Detroit police complete another week of targeted enforcement

Police officer | Stock photo by Coco Parisienne/Pixabay

The Detroit Police Department has completed a third week of targeted enforcement with the goal of decreasing violent crimes associated with the black market sale and purchase of marijuana and other illegal narcotics. Police precincts across the city began conducting targeted enforcement actions on January 27 in response to a spike in violent crime.

This initiative’s third week ran from February 10 – 17. During this time period, police officers reported the following preliminary results across Detroit:

• 78 felony arrests were made;
• 36 misdemeanor arrests were also made;
• 21 firearms were seized , which includes 16 handguns and five long guns;
• 918 citations were issued;
• 68 vehicles were impounded; and
• Two stolen vehicles were recovered.

Police officers also confiscated a variety of narcotics. This included 54.5 grams of cocaine, 307 pills of various types, 151.5 grams of marijuana, and 18 grams of heroin.

"Our goal is to keep our communities safe, and this effort is to focus on the buyers and sellers who are illegally carrying guns," explained Chief James Craig of the Detroit Police Department. "I am thankful for the good work my officers are doing to rid our streets of illegal weapons associated with the sale of illegal narcotics so law-abiding residents can go about their lives free from fear."

While these operations are by no means confined to the Warrendale neighborhood, it is afterall a citywide operation, the fact that so many felons and firearms are off the streets of Detroit is a promising fact, in my opinion.

As the Detroit Police Department continues this initiative, additional details will be reported on this blog and on its Facebook page.

Learn a Martial Art on Vacation

Kung fu master silhouetterd at sunset | Photo by Mohammed Hasan/Pixabay

Have you ever wanted to learn a martial art but couldn’t find the time? Is a vacation the only time you can ever get a break? Consider combining martial arts training and a vacation for an unforgettable experience.

Most people think of going to Disney World or visiting the Grand Canyon for a vacation. That’s nice, but what about something different?

Vacations focusing on experiences are all the rage these days. From motorcycle tours to surfing, you can find a vacation in which you are actively engaged in something instead of just visiting site to site.

What types of martial arts are best to learn while on vacation?
Just about every martial art has a vacation experience. You really can’t go wrong. You can learn kung-fu in China, or train Brazilian Jiujitsu in Thailand. Make sure to use a well known booking vendor such as StudyMartialArts.org to find the type of martial art and camp that is best for you. It's important that you get independent travel advice so that you can get the best experience possible.

Keep in mind that although most martial arts camps will welcome beginners you should double check before you book as each vacation/camp provider is different. Usually absolute beginners are welcome, but make sure that each location offers such services.

Why learn a martial art on vacation?
Martial arts can be great fun and exercise. Combine that with an exotic location, such as Thailand or Brazil and you have the recipe for a great getaway. Beyond the physical and mental benefits, learning a martial art on vacation is a great way to connect with your family and create international friends.

Perhaps the best reason to study a martial art on a vacation is that it can make for a great travel story for years to come. Who wants to hear about the canal tour you took? A story about how you kicked through 5 layers of bricks in Japan is way cooler.

You might be asking, is learning a martial art in a foreign country safe? The answer is that martial arts entail physical activity and contact so there is some inherent risk to injury. That said, martial arts are quite safe when practiced properly. Everything will be fine as long as you follow the rules and are respectful of others.

What else should be kept in mind?
Before you go, make sure you check visa and travel requirements. Also, make sure that you check which accomodations your camp may or may not provide. This includes any special training equipment you might need. Also, don’t forget to buy appropriate travel insurance in case you need to go to a medical provider.

If in doubt call the vendor to confirm. Most of the time everything you need to know is on the website, but you should get the advice of your booking company in case you have doubts.

Forget the beach, get on the mat for your next trip!

These tips are brought to you by the Warrendale Detroit Blog as part of our Tip of the Week series. Please check back next week for more advice on your home, money, and life. The rest of the tips are are avilable here.

Please feel free to follow the author Frank Nemecek on Twitter and Instagram as @fnemecek for more great content

Former Detroit police officer pleads guilty to accepting bribes

Bribery | Stock photo by Pixabay/Pexels

Former Detroit Police Officer Michael Mosley, age 48, pleaded guilty today before the Hon. George Caram Steeh to bribery for taking $15,000 in cash bribes from a drug trafficker, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider.  The guilty plea announced today is the result of an idictment that this blog reported on last August.

Joining Schneider in the announcement was Steven M. D’Antuono, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Mosley was a 19-year veteran of the Detroit Police Department. In April 2019, he was a member of the  Department’s Major Violators Unit.  On April 3, 2019, Detroit police officers, including Mosley, searched a drug trafficker’s house pursuant to a search warrant.  The search uncovered two kilograms of heroin, one kilogram of cocaine, and six firearms.  The drug trafficker confessed to owning the three kilograms of drugs to Mosley, and the trafficker signed a confession.  After the April 3 search, Mosley remained in contact with the drug trafficker in an effort to secure the trafficker’s cooperation concerning other criminal activity.

Subsequently, the drug trafficker offered Mosley a cash bribe of $15,000 in exchange for not pursuing criminal charges based on the three kilogram drug seizure and he agreed to the deal.  On May 2, 2019, Mosley collected $10,000 in cash that the drug dealer left for Mosley in the backyard of an abandoned house in Detroit.  On May 23, 2019, Mosley accepted another $5,000 in cash left for him by the drug trafficker at the abandoned house.  In exchange, he gave the drug trafficker the original copy of his confession. 

In addition to pleading guilty to one count of bribery, Mosley will be forfeiting the $15,000 he took in bribes.

U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider commended the outstanding work of the FBI in conducting this criminal investigation of a corrupt police officer.

“It’s rare that a police officer commits a crime, but in this case Officer Mosley betrayed his oath as a police officer, and he betrayed the citizens of Detroit and the vast majority of his fellow officers who seek to protect and serve with integrity,” stated Schneider.  “This prosecution demonstrates that we will not tolerate public officials who abuse their authority and seek to use their power to line their own pockets.”

 “The citizens of Detroit deserve better from their public servants. Wrongdoing by police officers undermines the public's trust and confidence in law enforcement officers who are sworn to defend and uphold the law,” said D’Antuono. “The men and women of the Detroit Police Department are dedicated to serving this community and misconduct by one of its officers is not a reflection of the entire force. However, the FBI will do everything in its power to bring corrupt police officers to justice and to restore faith in the integrity of law enforcement throughout the city.”

The investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Resnick Cohen, David A. Gardey, and Shankar Ramamurthy.

5 ways to stretch your tax refund

Both the Michigan Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service are busy these days processing tax returns and issuing refunds to millions of Americans. The average federal refund last year was $2,869 according to an analysis of data from the IRS.

It’s a sad reality that bars, restaurants, and casinos all get busier when tax refunds arrive. For those who want to use that refund to make a long term difference in your family’s situation, I offer five ways in which you can stretch your tax refund.

Making a payment | Stock photo by StockSnap/Pixabay

Switch to annual payments
Your auto, home, and life insurance premiums. Subscriptions to one streaming service or another. These are just some of the bills that most Americans have that offer a discount if you can pay them on an annual or semi-annual basis instead of paying them monthly. You can save hundreds of dollars by switching to an annual basis and this is one discount that companies are thrilled to give you.

For most Americans most of the year, they simply don’t have enough cash on hand to take advantage of these offers and realize the savings. Your tax refund, however, provides an opportunity to break out of this cycle and start saving money.

I recommend starting with your insurance premiums. Talk with your insurance agent to see what kind of a discount you can get by switching to an annual or semi-annual payment.

Paying | Stock photo by Quinn Kampschrorer/Pixabay

Pay down debt
This one is kind of a no-brainer. The average American has four credit cards and carries a balance of $8,640. If you only make the minimum payments, it will take decades for you to pay that off. Paying down your debt means huge savings in interest charges.This is especially true with high-interest credit cards.

Your tax refund provides an opportunity to pay down some debt. This can either be by taking money directly from your refund check and paying it down or by taking some of the money that you saved from switching to annual payments and adding a few extra bucks to each month’s payment.

For Detroiters looking to get a handle on their debts, help is available through the Financial Empowerment Center. I wrote about this program last November and details about it are available here.

Boost savings | Stock photo by Manuel Alejandro Leon/Pixabay

Boost savings
If you don’t have a savings account, now is the time to start one. If you don’t have at least six months worth of basic living expenses in your savings account, now is the time to make a deposit.

Just like when it came to paying down debt, you can boost your savings directly from your income tax refund or by using the money that you saved from switching to annual payments and/or paying down debts.

Also, remember that you have until April 15, 2020 to make a 2019 contribution to your IRA.

Saving energy | Stock photo by PIRO4D/Pixabay

Energy saving improvements to your home
For most Americans, your home is your single biggest investment by far and utilities are one of the biggest expenses for that investment. By making a few improvements, you not only lower your energy costs but also boost the resale value of your home.

Plus, making energy savings improvements to your home today can also mean a bigger tax refund next year in addition to lower energy bills.

Having fun | Stock photo by Free Photos/Pixabay

Have a little fun
While I believe that the bulk of your tax refund should go towards improving your family’s long term financial strength, there’s nothing wrong with having a little bit of fun along the way. Dinner and a movie with your spouse is a classic option.

For those who want something a little different, websites like Groupon offer deals on all kinds of fun things to do.

These tips are brought to you by the Warrendale Detroit Blog as part of our Tip of the Week series. Please check back next week for more advice on your home, money, and life. The rest of the tips are avilable here.

Please feel free to follow the author Frank Nemecek on Twitter and Instagram as @fnemecek for more great content.

Boxing class at the library and more

There are several challenges to running a hyperlocal blog like this one. For example, Google’s search rankings tend to rank sites lower if most of their articles are less than 500 words. That might not be a problem for those blogging about some topics. When one is blogging about one particular neighborhood, though, there are a lot of stories that I simply cannot stretch out that long without becoming redundant or boring.

Therefore, I’ve decided to start merging some of these stories into longer posts; creating one long post that the internet search engines like rather than three or four shorter articles that they rank lower automatically.

Boxing | Stock photo by Harut Movsisyan/Pixabay

Boxing classes at the library
The Edison Branch (18400 Joy Rd.) of the Detroit Public Library will host a boxing class this coming Saturday, March 8 from noon to 2 pm. This event is open to all ages. It’s a great way to build self-esteem and physical confidence.

More details about this class are available on the library's website, which is located here.

Pizza | Stock photo by Igor Ovsyannykov/Pixabay

Free slice of pizza

This Sunday, March 9 is National Pizza Day, which is one of those social media holidays that is near and dear to my heart. I look forward to celebrating at Sbarro's inside Fairlane Town Center where you can buy one New York slice and a beverage and get another slice of New York cheese or pepperoni for free.

Details and coupons are located here.

Rouge Park | Photo by Frank Nemecek

Rebirth of the nature trail?

The Friends of Rouge Park are exploring the possibility of reestablishing the original Wild Nature Trail. This trail was constructed in Rouge Park in the 1930s but has been in a general state of disrepair for quite some time.

I will have more on this story as it develops, especially if the nonprofit group decides to push forward with it.

Girl in a garden | Stock photo by Rudy and Peter Skitterians/Pixabay

Community garden launches fundraiser

The In Memory of Community Garden (6551 Minock St.) is attempting to raise $500 to support their ongoing operations. If you are willing and able to so, please consider making a donation over on this website.

The garden will provide children and families a place to learn about nutrition and the benefits that fruits, vegetables and exercise provide. Community gardening is a healthy, inexpensive activity for youth and adults that can bring them closer to nature and allow them to interact with each other in a socially, meaningful and productive way. Produce from the garden will help supply nutritious locally grown produce to low-income families in need and all surplus will be donated to our local food banks and pantry's. The Garden will add beauty to the community and heighten people’s awareness and appreciation for all living things.

Detroit police release new recruiting video
The Detroit Police Department, like most police departments in this nation, has more openings for police officers than it does people applying for those jobs. In order to boost its numbers, they have released a new recruiting video for social media and television.

Quite frankly, I think this video is kind of badass. It’s embedded above. I encourage everyone to watch it and share with anyone who you think would make a good Detroit police officer.

Interested parties can also get started on their career pathway by clicking here.

Please subscribe to the Warrendale Detroit Blog by entering your email address where is says “receive email alerts” in the upper right hand column of this page.

GM announces $6 million donation to support Detroit schools

General Motor headquarters | File photo

Earlier this morning, General Motors announced a $6 million donation to Beyond Basics to support the Be the Solution literacy campaign. This investment will provide nearly 500 Detroit high schoolers the opportunity to participate in the nonprofit’s literacy program. It is also the largest single contribution ever to this program.

“Beyond Basics delivers outstanding results that are real, measurable and impactful,” said Mark Reuss, General Motors president. “At General Motors, we believe investing in Detroit’s children and families is an investment in the future – for them, and for all of us residing in southeast Michigan. Our team is proud to support Beyond Basics’ ambitious mission, and we encourage other companies to do the same as we work together to revitalize the city.”

General Motors’ donation is the largest single investment to Beyond Basics’ Be the Solution literacy campaign, to date, and marks the half-way point of this year’s $11 million goal. The $33 million, three-year campaign launched last summer with the endorsement of the Detroit Public Schools Community District.

This donation also comes on the heels of the $2.2 billion investment in Detroit and Hamtramck that GM announced last month.

Beyond Basics works closely with DPSCD and has already achieved tremendous success with 50 tutors at schools across the city — including Mumford High School, where today’s grant announcement was held. The number of trained, certified tutors is expected to jump to 300 over the next three years.

“This is not about throwing money at another problem. Beyond Basics gets at the heart of the challenges linked to reading below grade level and delivers a strategy that is coherent, comprehensive and truly research-based,” explained Dr. Nikolai P. Vitti, superintendent of the Detroit Public Schools Community District. “With the support and leadership of General Motors and Beyond Basics, we will begin to address, at scale, high school literacy challenges so students can be on a college or career path. Due to the legacy of emergency management, too many of our high school students are behind.”

Today’s donation continues General Motors’ support of Beyond Basics’ results-driven work. In 2018, General Motors helped establish Beyond Basics’ first bricks-and-mortar space in Detroit at the Durfee Innovation Society in Detroit. The Beyond Basics Family Literacy Center provides literacy and workforce development services, including GED and SAT prep, with a large focus on reaching an adult population.

“Most Detroit public high school students are reading below grade level,” said Pamela Good, co-founder and CEO of Beyond Basics. “When students fall behind in literacy, they fall behind in every subject because curriculums assume children can read. With this generous $1 million donation from General Motors, Beyond Basics can pair even more trained tutors with struggling students who are eager to learn and need that extra boost.”

Providing a child with the tool of reading can change the trajectory of their life. It opens a world of possibilities that can give them opportunities that would be impossible without literacy. For over twenty years Pamela Good and the Beyond Basics team have been committed to giving children the chance to read and see the potential they have to succeed in the world. It is a mission that has helped thousands, but there are many more in need of help.

Update at 12:38 pm - An earlier version of this story listed GM's donation as $1 million when it's actually $6 million. This story has been corrected to reflect this.

Coffee and conversation with State Representative Karen Whitsett

Girl with cup of coffee | Photo by StockSnap/Pixabay

This coming Saturday, State Representative Karen Whitsett will host of coffee hour with her constituents. She represents the 9th state house district, which includes the Warrendale and nearby neighborhoods, in the Michigan Legislature.

This coffee hour is a chance for residents and other community stakeholders to get to know her and to hear her perspectives on what is happening in Lansing. It’s also a great opportunity to express any issues or concerns that you might have directly to her.

The next one of these coffee hours will happen on Saturday, February 8 at two locations in her district. She will be at McDonald’s (13676 Grand River) from 10 – 11 a.m. After that, she will be at Mary’s Grill (20804 Plymouth Rd.) from noon to 1 p.m. Both of these instances will allow residents to share coffee and conversation with Whitsett.

Longtime readers of the Warrendale Detroit Blog may recall that I supported Whitsett when she first ran for the Michigan House of Representative in 2018. I appreciate the work that she has done to reform auto insurance in our state as well as the rest of her in work in our community. I expect to support her again this November if and when she runs for re-election.

These coffee hours with Whitsett will continue to happen on the second Saturday of each month. They will continue to be at the same times and locations. If that changes, you will read about it on the Warrendale Detroit Blog.

I look forward to seeing some of my neighbors this Saturday.