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Yahoo
06-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Detroit City Council primary election results 2025: What's at stake
Polls closed at 8 p.m. local time on Aug. 5 for the primary election in Detroit. Ahead of the general election this fall, Detroiters had the chance to cast their ballot for mayor — from a crowded field of nine contenders vying to replace outgoing Mayor Mike Duggan — and open seats on Detroit City Council. Election results 2025: Detroit and Wayne County primary races, ballot proposals Competitive council races included: two at-large, representing the entire city; District 2, covering the northernmost edge of the city, spanning the Southfield Freeway to Woodward Avenue and Eight Mile Road to just beyond the Lodge Freeway; District 5, south of Hamtramck and Highland Park, and District 7, covering parts of the city's west side. The Free Press will update this story throughout the evening and into the next day as results filter in. 8 candidates run for 2 at-large seats Two incumbents, Mary Waters and Coleman Young II, are in the running to retain their at-large seats. Waters, in an interview with the Free Press, said she'd advocate at the state and federal level for renters and homeowners, and Young said he'd like to implement a guaranteed income pilot program and revive police mini-stations, an initiative his father, the late Mayor Coleman Young, started. The other at-large hopefuls include: Detroit police detective Levan Adams, who said he'd like to see more police officers out on the streets, legislation to keep guns away from young people and programming for middle and high school-age youths. Former Council Member Janee' Ayers, who lost her council seat in 2021 amid a federal public corruption investigation — a case that closed earlier this year. She cited fiscal responsibility, public safety and neighborhood growth as pressing issues for Detroit and Detroiters Detroit Fire Department community relations chief James Harris. He said he'd create programming like Motor City Makeover, the annual volunteer cleanup initiative. Attorney Shakira Lynn Hawkins, who cited affordable and emergency housing, public safety and youth education and economic empowerment as the top three issues Detroiters are confronting. Preacher, community activist and photographer Gary Hunter said longtime Detroiters cannot get services, such as roofing assistance and weatherization Educator Valerie Parker said she ran to advocate for school children. More: Here are the candidates running in Detroit City Council's at-large race Three competitive district races; 14 candidates District 2: Home to the University of Detroit Mercy, District 2 includes neighborhoods such as Palmer Woods, Sherwood Forest and the University District. In the running are the following candidates: Incumbent Angela Whitfield Calloway, who has been skeptical of tax subsidies and is known for questioning city departments, BridgeDetroit reported; Former District 2 Council Member Roy McCalister Jr. who said he will prioritize enhancing quality of life issues in Detroit by focusing on ramping up mental health resources; State Rep. Helena Scott, D-Detroit, who ranked public safety, affordable housing and combatting neighborhood bight among her top priorities. District 5: Seven candidates are competing for the District 5 seat currently held by City Council President Mary Sheffield, who is running for mayor. The district — spanning neighborhoods at the center of the city and south toward the Detroit River — includes historic Boston Edison and Islandview, Eastern Market and Belle Isle. BridgeDetroit interviewed most of candidates for District 5. They include: Real estate developer and realtor George Adams Jr. who said he'd ensure developers have access to publicly-owned land and cited affordable housing as a top challenge. District 5 Detroit Police Commissioner Willie E. Burton who said he'd advocate for more affordable housing and water rates Longtime east side resident Michael Hartt, who has a background in human resources, said the top three challenges residents are confronting are water affordability, property assessments and tax foreclosures Housing and community development expert Esther Yvette Haugabook said she wants to create a city-funded home repair program to help longtime residents age in place. Charles H. Wright Museum educator Tatjana Jackson said she wants to partner with venture capitalists and private equity firms to support small businesses. UAW retiree and founding member of the Detroit Historic Districts Alliance Renata Miller said she would like to see nonprofits and foundations "adopt" certain parts of District 5 and invest in improvements. Retiree Michael Stephen Ri'chard said he supports home repair programs and tax breaks for seniors. District 7: Over on the west side of the city, District 7 borders Dearborn Heights and Dearborn, and is home to the Warrendale neighborhood and Rouge Park. Four candidates are running for the seat currently held by Council Member Fred Durhal III, who is running for mayor. They include Retiree Bobbi Johnson, who said she wants to see more funding for neighborhood organizations and block clubs; Managing director of the left-leaning organization Progress Michigan Denzel Anton McCampbell, who wants to expand down payment assistance and senior home repair programming; Former city council candidate Regina Ross, who wants to ramp up workforce development; State Rep. Karen Whitsett (D-Detroit), who said local issues are important to her and are overlooked at the state level, according to BridgeDetroit and the civic engagement hub CitizenDetroit. The top two vote-getters for each of the district races will move on to the general election. The remaining Detroit City Council races There were no primaries for Districts 1, 3, 4 and 6. The candidates for these races will automatically advance to the general election this fall. Incumbents City Council President Pro Tem James Tate Jr., representing District 1, and District 4 Council Member Latisha Johnson are both running unopposed. For the remaining districts, there are two contenders each. In District 3, Cranstana Anderson, is challenging incumbent Scott Benson. In District 6, state Rep. Tyrone Carter, D-Detroit, is challenging incumbent Gabriela Santiago-Romero. Contact reporter Nushrat Rahman: nrahman@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit City Council primary election results 2025 Solve the daily Crossword
Axios
24-07-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Candidates battle for two at-large council seats
Two City Council members are running for reelection against a wide field of challengers that includes a former council member, Republican educator and former detective. The big picture: It's notoriously tough to beat incumbents like council members Mary Waters and Coleman Young II, but a total of eight candidates are battling for City Council's two at-large seats that represent the whole city. The four who get the most votes in the Aug. 5 primary will face off in the November general election. Here's a quick look at their backgrounds and some priorities: Levan Adams spent 25 years as a Detroit police officer and detective. He wants to bring transparency and trust back to politics and focus on public safety, including mental health and youth programs. He also wants residents more involved in the budget process. Janeé Ayers, a former City Council member, has a history in union leadership and the city's parks and rec department. Her planned focuses include fiscal responsibility, making affordable housing truly affordable, and improving the rights of citizens returning from incarceration. James Harris, the Detroit Fire Department's community relations chief, has worked to modernize fire services and improve emergency response efforts, per his website. Harris' site says his priorities include funding for entrepreneurs and improving public safety through community policing and better resources for first responders. Shakira Lynn Hawkins is an attorney whose experience includes the city's law department and time as a former domestic violence shelter director. Her priorities include addressing housing instability, as well as economic empowerment that creates jobs and lifts small businesses. Gary Hunter has been a preacher and community services provider, as well as owning a publication called Shot News and working as a photojournalist. As a City Council member, he says he would work to establish a parent-and-child mentoring program and make affordable housing more accessible to families. Valerie Parker is an educator and youth activist, as well as a Republican in the majority Democrat city. Her priorities for City Council include intervening in the regulation of charter schools and adapting vacant, historic school buildings for new use. Waters, seeking a second term, is a former state representative, previous candidate for Congress and former union activist. Her plans include supporting home repair grants and working to reform the Detroit Land Bank Authority. Young, also running for a second term, is a former state legislator, as well as a former mayoral candidate and the son of former Mayor Coleman Young.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Crews working to restore power to Little Rock residents after recent severe weather
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The hum of a portable generator is becoming a sound too familiar for some people in a Little Rock neighborhood after severe weather hit the state. The severe weather over recent days caused power outages for thousands in Arkansas. National Weather Service confirms EF-2 tornado touched down in Pocahontas Mary Waters lives in Hillcrest. She said she gets a feeling of anxiety when she walks outside and sees fallen trees and twisted power lines. 'It's really scary. I haven't ventured far from our front yard at all,' Waters said. 'Because you know, you don't want to step on something, and then all of a sudden, you're not here anymore.' On Monday, Entergy crews worked to restore power. For the people in Hillcrest this comes three days after their power first went out. ARDOT reports that around 70 highways still closed in Arkansas due to high water While Waters waits for her roads to be cleared, she's just glad she was prepared for the weather Arkansas threw her way. 'We finally decided, a few years ago, 'This is crazy, we need a generator,'' Waters said. 'And so, we made that a priority, and I'm glad we did.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
18-03-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Detroit's iconic 600 Renaissance Center tower on the auction block
Taking up nearly an entire city block, a tower at Detroit's Renaissance Center is on the auction block. Built in 1980 and renovated in 2024, the building is zoned for office and residential use, as well as hotel and retail spaces. But now, it sits mostly vacant, with 11% occupancy. "Something needs to be changed; it actually does," said Mary Waters, Detroit City Councilmember at-large. Waters says the building's presence downtown doesn't have the lasting memories some Detroiters think it does. "It was a place of exclusion. It's not like Black businesses managed to really grow and develop there and get started and remain there; that is not what happened," said Waters. While the 334,000-square-foot building also served as a headquarters for General Motors until the company announced plans to move last year, Waters says its future could be even greater. "We don't own it. The city does not own it, not one building. They do not own it, and so when you are working with other people, you try to work out what's best for all of Detroit," said Waters. Waters says hearing directly from Detroiters on what they would like to see happen to the Renaissance Center is her top priority. "I want Detroiters to feel good about this decision. I know how important the Renaissance Center is to them, but I also do ask that they look back, take a look at the history, and see what it actually meant," said Waters. With the auction for the 600 Renaissance Center tower expected to end on March 19, Waters says she hopes the purchaser is willing to work with the city to come up with a plan that works for everyone.
