Sarah Cwiek

With immigration overhaul on the horizon, one immigrant looks for change now - from jail

Sarah Cwiek — Fri, 03 May 2013 19:25:08 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f43aR03r9uk

The U.S. appears to be on the verge of the biggest immigration changes in a generation. Legislation being debated in Congress would allow many immigrants who are now here illegally an eventual path to citizenship.

Detroit high schoolers explore wilder side of Belle Isle

Sarah Cwiek — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:43:05 +0000

If you’ve heard about Belle Isle in the news lately, it was probably a story about people fighting over who should control Detroit’s famous island park. Those political fights tend to overshadow the island’s unique ecosystem. It’s a tiny fragment of what southeast Michigan looked like before industrialization.

Recently, some Detroit schoolkids got to take a look at this natural heart of Belle Isle. I had the chance to tag along.

It wasn’t a great day to be out on Belle Isle. In fact, it was pretty miserable. It was rainy and cold, and a lot of these ninth-graders from Detroit’s Western International High School didn’t exactly dress for the weather. But too bad.

Vote to shift federal transit funds from Detroit to suburbs opens old wounds

Sarah Cwiek — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 23:08:24 +0000

A rift over transit money is once again dividing Detroit from its suburban neighbors.

The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments voted Friday to shift money from Detroit’s bus system to a suburban line.

SEMCOG has temporary oversight of federal transit funds for capital investment while the new southeast Michigan Regional Transit Authority gets up and running.

FOIA documents reveal financial troubles, loans for Education Achievement Authority

Sarah Cwiek — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:50:22 +0000

A suburban Detroit state representative says newly released documents raise some “serious red flags” about the Education Achievement Authority.

That state-run “reform district” for the lowest-performing schools is only operating in 15 former Detroit Public Schools right now.

State Representative Ellen Cogen Lipton, a Huntington Woods Democrat, got the information through a Freedom of Information Act request.

The records released so far reveal some financial trouble for the EAA.

Detroit prepares to fight for federal bus funds

Sarah Cwiek — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 02:07:47 +0000

A vote this Friday could determine how federal transit money is split between Detroit and its suburbs—and Detroit officials aren’t at all happy with what’s being proposed.

Right now, that federal money is divided based on ridership. So the Detroit Department of Transportation gets about 65% of the funding, while the suburban system—known as SMART—gets 35%.

Now on the sidelines, Detroit City Council still wants look at city contracts

Sarah Cwiek — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 23:52:56 +0000

The Detroit City Council wants a clearer view of what emergency manager Kevyn Orr is doing.

Some Council members said Tuesday they want to see all city contracts that Orr approves.

Those contracts are public record. Orr spokesman Bill Nowling says they’re working out “how to post them in an efficient manner,” though there’s no timeline for when that will be up and running.

Councilman Ken Cockrel Jr says that shouldn’t take too long because “it ain’t rocket science.”

Detroit Council member, former interim mayor Ken Cockrel won't seek re-election

Sarah Cwiek — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 22:26:40 +0000

Detroit City Council member and former Detroit mayor Kenneth Cockrel Jr. says he won’t seek re-election this year.

Cockrel is serving his fourth term on the City Council. He also served briefly as mayor after Kwame Kilpatrick resigned in 2008—but lost the follow-up election to Dave Bing.

In a statement released Tuesday, Cockrel says he’s decided that “now is the time” to leave the Council.

Oakland County helps neighboring Macomb with IT after building fire

Sarah Cwiek — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:46:32 +0000

Oakland County is helping neighboring Macomb County get back online after a fire last week.

That suspected electrical fire seriously damaged Macomb’s IT department—shutting down phones and computer networks.

So Oakland County is offering Macomb staff, equipment and space to start re-building.

“Oakland County has opened up its data center to host Macomb County’s equipment and personnel on a temporary basis in order to get Macomb County back online,” says a press release from Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson’s office.

With Education Summit, some hints and questions about Snyder's education priorities

Sarah Cwiek — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:00:35 +0000

Business leaders and others share their thoughts on the future of Michigan’s education system Monday.

Report: Metro Detroit #1 for 'job sprawl'

Sarah Cwiek — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 15:33:59 +0000

Detroit has the most “job sprawl” of any metropolitan area in the country, according to a new Brookings Institution report that looks at how jobs are distributed throughout metro regions.

The report found that 77 percent of metro Detroit’s jobs are more than 10 miles outside the city’s central business district. The nationwide average is 43 percent.

Governor Snyder appoints state review team for Hamtramck

Sarah Cwiek — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:49:27 +0000

Hamtramck could be the next Michigan city to get an emergency manager.

Governor Snyder appointed a state review team to examine the city’s finances Wednesday.

Hamtramck city officials actually asked for the state review. The tiny enclave within Detroit has struggled financially for many years.

Downtown Detroit boosters share vision for 2016

Sarah Cwiek — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:42:41 +0000

Exciting things are happening in downtown Detroit, and there’s a plan to keep up the positive momentum.

That’s the scenario the Downtown Detroit Partnership laid out at its annual lunch Wednesday.

The DDP outlined its vision for a dense, vibrant downtown Detroit of 2016.

The group is made up some of Detroit’s biggest business leaders. They’re putting money behind incentive programs and other projects to draw more residents and employees downtown.

Detroit City Council approves restructuring contract as protesters disrupt meeting

Sarah Cwiek — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 22:00:42 +0000

Several people were arrested after protests broke out at a Detroit City Council meeting Tuesday.

Singing, chanting and linking arms, the protesters forced Council President Pugh to recess the meeting for more than an hour.

They were upset that Council was about to take a vote on a restructuring contract with the Jones Day law firm. That’s emergency manager Kevyn Orr’s former firm.

The Education Achievement Authority, Part 3: True reform, or a questionable experiment?

Sarah Cwiek — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 18:30:49 +0000

The Education Achievement Authority is up and running right now in 15 Detroit schools.

Michigan’s state-run “reform district” for the lowest-performing schools is already controversial.

In the eyes of Governor Snyder and its champions, the EAA is the best way to assure that schools don’t linger in failure for years on end.

In the eyes of critics, it’s already a failed experiment that threatens the very heart of public education in Michigan.

In the final installment of a three-part series, Michigan Radio takes a look at both sides and what the future might hold.

Royal Oak voters to decide human rights ordinance

Sarah Cwiek — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 04:09:43 +0000

Royal Oak voters will decide whether to approve the city’s human rights ordinance in November.

That ordinance extends civil rights protections to some people not covered by state or federal law—including gays and lesbians.

A citizen group had gathered enough signatures to either force the commission to rescind the ordinance, or put it on the ballot.

Royal Oak resident David Sims says voters should have the final say on the law, which he calls “ridiculous.”