City ethics training, mandated by the City Charter, is lacking with less than 10% of Detroit’s 10,000-plus public servants having taken it, the Free Press learned.
Violet Ikonomova
Posted inElection 2025
Mary Sheffield ready to meet her moment in Detroit
After joining the Detroit City Council as its youngest-ever member and rising steadily over 12 years to become president, Sheffield is now the front-runner for Detroit’s top job. On Nov. 4, she and Triumph Church pastor Solomon Kinloch will go head-to-head to replace longtime Mayor Mike Duggan, who is running for governor in 2026.
Posted inElection 2025
A look at Mary Sheffield’s Detroit policy wins and losses
In her 12 years as a council policymaker, the mayoral hopeful often aimed high and got some of what she wanted, but was forced to scale back parts of her most ambitious populist visions amid pressure from the mayor’s office.
Posted inHousing
Gilbert charity development aims to improve Detroit housing but sits vacant, boarded
Gilbert Family Foundation Executive Director Laura Grannemann stood by the project, saying its primary objective was to “spark a conversation” around the potential for manufactured housing in Detroit.
Posted inCivic and Community Information
Ex-Detroit Riverfront CFO William Smith sentenced to 19 years, must pay $48M restitution
The nonprofit’s ex-chief financial officer pleaded guilty late last year to one count each of wire fraud and money laundering for the elaborate embezzlement scheme that spanned from 2012 through early last year.
Posted inHealth and Welfare, Political and Public Policy Information
Duggan promises 24 hour housing hotline after kids die in casino parking garage
The seven-point plan includes expanding the hours of a housing help line to 24 hours and seven days a week, beginning efforts to find families in vehicles, and treating every call that involves children as an emergency.
Posted inPolice & Public Safety
Detroit police post video in court bailiff’s killing of Sherman Lee Butler
Footage of the July 12 shooting was posted to the Detroit Police Department’s YouTube page Monday, three weeks after the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office declined to charge the bailiff.
Posted inBusiness
Red flags about ex-Detroit Conservancy CFO show up in court records
Court records show Smith was losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in private investments with a business partner who would later be indicted by the U.S. Attorney in Detroit
Posted inPolice & Public Safety
Detroit police oversight board members abused their positions, watchdog probe finds
At issue was the handling of a backlog of complaints against police officers.
Posted in2020 Election, Civic and Community Information
These Detroiters Are Politically Disengaged. Will They Turn Out For Biden?
In Detroit’s 48205 zip code, in a neighborhood residents say has no name, political disillusionment runs deep.