CITY COUNCIL

ANN ARBOR, MI — Ann Arbor is joining in the legal fight for President Joe Biden’s $400 billion plan to wipe out student loan debt for 40 million Americans. “I’m very happy to see us doing this,” said Council Member Lisa Disch, a UM political science professor, noting Ann Arbor joins dozens of local governments across the country in doing so. “Student loan debt affects people of all ages as it follows them throughout their lives, preventing or delaying financial independence, child-rearing, housing security, and retirement,” the resolution further states. Biden exercised executive authority to cancel $10,000 in student loan debt for those under certain income thresholds and an additional $10,000 for Pell Grant recipients, prompting Nebraska and other Republican-led states to sue over it. “It’s something that’s a long time coming,” Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor said of student loan debt cancellation.

ANN ARBOR, MI — Ann Arbor’s crumbling Main Street through the heart of downtown is getting a facelift this year. City Council voted unanimously Monday night, Jan. 23, to OK a $5.7 million construction contract for water main replacement and street resurfacing along the three-block stretch of the Main Street business district between William and Huron streets.

The 2023 Chicago mayoral race features eight candidates challenging Mayor Lori Lightfoot in her bid for reelection. Among them is Roderick Sawyer.

ANN ARBOR, MI — A controversial proposal to widen the main access bridge to Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor is continuing to be debated, but city officials may be moving closer to a compromise with the University of Michigan. The East Medical Center Drive bridge over the Amtrak line in front of Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor on Sept. 21, 2021.Alyte Katilius | The Ann Arbor NewsCouncil Member Jenn Cornell, D-5th Ward, said it’s important to recognize the value of Michigan Medicine to the local economy in terms of economic development and job creation. Council Member Jen Eyer, D-4th Ward, speaks at the Ann Arbor City Council meeting on Jan. 23, 2023.Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor NewsCity Engineer Nick Hutchinson said a report could be prepared for council, along with cost estimates for protective barriers, which staff also didn’t have Monday night. Radina, D-3rd Ward, said the bridge widening has been one of the more difficult decisions during his time on council. MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS:Researcher no longer working at University of Michigan amid falsified data chargeSee street, sidewalk construction projects Ann Arbor has planned this yearAnn Arbor’s net-zero fire station project could cost over $10M, chief saysStudent’s passion leads to moderating United Nations forum on planetary healthSweetgreen opening first Ann Arbor location with Wolverine apparel, baked good giveaways

Norfolk Southern portrays its expansion plan as a badly needed infusion of jobs and investment. But the demolition of hundreds of homes and a rising tide of truck pollution has sparked discontent.

Natural gas reduction is on the minds of Evanston City Council as it considers a ban on natural gas connections in new construction.

ANN ARBOR, MI — Ann Arbor’s plan to build the city’s first all-electric, solar-powered fire station in keeping with carbon-neutrality goals is taking another step forward. Ann Arbor wants to get off gas to help save the planet. But funding still hasn’t been lined up and the project could cost more than $10 million, Fire Chief Mike Kennedy said. “And as with all city projects, $10 million for this is $10 million not for something else,” he said. MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS:Maynard Street fire started in restaurant kitchen, Ann Arbor fire officials sayMillions of dollars in purchases, contracts no longer go through Ann Arbor councilSee street, sidewalk construction projects Ann Arbor has planned this yearShould Ann Arbor redevelop its river corridor?

FLINT, MI -- Groups interested in administering community grant programs with part of Flint’s American Rescue Plan Act funds can apply for the job starting Monday, Jan. 23. In Flint, most of those funds remained available as of late last year and $15.6 million has been set aside for community grants. It’s unclear what will happen with application forms developed by members of the City Council, which were distributed during community meetings previously. The council was scheduled to meet in a special session on Saturday, Jan. 21, to discuss ARPA funds, “particularly individuals or entities who have submitted a request for ARPA funds” by using the forms previously distributed. Read more at The Flint Journal:Flint residents won’t get ARPA funds by filling out council form, CFO saysWith $60M left to spend, Flint council will need more time to set ARPA budgetGM to invest $579M in Flint, $216M in Bay City for next-generation V-8 engine

Michael P. Londeau has been named the ninth mayor of Westland after a City Council meeting Tuesday, January 17. as the interim mayor

FLINT, MI -- A man arrested in City Hall this week had threatened to “martyr himself” there during a City Council meeting and has been charged in a warrant with making a false report or threat of terrorism and using a computer to commit a crime. Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said on Friday, Jan. 20, that he authorized the charges -- each of which is a 20-year felony -- after meeting with investigators from the county Sheriff’s Office. Police have said the man is from the Grand Blanc area but during the council meeting Wednesday, he identified himself as a resident of Flint. The man said Leyton “thinks he’s the king” and that the prosecutor, Flint police officers, and Mayor Sheldon Neeley had refused to listen to evidence of a crime having been committed. 1st Ward council member Eric Mays told the man during the meeting he would try to help him with the situation, but soon after the man addressed the council, several police officers appeared in council chambers and the meeting was recessed before the man was taken into custody.

HAMTRAMCK – After months of debate, the City Council has voted to allow the practice of animal sacrifice, for religious purposes, in the city. The act of animal sacrifice is often practiced among Muslims during Eid. We don’t want to make it more dirty,” a Hamtramck resident said during a City Hall meeting. “We don’t want to restrict religious freedoms and we don’t want to keep it random without regulations.”Many Muslims pay a butcher to perform the religious sacrifice, but for some families, it’s just not practical. According to the ordinance, “any person wishing to conduct an animal sacrifice for religious purposes must notify the city by reporting such intention to the clerk’s office at least one week prior to the date of animal sacrifice.”

FLINT, MI -- The judge, 1st Ward City Council member Eric Mays and an attorney for the city showed up for a disorderly conduct trial in Genesee District Court on Thursday, Jan. 12, but many of those who were called as potential jurors had other ideas. “People weren’t honoring their obligations.”Mays is facing trial because he’s contesting a misdemeanor citation that claims he was disorderly during a City Council meeting nine months ago. The councilman contends he was treated differently than his colleagues have been when he was removed from the council meeting on April 25. He was removed as council president just two weeks before he was removed by police most recently. The Mays case isn’t the first time a judge has struggled to seat a jury in Flint.

Council members were divided on the ordinance, which requires two readings and approval by the council, but agreed to move it forward during their committee meeting on Monday, Jan. 9. But other council members said many officials and employees in City Hall are in a similar situation but won’t receive any benefit from a bump in pay for Edwards. Lewis and council members Quincy Murphy (Ward 3), Judy Priestley (Ward 4), Allie Herkenroder (Ward 7) and Eva Worthing (Ward 9) supported the ordinance. Council members Eric Mays (Ward 1), Jerri Winfrey-Carter (Ward 5) and Tonya Burns (Ward 6) voted no. Read more at The Flint Journal:Flint mayor’s top aide wants pay raise but City Council not ready to give itClyde Edwards named Flint’s new city administratorFlint council members taking closer look at privately owned blighted property

The City of Hamtramck clarified its ordinance on animal sacrifice for religious ceremonies.

He was first tapped to represent the 26th Ward in the summer of 2009 by Mayor Richard M. Daley.

FLINT, MI -- The city is closer to bidding out the right to operate the Swartz Creek and Kearsley Lake municipal golf courses after the City Council indefinitely postponed a new contract to keep the current operator in place after this year. A council committee voted 6-1 with one abstention on Wednesday, Jan. 4, to effectively kill a proposed five-year lease that would have allowed Flint City Golf to continue oversight of the courses, the third time the deal as presented was rejected by council members. Pfeiffer is among council members who believe the city’s current and proposed lease of Swartz Creek and Kearley Lake are below market value. Flint City Golf officials have defended their work building up the golf courses since 2012, saying they’ve invested would-be profits into facilities and equipment. Flint Journal files say Flint City Golf was founded by Flint attorney Tom Warda and accountant Frank Preketes in a venture designed to keep the public golf courses in Flint in operation after former emergency manager Mike Brown looked to shed them because they were losing money in 2011.

Pontiac City Council will likely take a final vote on what recreational marijuana will look like in the city at the Jan. 10 meeting.

PORTAGE, MI — Addressing a need for housing in the area, Portage Planning Commission and City Council moved 10 new residential projects forward, accounting for 779 new units, over the course of 2022. You’ve got a city council, the leadership, that is directing staff to apply the capacity to make these developer’s dreams come true. The city has also created a new position for a city housing specialist, which they are currently looking to fill, he said. Wild Plum: Just southeast of Pennridge Trail, at 1109 W. Osterhout Ave., is the future site of the Wild Plum housing development. StoryPoint South: A new 172-unit senior housing development, approved by city council on Oct. 18, is expected to break ground this coming May and open in 2025.

March2022 continued to be a year of internal struggles among members of the Flint City Council. Approximately 30 days later, council members voted to remove Mays as council president after just five months in the position. Neeley said on May 10 that a new executive order to combat harassment and bullying in City Hall stemmed from the treatment of city employees by members of the City Council. After months of debate, the City Council eventually approved the $8.6 million ARPA appropriation in September. Members of the City Council elected Allie Herkenroder from Flint’s 7th Ward as the new council president.

ANN ARBOR, MI — Ann Arbor officials are about to kick off the city’s 2023-24 budget-planning process and the city’s Transportation Commission has a special request: put more funding toward pedestrian and biking infrastructure. But longterm, there is a gap with the alternative transportation fund’s ability to fund nonmotorized infrastructure, Hess said. The DDA announced in its latest newsletter this week the Ann Arbor Police Department has increased enforcement to cut down on illegal parking in bikeways. MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS:Ann Arbor identifies MDOT as obstacle to creating new path under bridge10 ways Michigan’s shift in power could advance Ann Arbor’s agendaWhat’s that rising on Ann Arbor’s Hill Street? More student housingRing in 2023 at these New Year’s Eve events in the Ann Arbor areaThese Ann Arbor businesses closed during 2022

Federal prosecutors said indicted Chicago Ald. Carrie Austin is exaggerating health issues to avoid going to trial on fraud charges, saying the FBI recently observed her going about political duties and running daily errands.

ANN ARBOR, MI — Ann Arbor is gearing up for a months-long project that will have crews hitting city streets to make improvements to thousands of feet of sewers. City Council voted last week to OK a $4.2 million contract with Insituform Technologies USA LLC for the next phase of the city’s sewer-lining initiative.

The approval of the casino deal and a CTA Red Line extension funding district were two wins for Mayor Lori Lightfoot as she seeks reelection.

A homeless state of emergency proposed by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was approved by the City Council Tuesday.

FLINT, MI -- It’s not clear what the future holds for two Flint-owned golf courses that the city hasn’t operated in-house since emergency managers started leasing them more than a decade ago. The City Council on Monday, Dec. 12, sent a proposed lease that would allow Flint City Golf to continue operating Swartz Creek and Kearsley Lake courses back to a committee for further work and discussion, the second time the deal as presented was rejected by council members,

ANN ARBOR, MI — Ann Arbor officials have OK’d a new agreement for a key Border-to-Border Trail connection. City Council voted unanimously at its Dec. 5 meeting to approve a memorandum of understanding with Washtenaw County to create a pedestrian tunnel pathway under the railroad between Bandemer and Barton parks, a project long in the works.

FLINT, MI -- Mayor Sheldon Neeley will deliver his third State of the City address -- the first with a live audience -- during a special meeting of the City Council on Tuesday, Dec. 13. The city announced the address will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Capitol Theatre, 1241 E. Kearsley St., in downtown Flint. “I’m grateful for my first opportunity as mayor to present the State of the City address to Flint residents in person, following two virtual presentations during the pandemic,” Neeley said in a statement released by the city. Neeley defeated former Mayor Karen Weaver to win a second term in the Nov. 8 election, collecting more than 52% of the votes cast. He took the oath of office for his second term on Monday, Dec. 5, stressing the need to unify the city, improve customer service inside City Hall, and to step up efforts to better market Flint to outsiders.

YPSILANTI, MI - For the first time in Ypsilanti’s modern history, an overnight shelter will be available to those who need it during the cold winter months. City Council voted unanimously to OK an agreement with St. Luke’s and the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County to make the overnight shelter possible this winter. The overnight shelter will be open Monday through Thursday, between 7 p.m. and 8 a.m. “We joke we’re like UPS,” he said, referring to the logistics of making sure people end up in the right shelter overnight. All that means the initiative won’t put a new burden on the city budget, according to a city memo.

FLINT, MI -- The new Flint city clerk says there’s a backlog of work that needs to be done in the office she’s been appointed to run -- none more pressing than dealing with hundreds of thousands of paper documents that haven’t been organized or digitized. The City Council selected Davina Donahue as the city’s new clerk in a special meeting on Monday, Dec. 5, voting 7-0 to make the five-year appointment. “There are hundreds of thousands of pieces of paper in our office,” Donahue told council members on Monday. Flint’s returns are typically the last to be counted during elections and in the Nov. 8 general election, city election officials were called before the Genesee County Board of Canvassers to explain unbalanced poll books. Council’s unanimous vote Monday sets the stage for Donahue to become city clerk from Jan. 1, 2023, until Dec. 31, 2007.

Vintage Chicago Tribune offers a look back at events, places and people involved in shaping Chicago’s past, present and future, in ways both small and big.

Here’s a look at the 14th Ward alderman's career, indictment and upcoming trial.

FLINT, MI -- The City Council has rejected a proposal to continue leasing two city-owned golf courses to a private operator -- at least under the terms of a proposed five-year contract. Under the terms of the proposal, Flint City Golf would have the option of renewing the agreement for an additional five years with payments increasing by 3 percent each year. Flint Journal files say Flint City Golf was founded by Flint attorney Tom Warda and accountant Frank Preketes in a venture designed to keep the golf courses in Flint in operation following the appointment of Michael Brown as Flint’s emergency manager in November 2011. Within months of his appointment, Brown announced a series of moves he said were designed to improve the city’s finances, including an initial contract to lease Swartz Creek and Kearsley Lake to Flint City Golf. A representative of Flint City Golf said Tuesday, Nov. 29, that no one was available to comment on the latest lease proposal.

FLINT, MI -- The city’s interim clerk is the only remaining qualified candidate to get the job, according to members of the City Council. Council members told MLive-The Flint Journal on Tuesday, Nov. 29, that interviews had been planned for Monday, Dec. 5, with interim Clerk Davina G. Donahue and Angela M. Guillen, another candidate for the position. But they’ve since been told by Flint’s Human Resources Department that Guillen has withdrawn from consideration for the job. In September, the council appointed Donahue, formerly deputy clerk, to serve the remainder of the term of former Clerk Inez Brown, which ends Dec. 31. The city’s charter calls for the council to appoint the city clerk to a five-year term -- an appointment that is not subject to review by the mayor.

CHELSEA, MI - Chelsea’s largest city park is set to get a major facelift if an ambitious upgrade project proceeds as planned. That’s in addition to upgrades to bathrooms, lighting and parking, as well as restoration of a mosaic art piece there, according to a presentation Chelsea City Manager Roy Atkinson delivered to City Council on Monday, Nov. 28. “It’s a pretty substantial public-private partnership,” Atkinson said, referencing participation from the city, Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission, Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative and private funders. The park improvements would also put Timbertown on the map for cyclists and other users of the B2B Trail, Atkinson said in his presentation. “It’s only natural that we have (a trailhead) here given our points of access to the trail,” the city manager said.

SALINE, MI – Another marijuana dispensary has plans to come to Saline following City Council’s Monday, Nov. 21, meeting. During this meeting, city council members approved with conditions two special land uses for adult use marijuana retailers and one special land use for a medical marijuana provisioning center. These special land uses are for 813 W. Michigan Ave. and 660 E. Michigan Ave. 813 W. Michigan Ave.A vacant lot at 813 W. Michigan Ave. that was once a hair salon is now on its way to selling both medical and recreational marijuana following final site plan approval. Zax Auto Wash at 660 E Michigan Ave in Saline.

Good afternoon, Chicago. Here's what is happening today.

Lopez was one of the earlier candidates to announce he would challenge Lori Lightfoot for mayor before reversing those plans.

Candidates line up to begin filing to run in the 2023 Chicago mayor and City Council election.

City Council members in the central Oregon city of Bend have approved strict new rules for homeless camping that will limit where, when and how people can live outside, as a growing number of cities across the state seek to control encampments amid a surging homelessness crisis driven by an affordable housing shortage and the coronavirus pandemic. OPB reports that the code change, approved Wednesday, will require people camping on city property and public right-of-ways such as sidewalks and landscaping strips to move locations by 600 feet, or one block, every 24 hours. Additionally, the code dictates what homeless people can possess while living outdoors.

Los Angeles' new mayor has outlined her vision to turn around a troubled City Hall and restrain an out-of-control homeless crisis in the nation's second-largest city.

ANN ARBOR, MI — Does Ann Arbor’s west side need a dog park or at least dedicated off-leash hours somewhere? There’s one at Olson Park on the city’s far north side, one at Broadway Park in central Ann Arbor and the Swift Run Dog Park in far southeast Ann Arbor. “Every few years, we seem to have requests or dedicated interest in development of a dog park in a certain location, in addition to the three that we currently have,” Landefeld said, mentioning the concerted effort by a group of Ward 4 and 5 residents who want a dog park at Allmendinger Park. There were similar conversations several years ago about creating a dog park at Buhr Park, Landefeld said. MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS:Crossing Ann Arbor’s Main Street just got safer for pedestriansAnn Arbor explores creating city ombudsperson office to help frustrated residentsBike-lane plan for Ann Arbor neighborhood sparks controversyMore ‘chonky’ squirrels are showing up everywhere at the University of Michigan2-story penthouse overlooking historic Ann Arbor neighborhoods listed at nearly $1.3M

FLINT, MI -- The City Council is planning to interview two candidates to become Flint’s next city clerk but isn’t saying who they are until they accept invitations to public interviews in December. “Too many secrets are kept in the city of Flint,” said 6th Ward Council member Tonya Burns, one of the votes against the process. Human Resources Department Director Eddie Smith said that the names of the candidates haven’t been released by the city because some candidates requested anonymity. Burns and 5th Ward council member Jerri Winfrey-Carter voted against the clear interview process plan. Read more at The Flint Journal:Flint City Clerk Inez Brown to retire after 25 yearsFlint deputy clerk appointed to interim role after clerk’s retirement; will run Nov. 8 electionHerkenroder elected new Flint City Council president but old divisions linger

Voters in Portland, Oregon, have approved a ballot measure that will overhaul the city's government, spurred by growing concerns over homelessness and a desire to make City Hall more inclusive.

Michigan state law allows any person in line when polls close at 8 p.m. to register to vote and to cast a ballot.

ANN ARBOR, MI — A proposal to remove on-street parking to add bike lanes has sparked controversy in an Ann Arbor neighborhood and the city is pausing to give it more thought. “Removing street parking for some is inequitable for all,” argued Seventh Street resident Jill Anderson. A newly installed speed hump on Fairview Drive in Ann Arbor as part of a neighborhood traffic-calming project on Nov. 6, 2022. “And so what we really need to do is transform that neighborhood street into a neighborhood street through traffic-calming measures,” she said. MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS:As Ann Arbor pushes speed reduction, ‘slow down’ signs go missingAnn Arbor revisiting idea of food trucks, pop-up vendors for downtown siteNew roundabout coming to intersection south of YpsilantiBig rezoning causes drama at last meeting of Ann Arbor’s outgoing councilDid Gen Z students drive increased voter turnout on Nov. 8?

This marks Gardner’s second consecutive reelection win and his third term for mayor consecutively.

U.S. Rep. Karen Bass has pulled ahead of developer Rick Caruso in their back-and-forth contest to become mayor of Los Angeles.

Norma Thornton, 78, was arrested for distributing prepared food from a van to the homeless population in Bullhead Community Park in northwest Arizona.

The move comes as the CTA faces ongoing complaints of unreliable service and concerns about safety.

Lightfoot's choice of Ald. Jim Cappleman was seen as a snub of Ald. Sophia King, who is running against Lightfoot for mayor.

Less than a month since the Chicago Police Department began to enforce an ordinance aimed to curb drag racing — a citywide trend that has often turned violent — police have impounded more than two dozen vehicles and has had more than 70 impound requests.

If City Council greenlights the ambitious proposals, they would join other potentially massive apartment developments nearby

Chicago’s office of inspector general released its third quarter report to the City Council Friday.

ANN ARBOR, MI — Plans for a four-story, 79-unit apartment building on Ann Arbor’s west side await City Council approval and city planning officials are singing its praises. The proposal from A2 Collaborative LLC, led by founding partner Jeff Wilkerson, aims to combine four land parcels along the west side of Maple Road just south of the M-14 highway. Plans also call for filling a big gap in the city sidewalk network along Maple Road and incorporating a crosswalk with pedestrian-activated flashing signals. Read more Ann Arbor development stories. MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS:210-acre, high-density rezoning on Ann Arbor’s west side gets initial OKAnn Arbor clerk supporting state ballot proposal to allow true early votingHere’s what’s on the November 2022 ballot in Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County264 acres once donated to conservation group now for sale in Washtenaw County.

SAGINAW, MI — Saginaw Mayor Brenda Moore said she finally made good on a campaign promise dating back to her first run at joining the City Council in 2013. “It’s not set in stone,” Councilman Bill Ostash said of the master plan. “It’s a plan.”Ostash and Moore were members of the council-appointed, 9-member Saginaw Planning Commission that crafted and submitted the master plan draft for the City Council to consider Monday. Officials began working on the new master plan in fall 2020. Council members Michael Flores and Monique Lamar-Silvia were the two votes against adopting the master plan Monday.

The Fourth and Washington public parking deck in downtown Ann Arbor on Oct. 7, 2022.Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor NewsAnn Arbor police said a 24-year-old Ann Arbor man jumped from atop the seven-level Fourth and Washington parking deck at about 1:46 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27, using a ledge to go around the chainlink fencing. The DDA is now having conversations about installing additional and enhanced barriers, DDA officials said. There still are openings without any fencing on levels as high up as four stories in downtown parking garages. The Liberty Square public parking deck in downtown Ann Arbor on Oct. 7, 2022.Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor NewsOfficials have cited high costs as one reason a better solution than chainlink fencing hasn’t been implemented yet. MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS:Ann Arbor now making EV drivers pay for power at downtown charging spotsAnn Arbor renters applaud new law, but landlords aren’t celebratingSparks fly as Ann Arbor council factions debate importance of party labelsSee robots, live music at Ann Arbor’s weeklong technology showcaseAnn Arbor bans red-light turns at 50 intersections in downtown area

Dearborn Heights Fire Department hosted local leaders on Saturday to participate in an education program that simulates real firefighting situations.

Ann Arbor City Council has approved a study that will examine the feasibility of a municipal utility.

A former Sterling Heights City Council candidate is facing 18 charges for forging ballot applications as part of a losing campaign during the November 2021 election, officials said.

Nearly a half-century after arson killed 32 people in a New Orleans gay bar, the City Council has renewed the search for the remains of four victims — three of them never identified.

Cynthia Harrison (D) is running to represent Ward 1 on Ann Arbor City Council.

Angeline Smith (D) is running to represent Ward 1 on Ann Arbor City Council.

Jenn Cornell (D) is running to represent Ward 5 on Ann Arbor City Council.

Detroit agreed to pay $7.5 million to settle a lawsuit by a man who claimed police switched bullets to pin a murder on him in 1992.

Watch the Ford Fireworks from different camera angles here at ClickOnDetroit.

On Tuesday, Ann Arbor for Public Power (A2P2) will rally at Larcom City Hall at 5:30 p.m. to protest the nomination of Knox Cameron to the Ann Arbor Energy Commission.

The Dearborn Heights community is ready to dump its new trash hauler just months into a new contract because of significant complaints. Neighbors say they’re frustrated and fed up as the city contemplates ditching its trash hauler, who’s only been on the job for three months.

New safety measures are coming to family events in Detroit after the City Council voted to approve the purchase of 10 metal detectors that will screen for guns and knives.

We want to know, are you participating in No Mow May?

City Council approved the expansion of the Main Street Ann Arbor Social District earlier this week.

“No Mow May” encourages residents to not cut their grass until May 31 in order to promote local populations of pollinators and other environmentally helpful creatures.

City council said Warren Mayor Jim Fouts has been spending money without their approval and a judge has told him to stop.

The ongoing duel between Warren Mayor Jim Fouts and city council continues with another lawsuit.

Wednesday (Feb. 9), Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced a plan to raise the minimum wage for Detroit city workers to $15 an hour, and with councils approval, it’s going to go in place sooner rather than later.

A contentious night in Royal Oak as the Planning Commission got an earful from the public over two proposed retail marijuana shops. One proposed site is located on Meijer Drive in the north end of town, while the other is in a residential area on Harrison in the south end of town.

Ann Arbor City Council members voted unanimously on a resolution condemning the demonstrations outside of Beth Israel Congregation and antisemitism.

A Madison Heights city council member is making history. In the city’s 67-year history, Quinn Wright is the first Black city councilor.He was sworn in on December 13, 2021.

Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence, Michigan’s lone black woman of Congress, announced Tuesday night that she would not run for re-election in 2022.

Christopher Taylor announces he will run again in Ann Arbor's mayoral race later this year.

The new Detroit City Council met for the first time Monday, Jan. 4, 2022.

Minneapolis voters are deciding whether to replace the city’s police force with a new Department of Public Safety.

Jenn Cornell Queen (D-Ward 5) has announced her run for Ann Arbor City Council.

An 1833 statue of Thomas Jefferson will be removed from New York’s City Council chamber by the end of the year.

Los Angeles leaders have voted to enact one of the nation’s strictest vaccine mandates.

Ann Arbor City Council unanimously voted to hire Milton Dohoney as the new interim city administrator.

Interviews will stream live at 4 p.m. on CTN.

A Black Lives Matter mural in Ypsilanti was vandalized by a white supremacist group in the early morning hours of Sunday morning.

What crimes was the FBI investigating when agents raided the city council offices of Janeé Ayers and Scott Benson?

What crimes was the FBI investigating when agents raided the city council offices of Janeé Ayers and Scott Benson?

Tom Crawford formally resigned after City Council voted to terminate his employment over racially insensitive comments.

The Ann Arbor Marathon has received city approval to take place in October.

Concerns over parties and concerts at The Corner Ballpark in Corktown are being addressed by the city.

Livonia City Council announced Wednesday it will be returning to in-person meetings on June 14, 2021.

Keith Olson has been charged with threatening two members of the Warren City Council and their families.

A video that shows a portion of a recent deadly police shooting in Portland, Oregon, has circulated on social media and evening news broadcasts.

Ann Arbor councilman Jeff Hayner (D-Ward 1) has been stripped of all Council committees through the end of the year.

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – Southfield residents living in a subdivision are voicing their frustrations with a decision made by Southfield Public Schools. The subdivision sits behind the bus yard for Southfield High School. The school decided to use the area as an emergency exit road for its bus depot. The city of Southfield owned the land, but the district had a lawyer tell City Council that it would take the land through eminent domain. Residents weren’t alerted to the situation until after the council accepted the district’s $800 check for the easement.

Defense attorney Eric Nelson also raised the possibility of renewing his previously unsuccessful motion to move Derek Chauvin's trial to another city. AdMayor Jacob Frey deferred questions about the timing of the settlement to City Attorney Jim Rowader, who declined to comment. Potential jurors questioned later didn't mention hearing of the settlement, and neither attorneys nor the judge directly asked if they were aware of it. At least four potential jurors dismissed Monday said they couldn’t be impartial. Three other former officers face an August trial on charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter.

Here’s what you missed on Local 4 News at 5:Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan clarifies controversial vaccine statementDetroit Mayor Mike Duggan told City Council on Friday that he expects to the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine to be “a key part of our expansion of vaccine centers” when the city receives it in the next shipment.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan told City Council on Friday that he expects to the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine to be “a key part of our expansion of vaccine centers” when the city receives it in the next shipment. As vaccine eligibility expands, Detroit will open a second site offering Johnson & Johnson vaccines. I have full confidence that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is both safe and effective. We are making plans now for Johnson & Johnson to be a key part of our expansion of vaccine centers and are looking forward to receiving Johnson & Johnson vaccines in the next allocation.”AdHis statement Friday comes after Detroit turned down 6,200 doses of the newly authorized Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine, with Duggan favoring shots from Pfizer and Moderna for now. “Johnson & Johnson is a very good vaccine.