A.J.'s Story!

This is an inspiring story that I found in the Detroit Free Press focusing on A.J. McLittle. A.J. has risen from the streets of Detroit and is now a sophomore at the University of Eastern Michigan. He comes from a family history of males who just don't make it, but he's trying to end the cycle. He was admitted to college under a special program and his first year performance was closely monitored, but he made it through to the second year, and he's determined to graduate. We all have to hope that A.J. reaches all of his goals.

End of Kilpatrick Dynasty!

It appears that the sins of the son have derailed the political career of the mother as Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick's tenure in Congress came to a stunning end last night when she was beaten by Sen. Hansen Clarke in Michigan's Democratic primary. The Congresswoman has served in Congress since 1996 and raised up to 3 times more money than her opponent, but was still soundly beaten according to the Detroit Free Press.

Cheeks Kilpatrick's son is now infamous Kwame Kilpatrick who destroyed all political credibility of the Kilpatrick name. Despite the money that she spent, it would've been surprising for Cheeks Kilpatrick to survive political baggage left by her son.

Kwame Kilpatrick Indicted on 19 Counts By Feds Including Tax Evasion!

The bad news continues for former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, as yesterday he was indicted on 19 counts of fraud and tax evasion for allegedly using money from his non profit organization the Kilpatrick Civic Fund for personal expenses including golf lessons to college tuition for relatives. Kilpatrick is accused by prosecutors of not reporting $640,000 in taxable income while mayor if Detroit.

These indictments could keep Kilpatrick, who is already serving jail time for the issues related to the text messaging scandal in jail for a very very long time. The Detroit Free Press reports all of the sordid details of the indictments for a man who essentially has lost everything because of the enticements of power.

Finally The End of Kwame!

Maybe after yesterday the City of Detroit is finally rid of Kwame Kilpatrick as he was sentenced to up to 5 years in prison for probation violations. Kilpatrick has to serve at least 18 months in prison, and lost his job as a software salesman with Compuware as well.

Kwame Kilpatrick's arrogance ultimately derailed is opportunity for redemption as he continually lied to the court system regarding assets and his ability to repay the $1 million that he owes the City of Detroit. Now he'll have at least 18 months to plan his next comeback, but if he's not on his best behavior it could be much longer.

Kwame's Luck May Have Run Out!

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's luck may have finally run out, as today he will find out his fate in the hearings regarding his inability to pay the City of Detroit $1 million in restitution despite the appearance of a lavish lifestyle while living in a Dallas suburb with his family.

Kilpatrick has given the City of Detroit his middle finger, it's time for the city to return the favor.

The Death of 7 Year-Old Aiyana Jones In Detroit!

Urban violence continues to kill our next generation, and the accidental killing of Aiyana Jones by a policeman's bullet has all of Detroit searching for answers. The shooting, which occurred Sunday morning, appears to be at the hand of a an over-aggressive police officer who was searching for a murder suspect. Aiyana was laying on couch when a police officer entered her home and got into an argument with her grandmother. The entire chain of events is bizarre to say the least, and the police officer is now on leave and an investigation has begun. Unfortunately none of these actions will bring Aiyana back to her family.

The Detroit Free Press provides complete coverage on the senseless killing.

Kwame May Be Headed To Jail!

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick may be headed back to jail for failing to make timely restitution payments and funneling money through accounts without disclosing the sources of the funds according to the Detroit Free Press. A ruling is expected to be rendered on Tuesday. Kwame is expected to be in court for the decision, and unfortunately for him he may not be returning back to his new home in Texas.

A Cover-Up In Tamara Greene Killing?

The Detroit Free Press reports of a cover-up in the 2003 murder of Tamara Greene. Greene's family has filed a federal lawsuit against the city and police officials, and has found 2 ex-police officers who are alleging a cover-up not only in the Greene murder investigation, but the long rumored party at then Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's Manoogian Mansion in which Greene was alleged to have been a dancer and subsequently attacked by the mayor's wife Carlita. The only issue with these witnesses is that no one has come forward stating they attended the party or witnessed any type of altercation between Greene and Mrs. Kilpatrick. Unfortunately for Greene's family, the truth may never come out regarding the two incidents in question.

Can Detroit Schools Be Saved?

The City of Detroit Public Schools are on what many would say is life support with a 58% graduation rate. Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb has unveiled a plan to boost the graduation rate to 98% in 5 years and add up to 70 new schools while improving curriculum according to the Detroit Free Press. The plan would cost $540 million, which on the surface sounds like a low estimation. Detroit has been hammered like all major cities during this recession, but hopefully this plan will be successful and not go the way of a lot of plans that get bogged down in politics and agendas.

Feds Have Evidence That Kwame Took Bribes!

First Kwame Kilpatrick wasn't able to come up with the necessary restitution money on Friday, and now according to a report by the Detroit Free Press, contractor Karl Kado, who has plead guilty in a Detroit corruption probe has stated that he paid Kilpatrick as much as $100,000 in bribes in 2002. Kado also stated that he paid Kilpatrick's father Bernard hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes. It remains to be seen whether charges will be brought against the Kilpatrick's but this could get interesting.

Kwame Still Must Pay $79,000 by Friday!

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick must still pay a court ordered restitution payment of $79,000 by Friday according to the Detroit Free Press. Kilpatrick's family members are asking for donations to assist Mr. Kilpatick since it appears that as of today he doesn't have the money to pay. The penalty for nonpayment of the restitution amount is not known, but considering that over $200,000 ran through the Kilpatrick's bank accounts in the last year, it won't be good for the former mayor if the payment can't be made.

Christine Beatty Headed To Atlanta!

Kwame Kilpatrick's sidekick in the text messaging scandal is headed to Atlanta for new job opportunities according to the Detroit Free Press. Beatty, with the assistance of sorority sisters and former classmates will be working as a business consultant. Her attorney states that while she will not be making a lot of money, it's a new start. So while Kwame Kilpatrick lives in a nearly million dollar home in the Dallas area, Ms. Beatty has to start from scratch with her two daughters. Hopefully this will be Beatty's opportunity to get her life back on track.

Kwame Kilpatrick Still Rolling In The Money!

It's amazing what power and influence can get you even when you've served time in jail for committing a felony offense while being the mayor of a major city. Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was in a Detroit courtroom yesterday testifying regarding his inability to keep up payments on the $1 million in restitution that he promised to pay back to the city as part of the text messaging scandal. Somehow Kilpatrick and his wife have managed to run over $1 million through their personal bank accounts while receiving close to $300,000 in loans from major businessmen as Roger Penske and Dan Gilbert according to the Detroit Free Press since he was in jail.

Kilpatrick of course has amnesia regarding where all the money is coming from, but clearly being an ex-mayor has it's privileges. Kilpatrick and his family now live in the Dallas area and Kilpatrick works for a medical supply company. Only in America as Don King would say, and people wonder why everyone is cynical about politics.

Mayor Bing Trying To Point Detroit In Right Direction!

Dave Bing is one of the greatest point guards in NBA history and has been a successful business man. As he navigates running the city of Detroit he's facing some tough decisions and if the city will go along with them, Bing could well save the city from financial ruin. The mayor of Detroit has a plan in pace to save the city $500 - $600 million dollars over the next two fiscal years, but the saving will not come without some deep pain. Bing's plan focuses on privatizing the airport, closing a major power plant, closing out extra accounts and renegotiating city contracts according to the Detroit Free Press. Bing has to be commended for at least wanting to make the tough decisions for a city in financial turmoil.

Cosby Attempting To Impact Detroit Schools!

Comedian turned education activist Bill Cosby was in Detroit yesterday trying to impact the faltering Detroit Public School System. Cosby walked through the streets of Detroit with school financial manager Robert Bobb promoting the city's "I'm In" campaign urging residents to enroll their children in a school system that has seen declining enrollment in the last decade. The campaign is being spearheaded by a $500,000 marketing blitz according to the Detroit Free Press.

Cosby is doing a good thing by supporting the public school systems throughout our country. It's the only educational option for most children, especially those from impoverished backgrounds. Hopefully Cosby's efforts will not be in vain, and parents will encourage their children to take the educational opportunities seriously and use it as a source for a better and brighter future.

Detroit On The Brink Of Financial Ruin!

When Dave Bing took over as mayor of Detroit, he knew that the city was in a financial mess. Now he may be forced to layoff as many as 1,000 workers to offset an $80 million budget shortfall according to the The city is facing a $300 million budget deficit, and declining tax revenues continue to plague the city. Bing is facing some tough decisions that will not be popular according to the Detroit Free Press, including dealing with the various unions if he's forced to layoff workers. Bing has a successful track record as a businessman, so he'll do what's best to keep the city afloat.

Detroit Police Chief Tries To Handle Troubled Force!

Detroit Police Chief Warren Evans allowed Amber Hunt of the The Detroit Free Press to ride along with him through the streets of Detroit patrolling streets of a city that has yielded 850 shootings this year. Evans has only been on the job for six weeks, and has been asked to be called every time there's a shooting. Needless to say, he's been called every night in a city that averages 4 people being shot a day.

Evans is overseeing a department that needs a complete overhaul from a cultural standpoint, and the don't snitch philosophy on the streets makes it difficult to solve cases. He's trying to be as proactive as possible, and knows that he has a tough job ahead of him. Interesting article on what every big city in America faces in terms of dealing with crime.

No Skills, No Job!

We all know that unemployed is higher than it's been in decades, and the numbers could get worse before they get better. The sad reality is that when the economy does begin to turn around, many disenfranchised workers will not be prepared to reenter the workforce.

The Detroit Free Press reports that one in three working age adults in Michigan, or 1.7 million people cannot read well enough to be hired for a job to support a family. More that 40% of this total lacks a high school diploma or GED. So while our President pushes job creation, it appears that many workers will not be qualified to be hired due to lack of adequate skills. This is the true reality of the situation, so while jobs will be created in the future, adequate skills will still be necessary to be considered employable.

Text Messages With Kwame Took Down Detroit Police Monitor!

The Detroit Free Press reports that local FBI agents uncovered text messages between former police monitor Sheryl Robinson Wood and former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick that led to her resignation last week. The text messages revealed "meetings of a personal nature" in different cities from 2003 until 2005. The messages do not indicate that a romantic relationship was taking place, but that it was a personal relationship.

While Kwame appears to have landed on his feet in a suburb out of Dallas, he's managed to derail the career of another female companion.

Monica Conyers Resigns!

Monica Conyers, wife of U.S. Rep. John Conyers resigned from her Detroit City Council seat yesterday after pleading guilty Friday on a felony charge to commit bribery. Conyers had refused to resign until her fellow council members threatened to have her ousted. I wonder if any of this will rub off on Mr. Conyers, the influential Congressman from Michigan.