On April 9, while Detroit Public Schools was not in session due to Easter Break, it was announced by way of news publication that Detroit School of Arts (DSA) would become a self-governing school beginning in the fall of 2012. The DSA staff was not informed of this decision prior to the public announcement on April 9. We did not know why we were chosen. We do not fit the criteria of a self-governing school. ...

The fight to impose a sales tax on online businesses is fizzling once again with the end of legislative session. The likely doomed legislation, sponsored by Reps. Eileen Kowall, R-White Lake Township, and Jim Ananich, D-Flint, would amend the sales tax law to include online businesses. ...

Heather Lane, past governor of Toastmasters International’s District 28, presented the Distinguished Toastmaster Medallion to Arthur J. Divers, Ph.D. during the Fall Conference on Nov. 3 in Toledo, Ohio.The Distinguished Toastmaster Medallion (DTM) is given for demonstrated outstanding leadership as a district area governor. ...

Detroit is among the municipal electric utilities that plan gradual rate increases this winter. Some have already implemented them to comply with federal environmental regulations and to keep local jobs. For example, Marquette Board of Light and Power will increase electric rates by 3.5 percent for customers by 2014. It will be the second rate hike for the company in 25 years. ...

More than 11 million Blacks lived below the poverty line in 2011, including an estimated 5.2 million that languish in severe poverty, according to a recent report. The yearly report by the Half in Ten campaign found that even though Blacks comprise 13 percent of the total population in the United States, they accounted for 27.6 percent of Americans living below the poverty line, defined as “$23,018 a year f ...

CWMAAH does Noel Night By Puakea Olaisha Anderson Special to the Michigan Citizen DETROIT — The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History hosted its 40th annual Noel Night celebration  Dec. 1, with over 80 participating venues. The event was free and open to the public. The Detroit Institute of Arts, the Detroit Historical Museum, the Detroit Public Library and Zeta Phi Beta sorority were among t ...

By Zenobia Jeffries The Michigan Citizen LANSING — Supporters of regional transportation are a House vote away from seeing many years of hard work and dedication toward the measure materialize. The State Senate passed the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) bill package Nov. 27,                with strong bipartisan support. The bills are now going to the House of Representatives with hopes of success. ...

“We are in an environment, I think, of entitlement. We’ve got a lot of people who are city workers, who for years and years, 20, 30 years, think they are entitled to a job and all that comes with it.” — Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, Nov. 30, during a CNN interview. Do you agree or disagree with Bing? ...

Hantz Farms’ drive to take over nearly 2,000 publically owned lots on the city’s east side is an opportunity to think very differently about how we approach land use. We urge the City Council to put in place productive, visionary principles, policies and practices to guide this and all future efforts at development. ...

The Michigan Senate passed legislation Dec. 4 that would allow for the creation of a Detroit Lighting Authority (DLA). The main bill passed 25-13 after it was revised to allow the city to retain more local control. The legislation will now go to the House for an up or down vote before going to Gov. Rick Snyder’s desk for approval. Sen. Bert Johnson, D-Detroit, is the principal sponsor of the three-bill pack ...