Lakewood 2013 in Review

[Michael Deneen]

So what news stories will you remember most about Lakewood in 2013?

Things I'll remember include:

*Passage of the school issues
*The quiet Council elections and shuffling
*Friction between residents and development
*Ongoing changes in media (PD shrinking, Patch is gone)

Thoughts?

[Bill Call]

So what news stories will you remember most about Lakewood in 2013?

Things I'll remember include:

*Passage of the school issues
*The quiet Council elections and shuffling
*Friction between residents and development
*Ongoing changes in media (PD shrinking, Patch is gone)

Thoughts?

The passage of the bond issue to complete the construction project was a good thing.

Buildings become obsolete even if properly maintained. The District also benefited from $50 million State money by passing the bond issue. It's always nice when the State or Federal government returns a small portion of what they take.

Passage of the operating levy was a bad thing.

It's simply funded business as usual and most of the increase will be eaten up by increases in health insurance premiums. $300,000 per classroom is more than enough money.

Quiet elections and shuffling are a bad thing. Even though the Mayor and Council are doing a fine job they are ignoring the big picture. All the things they do to build the City up are being undone by our regional institutions. We need more argument.

Frictions between residents and developers are neither good or bad. Everyone has his own interests to defend and their own vision of what the City should look like. I like what's happening downtown, I don't like what's happening on the East end of Detroit and I think the City needs to be more proactive in new housing development.

There is a decline in local media.

Without the Observer you wouldn't be hearing any news about Lakewood. The PD is now more than ever the mouthpiece of the anti democratic wing of the Democratic Party. The paper has also become more and more sports page. The less important the issue the more likely it is to make the front page. It's nearly impossible to get a contrarian viewpoint printed except in small doses.

[marklingm]

Without the Observer you wouldn't be hearing any news about Lakewood.

Amen, Bill!

“City Hall and Friends” should listen to JFK’s speech entitled, “The President and the Press,” Before The American Newspaper Publishers Association, 27 April 1961.

And so should all Lakewood residents.





Matt