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!

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!

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!

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!

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!