By Nina Calahan-James,
Freelance Writer & Washington Correspondent
Michigan residents are excited about $20 million dollars they could receive. The 20 Million dollars would permit the expansion plan for the home for the North America International Auto Show, Detroit’s Cobo Hall convention center.
The plan calls for a total renovation of the current Cobo Hall and a 120,000 square-foot expansion. Church & State Talk Radio Detroit, interviewed Wayne Country Executive, Robert A Ficano on Saturday March 7, 2009. Ficano, an innovative public servant successfully manages the largest county in the state of Michigan, with over 2.1 million citizens and the eleventh largest county in the nation. Tenacity for a tireless ambassador, Ficano regularly meets with citizens, community leaders, the corporate community and other elected officials throughout the county, the State of Michigan and nationally to highlight and victorously promote Wayne County.
Ficano intends to victoriously revitalize Detroit with his current futuristic initiative, the expansion of Cobo Hall Convention Center. For over decades the Detroit’s Cobo Hall has been the venue for the North American International Auto Show. This venue provides sixteen thousand jobs and millions of dollars in economic impact each year. Detroit’s Cobo Hall has deteriorative with antidote leaks that cannot be fixed in the basement. Cobo Hall is in dire need or repairs, upgrades and major expansion.
Detroit City Council threw a serious punch, bruising the plans to renovate and expand Cobo Center, when it killed a deal from legislation for a $288-million expansion and renovation of Cobo. When you drive into many of the Detroit neighborhoods, dark shaded glasses may not shield you from the thousands of dilapidated homes, drug crack houses and buildings glaring at you. Detroit city council members can’t see to get it together.
City Council members are being referred to as a tragic circus, a group of people you would laugh at in a Tyler Perry movie. Many Detroit residents agree their city council members are a ridiculous embarrassment, unprofessional and just too dumb to run a city of Detroit’s magnitude and global potential. Detroit City Council members are split in their position; many afraid to surrender their precious city jewel, turning the home of the North American International Auto Show over to a regional authority. Wayne County Executive, Ficano is facing a tough dirty battle with Detroit City Council.
During the interview with Church & State Talk Radio Ficano stated “The audit firms have not been able to audit the city of Detroit’s books. One of the problems we encounter, trying to design the legislation, Detroit’s books were unauditable. We were trying to determine the cost to manage and run Detroit City Hall. They weren’t able to audit the books. In the line area, the city spends 15 Million a year out of their general fund, just to open the doors. Under this agreement that 15emillion a year, they don’t have to give out of their general fund. Detroit could use this money to balance their budget, hire police officers, firemen or to pay off debt”.
Chicago's McCormick place and the LA Convention Center are more modern and accommodating to automaker displays. Ficano continued. “These venues Chicago. LA, Beijing and Parris want the auto show because of the economic activity”. “We have 6000 journalist that show up every year in comparison to the super bowl drawing only 3000 journalist” County Executive, Ficano and Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm the state Legislature and key leaders in metro Detroit, signed off on a plan to create a five-member board that would own and operate Cobo Hall.
The deal also would provide $20 million to Detroit and relieve the city of Cobo’s annual operating deficit. The legislation created a five-member authority with representatives from Detroit, the state, Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties. L.Brook Paterson is one of the stakeholders. L. Brooks Patterson is beginning his fifth four-year term as Oakland County Executive, after winning re-election in 2008 by another large electoral margin. He is the chief elected official in one of Americas most affluent and progressive counties receiving number one status in many U. S. categories.
During the 16 years of the Patterson administration, Oakland County government has earned respect from Wall Street for its solid tax base and sound financial policies by attaining and maintaining a coveted AAA bond rating, which only 34 of the nation's 3,200 counties have received. The Detroit City Council is opposed of the authority of the stakeholders for the expansion deal offering major upgrades and over 20 Million dollars. City Council President, Monica Conyers achieved the votes necessary to kill the expansion deal by one vote from City Council member Alberta Tinsley-Talabi. She switched sides to grant the necessary five votes to reject the expansion deal. Conyers have been noted lauded the vote, saying Cobo will remain "in the hands of the citizens of Detroit." It’s not over yet.
The city of Detroit has not demonstrated the ability to manage their budget. Detroit remains in a deficit, with automotive financial troubles increasing and over 500,000 unemployed workers. Michigan cannot afford to lose the economic impact of Cobo Hall and it largest venue, the North America International Auto Show.
Church & State Talk Radio WLQV Detroit
Host Nina Calahan-James, Kwame Hardy & Legal Analyst, Joe Humphrey
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact
Listen on line at: www.AM1500WLQV.com
Call in at 866-423-WLQV
Detroit, Michigan needs a face-lift. Detroit Mayoral Candidate Freman Hendrix says he’s the answer to replace incumbent Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. Hendrix is the son of an African American Army Veteran, Emmanuel Freman Hendrix and an Austrian born woman, Rudolfine Ernegger.
Hendrix managed a successful mayoral campaign for Dennis Archer in 1994. Hendrix has been one of the most prominent political leaders in the state of Michigan, serving as Archer’s campaign manager in both elections and heading up President Clinton and Vice President Gore’s statewide election campaign in 1996.
The Michigan Chronicle noted, Hendrix is the comeback kid in the tightly contested Detroit Mayoral Race where several high profile candidates are making their case to be the winner in the Feb.24th special election. The two top candidates coming out of the special election will make a run for mayor in the May 5th general election to complete the six-month term of former mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.
Hendrix is a two time mayoral candidate in the city of Detroit. In the August 2005 primary election, Hendrix outpolled Kilpatrick by a comfortable margin. He lost to incumbent Kwame Kilpatrick in the November 8, 2005 election.
Nina Calahan-James, Kwame Hardy and Joe Humphrey, Legal Analyst will interview, Detroit Mayoral Candidate, Freman Hendrix on Detroit’s Church and State Talk Radio Show, Saturday February 21, 2009 at 1:00pm eastern standard time. Listen on line at www.am1500wlqv.com
Church & State Talk Radio is a bipartisan empowering, informative and motivating radio production. They aim to educate listeners every Saturday with a better understanding of government, politics and the religious community.
The new radio talk show, were one of the select few media programs invited from Detroit, to have seated tickets for the swearing in ceremony of President Barack Obama on January 20, 2009. Nina Calahan-James reported from Capitol Hill.
To listen on line visit www.am1500wlqv.com Saturdays at 1pm Eastern Standard Time. To learn more about the show, submit questions or comments in the guest book visit the website www.ChurchandStateUnited.com or Email: RadioPoliticsdDetroit@BarackObama4Change.us
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By Steven Mufson and Philip Rucker contributions from Nina Calahan-James, December 10, 2008 6:30pm
President-elect Barack Obama has chosen Steven Chu, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist who heads the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, to be the next Energy Secretary, Democratic sources said today. He also has picked veteran regulators to fill out his environmental and climate team.
Obama plans to name Carol Browner, who led the Environmental Protection Agency for eight years under President Clinton, to fill a new White House post overseeing energy, environmental and climate policies, the sources said.
Obama has also settled on Lisa P. Jackson, chief of staff to New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D) and former head of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, to head the EPA. Nancy Sutley, a deputy mayor of Los Angeles for energy and environment, will chair the White House Council on Environmental Quality.
The son of highly educated Chinese immigrants, Chu won the Nobel Prize in 1997 for his work in the "development of methods to cool and trap atoms with laser light."
But, in an interview last year with The Post, Chu said that he began to get more interested in energy and climate change several years ago. "I was following it just as a citizen and getting increasingly alarmed," he said. "Many of our best basic scientists realize that this is getting down to a crisis situation."
He sought and won the top job at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in order to focus on energy issues. Chu is in London and was unavailable for comment, but the physicist has been, in the words on his Web site, on a "mission" to make the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory "the world leader in alternative and renewable energy research, particularly the development of carbon-neutral sources of energy."
If you’re reading this now, chances are you’ve already heard dozens of pitches trying to get you to volunteer for the Obama campaign. If you’ve already volunteered - we thank you. This is a grassroots, “bottom-up” campaign, and your help is why we’ve been able to come this far. But, it’s not over yet.
Even if you’ve volunteered before - or if you’ve always wanted to help out but never had the time - today is the day! Since Barack announced his candidacy for president on May 2, 2007, everything we’ve done has been in preparation for today - which is why it’s so important to not give up now. We need your help! Sign up to help out today at a Campaign for Change Get out the vote location near you, the most important day of the election here.
Michigan! This is our moment; this is our time! Get out and vote - and then volunteer - and tonight, we’ll celebrate victory. Don’t delay, volunteer today!
John McCain's campaign has as recently as yesterday said that they believe that students won't turn out to vote. Today is our day to prove them wrong and show America that young voters do matter. Our opponent and the media believe that young voters won’t show up - that we don’t care about the election, and are too lazy, too unwilling, or too unmotivated to actually get out and vote.But today, we’ll prove them wrong.
Today is the day to turn the page on eight years of failed Bush policies that have seen our middle class shrink, economy worsen, and college move out of reach for more and more people. Today is the day to make your voice heard! What happens today will determine the direction we want our country to move in. Decades from now, your children will ask you what you did today. Do you want to be part of the moment that changed America - or do you want to stay home, and just hope for the best?
Our moment is now. Get out and vote - bring your roommate, your friends, anyone you can think of. After you vote, help us get out the vote on this critical day - sign up to help get out the vote on your campus today!
YOU'RE INVITED to theMichigan Democratic Party'sELECTION NIGHT EVENTat theDetroit Renaissance Center
Finish up canvass and phone bank shifts as the polls close and then join the Michigan Democratic Party to watch the election returns and celebrate the work we have done together to get out the vote for change.
Guests will include Governor Jennifer Granholm, Lt. Governor John Cherry, Senator Carl Levin, Senator Debbie Stabenow, Judge Diane Marie Hathaway, Speaker Andy Dillon, MDP Chair Mark Brewer.
REMINDER: if you are eligible, today (at 4 p.m.) is the last day to vote absentee in-person at your clerk's office. If you've requested your absentee ballot previously, it must be returned by mail or by hand to your local clerk's office by 8 p.m. on Tuesday. For more information, call 1-877-767-6424, or visit the State of Michigan's voter information page.
I know everyone is busy, has other things to do, has work, and is tired. But - there will be thousands of other days to work, thousands of other days to sleep, thousands of other days to run errands. This is our only day to make sure Barack Obama becomes president and if we win this election I truly believe each of those thousands of other days will be better. That is why I am asking you to take off Election Day and help ensure that we elect Barack Obama our next president. In twenty years you will not be thinking I sure am glad I slept those extra few hours or I am glad I saved my vacation or sick day. But I guarantee you that you will be proud for the rest of your life to have been part of the Obama Campaign on Election Day 2008. Let's win this thing.Josh
Tomorrow's the last day before Election Day, and our offices will be humming with activity. We hope you can join us at some of these events:
At 11:30 pm, on the eve of election day, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm, U.S. Senator Carl Levin, and Denise Ilitch, Candidate for University of Michigan Board of Regents will join students and supporters for a “Midnight Madness,” Get Out the Vote Rally for Barack Obama in Ann Arbor. The rally will also feature a musical performance by Ann Arbor’s own “My Dear Disco.” Join Governor Granholm, Senator Levin, and Denise Ilitch at 11:30 in the Michigan Union Ballroom for the event!
Also, Lt. Governor John Cherry will appear at several events tomorrow:
12:15 pm Meet and Greet with Lieutenant Governor John D. CherryCapitol Coney Island4021 Van Slyke RdFlint, MI 2:30 pm Plant Gate Meet and Greet with Lieutenant Governor John D. CherryTRW Automotive2328 E Genesee AveSaginaw, MI 3:30 pm Canvass Kick-Off with Lieutenant Governor John D. Cherry UAW Local 4672104 Farmer StSaginaw, MI
Stop in one of our sixty-plus offices tomorrow!
If you are elligible tomorrow is the deadline to vote absentee in-person at your local clerk's office.
If you've requested your absentee ballot previously, it must be returned by mail or by hand to your local clerk's office by 8 p.m. on Tuesday.
For more information, call 1-877-767-6424, or visit the State of Michigan's voter information page.
As of the time of this post, there are 54 hours left until the Michigan polls close in the most important election of our lifetime.
Can you spare a few hours to help us out in these last fifty-four hours? There's so much to do, and your work will make such an impact. Check out some of the ways you can help us out:
We have events going on all over the state tomorrow, and all 60+ of our Campaign for Change offices will be buzzing with activity - why not stop in to see what's going on? Whatever amount of time you're able to spend will make a difference on Election Day. This election is so important, for Michigan and for our future, so don't just sit on the sidelines!
Sunday, November 2nd, 2008 2:45pm Phone Bank with Lieutenant Governor John D. CherryAcross from Campaign for Change Office7 North SaginawPontiac, MI 4:00pm Canvass Kick-Off with Former Governor Jim Blanchard, Wayne County Sherriff Warren EvansCampaign for Change Office Headquarters2875 W. Grand BlvdDetroit, MI 4:00 pm Canvass Kick-Off with Michigan AFL-CIO President Mark Gaffney15031 Michigan AvenueE. Dearborn, MI 4:00pm Canvass Kick-Off with Governor Wayne State Paul Massaron, State Board of Education Vice President John AustinCWA Local 400917233 W. Ten Mile RoadSouthfield, MI4:00 pm Canvass Kick-Off with Lieutenant Governor John D. Cherry, Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer Flint Campaign for Change Office 877 E. 5th Ave. Flint, MI 48503
4:00 pm Canvass Kick-Off with Michigan Change To Win President Phil ThompsonIBEW Local 6655205 S. Pennsylvania Ave.Lansing, MI 4:45 pm Phone Bank with Wayne State Governor Paul Massaron, State Board of Education Vice President John AustinSouthfield Campaign for Change Office18284 W. Ten Mile RoadSouthfield, MI 5:15pm Meet and Greet with Lieutenant Governor John D. CherrySaginaw Campaign for Change Office122 N. Michigan Ave.Saginaw, MI 48602 5:30 pm Bay City Democrats GOTV Dinner with Lt. Governor John D. Cherry, Congressman Bart Stupak, Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark BrewerUAW Local 362 Hall4427 Wilder RoadBay City, MI
With three days until Election Day, we need your help! Just today, the Huron Tribune, a newspaper in one of the "reddest" areas of Michigan endorsed Barack, showing that our message is carrying through every corner of Michigan. While momentum continues to build here in Michigan and around the country behind Barack's message of change, it's no time to let up. This race is not over, and it's no time for complacency. We have over sixty offices open across Michigan - why not stop in today?
Obama, on the other hand, chose a running mate who complements him. Obama recognizes his lack of experience in foreign policy, and thoughtfully chose Joe Biden, who is a subject expert. Also, Obama has made a commitment to end the U.S. occupation in Iraq, a position that is clearly favored by the American people. With McCain, there seems to be no end in sight. While Obama has not been in Washington long and his inexperience is a weakness, he has shown the wisdom to seek advice from people who have knowledge and experience he can tap into. More than anything else, this country needs change — a change in politics and a change in the economy. We fear a McCain presidency would be too similar to the last eight years. Barack Obama has the leadership abilities and the drive to make a difference, and hopefully, change this country’s momentum. We endorse Barack Obama for President of the United States. Read the entire endorsement in the Huron Daily Tribune
Obama, on the other hand, chose a running mate who complements him. Obama recognizes his lack of experience in foreign policy, and thoughtfully chose Joe Biden, who is a subject expert.
Also, Obama has made a commitment to end the U.S. occupation in Iraq, a position that is clearly favored by the American people. With McCain, there seems to be no end in sight.
While Obama has not been in Washington long and his inexperience is a weakness, he has shown the wisdom to seek advice from people who have knowledge and experience he can tap into.
More than anything else, this country needs change — a change in politics and a change in the economy. We fear a McCain presidency would be too similar to the last eight years. Barack Obama has the leadership abilities and the drive to make a difference, and hopefully, change this country’s momentum.
We endorse Barack Obama for President of the United States. Read the entire endorsement in the Huron Daily Tribune
