Category: Benton Harbor

Michigan’s Emergency Manager legacy: Democratic leaders work to clean up Republicans’ messes

Michigan’s Emergency Manager legacy: Democratic leaders work to clean up Republicans’ messes

I haven’t written much about the Flint Water Crisis lately, largely because my pals over at Michigan Advance and the fine reporters at MLive have been doing such a good job. I’m inspired to write today as I reflect on two recent stories, one of which is not actually about Flint. The first story is the astonishing move taken by […]

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EVENT: Benton Harbor VOTES rally – Saturday, Oct. 4, 2014

EVENT: Benton Harbor VOTES rally – Saturday, Oct. 4, 2014

This Saturday, October 4th, a Get Out the Vote (GOTV) rally will take place in Benton Harbor. The rally will feature speakers (to be announced) and will take place in Broadway Park from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. The rally features free refreshments and the opportunity to register to vote for those who are not already registered. Here is the […]

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UPDATED: Benton Harbor Emergency Manager Joe Harris is out, marketing consultant Tony Saunders II in

UPDATED: Benton Harbor Emergency Manager Joe Harris is out, marketing consultant Tony Saunders II in

This will be interesting

As he himself predicted last summer, Benton Harbor Emergency Manager Joe Harris has been booted. In his place will be Tony Saunders II, a marketing guy from WYLD Marketing Group.

Details after the jump.

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Majority white communities avoid Emergency Financial managers with help from Republicans Denby and Rogers – UPDATED

Majority white communities avoid Emergency Financial managers with help from Republicans Denby and Rogers – UPDATED

Ah. So THAT’S how it works.

As majority African American communities in Michigan are forced to live under the rule of unelected dictators, formerly called Emergency Managers and, now, once again called Emergency Financial Managers, efforts by two Republicans in the heart of Republican Livingston County are hoping to avoid the same fate for their own, mostly white, communities. Fiscal troubles that can be laid largely at the door of state legislators Cindy Denby and Bill Rogers would be conveniently remedied by a new law that Rogers and Denby co-sponsored. Even though these communities are in trouble due to fiscal mismanagement on the part of their government leaders, they, unlike Benton Harbor, Flint, Pontiac and other Michigan communities, would receive a state bailout, not a takeover of their town by a state-appointed dictator.

Details after the jump.

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IRONY ALERT! Benton Harbor Emergency Manager Joe Harris being forced out of power

IRONY ALERT! Benton Harbor Emergency Manager Joe Harris being forced out of power

Irony this large needs a zip code

In what may be one of the most ironic stories of the year so far, Joe Harris says he’s being forced out of his position as the Emergency Manager of Benton Harbor.

Gee, Joe, I wonder what it’s like to lose power as a person in charge in that town? I guess you could as the Benton Harbor City Commissioners. They’d certainly know since you were the one who forced them out of power.

More after the jump.

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Benton Harbor’s Whirlpool Corp. – Corporate citizen or corporate blackmailer?

Benton Harbor’s Whirlpool Corp. – Corporate citizen or corporate blackmailer?

“I’m sure we can work something out…” In a fawning editorial about Benton Harbor-based Whirlpool (linked in yesterday’s Emergency Manager news round-up), Tom Walsh of the Detroit Free Press wrote this: [T]hings are improving, says Jeff Fettig, CEO of Benton Harbor’s largest taxpayer and corporate citizen, global appliance maker Whirlpool. “Our view is that it’s working and a lot of […]

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Benton Harbor covered on the Rachel Maddow Show, my wife gets a shout out

Michigan embarrassed on the national stage Rachel Maddow had another terrific piece on Benton Harbor last night. In it, she wonders out loud if the “non-profit” Cornerstone Alliance, the development arm of Whirlpool, might secretly be conspiring to buy the broadcast license of the city radio station, WBHC. During the segment, you’ll see a panoramic photo taken by my wife, […]

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Benton Harbor Emergency Manager Joe Harris appoints himself to several city commissions

Benton Harbor Emergency Manager Joe Harris appoints himself to several city commissions

It’s good to be the king The Herald-Palladium reports today that Benton Harbor Emergency Manager Joe Harris appointed himself to several city commissions. I guess he’s not planning on leaving soon after all… In an order dated Tuesday, Emergency Manager Joseph Harris removed, appointed or reappointed members to the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, the Cemetery Board, the Twin City Area Transportation […]

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Nonprofit group looks to help Benton Harbor citizens buy city radio station – for themselves

Nonprofit group looks to help Benton Harbor citizens buy city radio station – for themselves

There IS goodness in the world [NOTE: I have edited the title of this piece because PRC does not actually purchase radio stations or licenses themselves. They help other groups to do this.] Laura Conaway at The Maddow Blog reports in a piece called “The Silencing of Benton Harbor, Michigan” that a private non-profit called Public Radio Capital is looking […]

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Rachel Maddow covers Benton Harbor and selling of city radio equipment – UPDATED

Rachel Maddow covers Benton Harbor and selling of city radio equipment – UPDATED

Rachel Maddow did a fine job last night of reporting on an issue I wrote about twice this week (HERE and HERE): the selling off of Benton Harbor’s city radio station equipment. Here’s the video: This was great journalism – kudos to TRMS producer Laura Conaway – that brought together some seemingly unrelated pieces to show the complete picture including […]

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Benton Harbor Emgcy Mgr Harris’s attempt to sell city radio equip on eBay gets ZERO bidders – UPDATED x2

Benton Harbor Emgcy Mgr Harris’s attempt to sell city radio equip on eBay gets ZERO bidders – UPDATED x2

Well THAT didn’t work Benton Harbor Emergency Manager Joe Harris’s effort to sell the city radio station’s equipment (or should I say “Eequiptment”?) on eBay is now over. The auction resulted in [ahem] ZERO bids. Click image for larger version UPDATE: It’s baa-aack. Yup, he reposted it on eBay again. You now have just under three days to bid. Same […]

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