Commission turns down demolition of State Savings Bank

My thanks go out to everyone else who came out to the Historic District Commission meeting this evening. I'm thrilled that we were able to block the unnecessary demolition of the State Savings Bank Building in downtown Detroit. The Detroit Free Press has more on this story here.

Next up?

Developing and implementing a comprehensive plan to meet the need for parking in downtown Detroit that doesn't involve acre upon acre of empty asphalt. Tonight, though, we shall celebrate.

Toy Chest Bar looking to hire a cook

Chef - Illustration by Julien Tromeur

The Toy Chest Bar (18728 Ford Rd.) is looking to hire a qualified cook to work for them on a part-time basis. Interested applicants should apply for this job in person at their location.

Questions about wages, hours, and benefits can be discussed with the bar's management at the time of application.

Toy Chest Bar bills itself as "where adults come to play." Additional information and photos regarding the bar is available on their website.

Predictions for mayor and city council elections in Detroit

Today is the primary election for mayor and city council in Detroit. Two candidates will advance to the general election in November in the mayor and city council district races; while four candidates will compete this fall for two at-large seats on the city council.

The polls in Detroit are open for another nine hours. Regardless, after consulting my crystal ball, my predictions for the outcome are as follows:

Mayor
1) Benny Napoleon;
2) Tom Barrow; and
3) Mike Duggan.

City Council - 7th District
1) Gabe Leland;
2) Dustin Campbell; and
3) John Bennett.

City Council - At-Large
1) Saunteel Jenkins (incumbent);
2) Roy McCalister, Jr;
3) Brenda Jones (incumbent); and
4) Jessica Rayford-Clark.

There are only two candidates running for the Detroit Police Commission in the 7th district. Therefore, both of them will automatically move on to the general election in November.

Update @ 11:16 p.m.
Results are still coming in. Regardless, I think it's safe to say that my predictions for today were seriously wrong.

I'll have more to post tomorrow. For now, just know that my crystal ball has a serious crack in it.

Huge drug bust on Rutherford

The Detroit Police Department, along with agents from the several different state and federal agencies, announced a series of indictments that will bring to justice members of a violent, armed drug gang members that operated on Rutherford Street. This investigation is the result of an on-going partnership between local, state, and federal law enforcement, which is commonly known as Detroit One.

The indictment unsealed today charges three brothers, Mohamed, Abed, and Fouad Faraj, with distributing marijuana and prescription pills on the 6800 block of Rutherford Street and the greater Warrendale neighborhood in the city of Detroit. The criminal enterprise led by the Faraj brothers employed numerous teenagers and young men to act as their street level distributors. These young workers regularly had access to firearms supplied by the leaders and used arson as a tactic to create stash houses and to further the enterprise’s narcotics distribution activities.

Among those charged today are:

• Mohamed Faraj, 29, of Dearborn Heights, charged with continuing criminal enterprise, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of firearms in furtherance of narcotics trafficking, and use a telecommunications device in furtherance of narcotics trafficking;
• Abed Faraj, 38, of Detroit, charged with continuing criminal enterprise, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of firearms in furtherance of narcotics trafficking;
• Fouad Faraj, 43, of Dearborn Heights, charged with continuing criminal enterprise, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of firearms in furtherance of narcotics trafficking;
• Mohammed Abdul Alhakami, 22, of Detroit, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of firearms in furtherance of narcotics trafficking;
• Ali Al-Hisnawi, 20, of Detroit, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; and
• Adnan Bazzi, 28, of Dearborn, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of firearms in furtherance of narcotics trafficking, and felon in possession of a firearm.

“Detroit One is bringing a unified focus to arresting violent offenders in Detroit," U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade explained in a statement. "Dismantling violent drug gangs will help restore peace in our neighborhoods."

“We know that illegal narcotics and firearms are a major threat to the safety of our citizens and to law enforcement officers,” added Acting Special Agent in Charge Daryl McCrary of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. “Today’s operations and arrest warrants highlight ATF’s and our law enforcement partners’ effort to remove armed violent drug dealers from our streets. We are committed to reducing violent crime and this case emphasizes a repetitive problem of illegal narcotics traffickers willing to use and carry firearms to protect their drug proceeds.”

“This is the perfect example of law enforcement teamwork,” said Chief James E. Craig. “Working with our local, state, federal law enforcement agencies has and will continue to enhance our crime-fighting efforts in providing a safe environment for visitors and residents of the city of Detroit.”

Detroit One is a collaborative effort between law enforcement and the community to reduce homicide and other violent crime in Detroit. By working cooperatively, local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies are maximizing their ability to identify and arrest the individuals and groups committing violent crime.

In this case, investigators were able to share information and resources to identify the leaders and key members of this organization, leading to charges against six individuals in federal court. The case was initiated by the Comprehensive Violence Reduction Partnership, consisting of representatives of the Detroit Police Department, Michigan State Police, Michigan Department of Corrections, and ATF and assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and Internal Revenue Service.

Update @ 7:14 p.m. I was interviewed about this story by WXYZ-TV this evening and gave background information about narcotics trafficking in Warrendale. More 

Crash on Tireman kills 1, injures 7

WXYZ-TV reported that at least seven people were injured and one was killed in car crash at the corner of Tireman and Plainview in the Warrendale neighborhood of Detroit. The crash reportedly began when the driver of a Chevy Suburban, who was driving on a suspended license, sped away after being pulled over by police. He then crashed into another vehicle at approximately 70 m.p.h.

The driver in question was later arrested. He will reportedly face murder charges.

Real cause of Detroit's bankruptcy

Since July 18, when Kevyn Orr filed for chapter nine bankruptcy protection on behalf of the City of Detroit and made the Motor City the largest municipality to do so, there has been a plethora of pundits who have offered their own theories about why our city went bust. According to a columnist at Forbes, for example, Detroit's bankruptcy is the result of former President Richard Nixon abolishing the gold standard in 1971. Steve Dibert at MFI-Miami, however, blames a large chunk of it on credit default swaps and the $5 billion that Detroit lost due to banks manipulating the LIBOR index.

Others targets for blame among the vastness of bankruptcy pundits include:

• Corrupt politicians;
• Racism;
• Urban sprawl;
• Poor management;
• Collapse of American manufacturing;
• General neglect from Lansing and/or Washington;
• High taxes/socialism; and
• Strawberry yogurt.

I, however, blame all of this on the Canadians.

Yes, you read that correctly. I place blame for the largest municipal bankruptcy in American history squarely on the maple syrup-loving shoulders of the Canadian people.

After all, Detroit is the only major American city that is north of Canada. This fact makes us especially vulnerable to their insidious manipulation.

I mean, just think of Canada's impact on our fair city. Hockey Night in Canada shows up on televisions throughout the Motor City. Labatt Beer or Molson Canadian are served in almost every bar in Detroit. Plus, there's the fact that almost every Detroiter has at least a few Canadian coins in their pocket, which undermines our economy.

Yes, I blame Canada for all of the problems that one of this nation's great cities is currently experiencing and I'm not the only one who feels this way. Academy Award winning actor, and Detroit Country Day alumnus, Robin Williams obviously agrees with me on this point.

Alexa Spierling Rises in the Country Music World

Alexa Spierling
Photo by G&L Collins Photography

There's an exciting new artist on the country music scene and her name is Alexa Spierling. She is from Michigan, but has performed concerts here, in Nashville at the Silver Dollar, and elsewhere. Her musical style is similar to that of Jewel or Taylor Swift.

I love her song "Playing Pretend." It's a smooth classic country ballad that's a lot of fun to listen to.

Of course, while she is a great country musician, one of the reasons why I'm so excited to highlight her here as part of my Friday Focus series is that her mother, Angela Adams Spierling, grew up in the Warrendale neighborhood in Detroit and graduated from Ss. Peter and Paul Grade School. While Alexa herself has grown up in South Lyon, I think it's cool that there's still that connection between Warrendale and her.

For more on Alexa Spierling, to hear some of her music, or to learn about her upcoming concerts, please check out her Facebook page, watch her YouTube channel, or follow her on Twitter. She is also on Reverb Nation. Each of these sites have links to her music.