Tuesday, March 30, 2010

CARTOON of the WEEK: Morning radio in Detroit will never be the same

The News-Herald - March 31
When Dick Purtan signed off the air last Friday, I felt a personal sense of loss. I'd listened to him for nearly all the 45 years of his broadcast career here in Detroit - at first on my RCA transistor radio, afternoons when he began on WKNR (Keener 13), and then mornings on every subsequent stop he made on the radio dial as I made my way to high school, college, and to every job I've held my whole life.

His wit and humor - and his dedication to the community - inspired my work and my career. He showed me that it's not enough to simply entertain an audience, it's the responsibility of anyone blessed with a forum (either on radio, or in print) to - even in some small way - make the community in which that audience lives a better place.

Thank you, Dick - for everything you gave to us throughout the years ... the music, the laughs, all of "Purtan's People," and - after 45 years of hard work on your part - a richer, happier community. I just have to get used to navigating rush hour traffic without you!
That's the point!

Sunday, March 28, 2010

CARTOONS of the WEEK: 'Trouble in School' that can't be fixed by studying harder

The Press & Guide - March 24
Unfunded mandates are a problem for any organization, but especially for cash-short school systems like Dearborn. It's easy for government to declare a mandate - especially when when paying for it is the responsibility of the target of the mandate!
The News-Herald - March 24
Wyandotte is just one example of the problems facing school systems throughout the Downriver area, and metro Detroit overall - and, unfortunately, there are no good "answers" to the problems.
That's the Point!

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

CARTOON of the WEEK: All Aboard! ... but on what?

Crain's Detroit Business - March 15
As if there weren't already enough delays and obstacles to metro area mass transit, Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, of Detroit, formerly a backer of light rail, shifted her support to the Obama administration's high speed rail plan ... taking her support for federal funding with her, of course. I think this is my stop ...
That's the Point!

Friday, March 12, 2010

CARTOON of the WEEK: For Sale by Owner(s)

The Press & Guide - March 10
It's officially the end of an era, with Dearborn Towers for sale by the City of Dearborn. Growing up Downriver in the 1960s, I remember how remarkable a community Dearborn was to us ... they had Camp Dearborn for recreation right here in town, and they had Dearborn Towers, where hard-working Dearbornites migrated upon retirement. While the community remains remarkable, times change and maintaining Dearborn Towers is no longer feasible for the City. Press & Guide Editor Tim Powers chuckled at my portrayal of Mayor O'Reilly doing double-duty as a real estate agent in this week's cartoon. And Mr. Mayor, I know a local cartoonist who'd be happy to volunteer to spend the spring in Florida, showing the property for you and his friends in Dearborn!
That's the Point!

Sunday, March 7, 2010

CARTOONS of the WEEK: A "Surprise" Candidate for Governor, "Problems" are a Matter of Perspective Downriver, and Early Signs of Spring

The Press & Guide - March 3
With a series of appearances and well-coordinated announcements, Michigan House Speaker Andy Dillon made official this week the worst-kept secret of the 2010 Michigan gubernatorial campaign - his candidacy!

The News-Herald - March 3
With the news from most Downriver cities focused upon budget short-falls and looming deficits, Gibraltar made news with foxes becoming a nuisance in the community. Many Downriverites, I'm sure, would prefer that kind of "trouble" to the financial kind!

The News-Herald - March 7
Some people take the first blossoms as a sign that spring is near. Hard-core metro Detroiters know that it isn't spring until the construction barrels bloom!
That's the Point!