcome news for users of the bus system, as low pay is frequently cited as a reason behind a driver shortage that causes fewer buses to run. Mayor Mike Duggan said wage increases are part of a broader strategy to improve service.

The union’s collective bargaining agreement with the Detroit Department of Transportation doesn’t expire until next year. ATU Local 26 President Schetrone Collier said the raises are important, but the union is going back to the table in 2025 to seek more.

Zoning change prevents heavy industry

The City Council reduced the zoning classification by two steps, going from an intensive industrial district to a restricted industrial district. That may not sound very different, but Council Member Scott Benson said it will make a huge difference for residents living near the site.

Benson said the city should continue reducing zoning at intensive industrial sites as the city embarks on its first Master Plan since 2009. Benson said the M4 intensive industrial zoning allows for potentially dangerous uses like incinerator plants and hazardous waste facilities.

❤ ❤ ❤ 🤩 ❤ ❤ ❤

Jackson will stop in the Detroit area on Tuesday, July 2 at Pine Knob Music Theatre with Nelly as a special guest.

The 2024 Together Again tour will celebrate Jackson’s 50th anniversary as an entertainer. It also marks several milestones for three of her most popular albums — 25 years of The Velvet Rope, 30 years of Janet., and 35 years of Rhythm Nation.

Ms Jackson, if you're nasty. 🫣 🤭

❤ ❤ ❤ 🥰 ❤ ❤ ❤

Don't just do something…sit there!

• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 1963 Detroit ‘Walk to Freedom’

Don't just sit there…do something!

• Martin Luther King, Jr., National Day of Service
  • MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities. Find out how you can get involved.
• MLK Day at The Wright
  • 7:30am, Annual Prayer Breakfast (sold out)
  • 9:00 -- 5:00pm: special exhibitions all day including MLK Now is The Time, an immersive VR journey in that explores key themes of Dr. King's speech and what they mean today
• Let Freedom Ring: MLK Birthday Celebration
  • 5:00pm, Fox Theatre, Detroit
    The Rev. Jesse Jackson's Rainbow PUSH "KING MLK Birthday Celebration" event will honor Big Sean, Judge Greg Mathis, Bishop J. Drew Sheard, Amy Nederlander And Maha Freij with special tributes to Harry Belafonte and Rev. Charles Adams. Admission gratis.
• Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Task Force, Inc. 39th Annual Celebration
  • 9:00am, Peace Walk, Hope United Methodist Church, 26275 Northwestern Hwy., Southfield
  • 11:00am, MLK program, Southfield Pavillion, 26000 Evergreen Road, Southfield
    "Taste Fest" to immediately follow MLK program
• Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. @ The Henry Ford
  • 9:30am -- 5:00pm, films, performance and song inspired by MLK and the Civil Rights Movement. Admission gratis today.
• Fueling Detroit: MLK Day of Service
  • 9:00am -- 2:00pm, Kemeny Recreation, 2260 S. Fort St., Detroit.
    Here's where and how you get involved in Wayne State's Americorps MLK Day of Service.
• EMU Driven By The Dream
  • Events all week from today to Friday, January 19. See website for specific dates and events.

Yet man is not made to dwell in the valleys of sin and evil; man is made for for: that which is high and noble. When I see how we fight vicious wars and destroy human life on bloody battlefields, I find myself saying: “Man is not made for that.” When I see how we live our lives in selfishness and hate, again I say: “man is not made for that” When I see how we often throw away the precious lives that God has given us in rioteous living, again I find myself saying: “Man is not made for that. My friends, man is made for the stars, created for eternity, born for the everlasting. Man is a child of the almighty God, born for his everlasting fellowship. “What is man that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thou hands; thou hast put all things under his feet. All sheep and oxen, yea and the beasts of the field. The fowl of the air, and the fish of sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the sea.” This is man’s kingly perogative. Who this afternoon will rise out of the dark and dreary valleys of sin and evil, realizing that man’s proper home is in the high mountain of truth, beaty and goodness; yea even where God the eternal dwells forever.

-- MLK, "What Is Man," 1954

An inspiring account (I thought) of Ms Kimberly Dowdell, newly inaugurated president of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and native Detroiter.

“An extended village raised me and that included my parents, grandmother, siblings, aunts, cousins, educators, church family and other caring people around Detroit,” said Dowdell, who spoke by phone on Jan. 5 from New Orleans, where she was attending the American Institute of Architecture Students Forum 2024, her first speaking engagement as AIA president.

“I am who I am because of Detroit,” proclaims Dowdell, the daughter of Renee Dowdell and the late Thomas Cobb, who worked in automobile factories and was a creator in his own right as the owner of a sign painting business. “All of Detroit was the village for me.”

“Part of my campaign for AIA President included challenging people to ‘Envision New Possibilities’ given the historic nature of my candidacy. And in some ways, Dr. King inspires us all to look at the world through the lens of what can be versus what we currently see,” explained Dowdell.

Alternate links for your convenience…

• "Wayback Machine, Sherman!"
• 1ft.io
• archive.is

The city issued nearly 300 blight tickets to Grand Rapids-based Green Valley Properties over two years, according to a BridgeDetroit analysis of online city records. In 2022, the city’s Buildings, Safety Engineering and Environmental Department submitted a notice to revoke the company’s 2018 land use permit for allegedly failing to secure permits for an expansion, not following its dust mitigation plan and other offenses. But the city’s blight court overruled the notice.

Green Valley’s concrete crusher, Dino-Mite Crushing and Recycling, operates on 12.3 acres in an industrial zone of the Schoolcraft Southfield neighborhood. The facility crushes stones and old concrete and creates new concrete that it stores in 45-foot-high piles.

The crushing creates silica dust, which can “irreversibly damage the lungs,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as particulate matter, microscopic particles that can enter the lungs and bloodstream and cause health issues.

Dabreda Allen has lived on Mettetal Street for 50 years and occasionally used an inhaler for her seasonal allergies until, she said, Dino-Mite opened, caking the windows of her house and car in dust. Now, the 60-year-old said she frequently needs the inhaler to breathe, while her older brother has developed a persistent cough.

Some advocates claim concrete crushing operations are proliferating in the city because low-income Black residents may be less likely to fight back. A handful of proposals in the last few years have sought to operate concrete and asphalt facilities in Detroit neighborhoods where the population is between 92-99% Black.

• Abiding Tim's insanity or creating his own
• The only Veep character who isn't a sociopath and/or a halfwit…in context, of course
• Sam puts his TV OCD on display for Conan
• Over the top as Edwin Akufo (NSFW language, you tender souls)

Oh, I could go on like that all day!

With his newly-received Emmy in hand, hopefully a glass of Moët & Chandon in the other, Detroit-born actor/comedian/writer/producer Sam Richardson has a lot to celebrate today. Happy Birthday, Sam, and thanks for all the laughs!

Runny eyes, dry throats: Detroiters want compensation for Stellantis pollution

Don't put away your N-95s just yet, Detroit!

Stellantis emitted more volatile organic compounds than the 4.8 pounds per vehicle permitted at the [Jefferson North Assembly] plant, resulting in a November 2022 violation notice from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.

Volatile organic compounds are air pollutants associated with paints and solvents that have been linked to various health issues and contribute to the formation of harmful ozone. Exposure to VOC vapors can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation, headaches, and other side effects.

The November violation was the seventh of eight air quality violations for Stellantis’ Detroit plants since 2021. Erin Moran, enforcement officer for EGLE’s Air Quality Division, said during the online meeting that the department’s enforcement power is limited mainly to issuing fines.

Emphasis mine

“We don’t have the authority to shut down a company. There’s very limited circumstances in which we will be able to consider a situation like that,” Moran said.

Jeremy Orr, environmental law professor at Michigan State University, challenged that. “To say that the state, that EGLE, has no authority to shut them (Stellantis) down is incorrect,” Orr said. “EGLE could easily initiate a complaint with the attorney general… to revoke the license or revoke the permit or shut the business down given ongoing violations, even in the midst of a consent decree.”

I'd think cessation of the toxic pollution would be preferable to compensation. But ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

From your friend and mine, Wikipedia…

Martin Luther King Jr. Day (officially Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., and often referred to shorthand as MLK Day) is a federal holiday in the United States marking the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year. Born in 1929, King's actual birthday is January 15 (which in 1929 fell on a Tuesday). The holiday is similar to holidays set under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. The earliest Monday for this holiday is January 15 and the latest is January 21.

Interestingly enough…

President Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed three years later on January 20, 1986. At first, some states resisted observing the holiday as such, giving it alternative names or combining it with other holidays. It was officially observed in all 50 states for the first time in 2000.

In any case, various events and activities are planned in Detroit and suburban cities to honor the man who "had a dream"…

"I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Councilor or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action"; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a "more convenient season."

⚜⚜⚜

Events start tomorrow with “The Motor City and the Movement” open panel discussion at Wayne State University. For details regarding times and locations, please consult the Freep article

And in case you hadn't heard, I'll just leave this here. Make of it what you will.