How inadequate are Detroit schools? Marquell McClendon was the Class Valedictorian at Detroit’s Cody High School. She was accepted to Michigan State University where she is struggling with remedial math classes. She says, “My first meeting with an academic advisor confirmed that it would take 5 years, not 4, to earn my degree.” While Ms. McClendon is passing her math class, most Detroiters are unequipped for college and most drop out once they realize how far behind they are across the academic spectrum.  

Two years ago, Detroit passed regulations to target bad landlords. City officials promised all kinds of positive benefits and it would only take 2 years to get all 50,000 rentals up to compliance. Two years have passed, how is it going? Only 3,700 rentals are compliant and over 2,500 rental homes are no longer available for rent – good landlords are leaving and the remaining ones are dramatically increasing rents to cover repairs.

And finally, in “It is a Darwin move to be anywhere near Detroit” news,

• The EPA confirmed a bulk storage collapse into the Detroit River last year contains lead, uranium, and other chemicals exceeding acceptable levels. The current owner claims that was from a prior owner in the 1940s, he just stores limestone and gravel. Plus, he has EPA testing results since 1989 confirming that chemical levels were fine.
• A 48-year-old woman was found hanging from a fence on Woodward in Detroit, the Medical Examiner is investigating the cause of death.
• Detroit Police are searching for suspects in a failed Smash & Grab. They stole a pickup truck and smashed it into a Family Dollar store on Harper near Whittier.
• Less than 2 weeks into the new year and a 7-year-old Detroiter was shot by stray bullets while sitting in his bedroom at his home by 7 Mile Rd. and Kelly. Thankfully, he was just grazed.
• A “large fight” broke out at Detroit’s Old Redford High School on W. Outer Drive. A police officer’s gun was picked up by a teen that fled on foot; Detroit Police are searching for him. Suspiciously, this school violence wasn’t reported in any of the news media.
• A 52-year-old Detroiter got into a minor fender-bender on Gratiot. The occupants of the struck vehicle got out, robbed him of his personal items and then carjacked him.
• A 36-year-old Detroiter was shot during a mugging while in his car on Taylor Street. An armed man in a hoodie approached him, demanding money. They got into a struggle and the victim is listed in stable condition.

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