McClaren Hospital where Oxford community is gathered to support the family of Justin Shillings, one of the four teens killed this week. Justin is an organ donor and the crowd is here so that when his body is moved for surgery his family can look down and see the love and support
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Allie Gross
@Allie_Elisabeth
ATLJoined January 2014
Allie Gross’s Tweets
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It is so quite here, nobody is talking just waiting and hugging. All you hear is the occasional sniffle.
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Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard addressed the crowd on behalf of 17yo Justin Shilling’s family. “It means a great deal to them clearly … Take care of each other, talk to each other, support each other … This isn’t supposed to be happening and it’s not supposed to happen”
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A vigil was held in downtown Oxford tonight. Someone passed out and the crowd had a trauma response. “Everyone just panicked, they had just had this experience w a shooter,” said resident Deanna Ottman. Her niece, a senior at Oxford HS, had to leave. “She had a panick attack”
An important moment for a swing state like Michigan: voters have approved Proposal 3, adding the right to abortion and contraceptive use to the state constitution
Little Miss Flint bravely deals w yet another toxic, orange-ish mess.
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Detroit Police / MSP scanner discussing finding the vehicle connected to the Crumbley parents found on E. Detroit on Bellevue. US Marshals announced a $10K reward for info leading to their arrests tonight broadcastify.com/listen/mid/30
About 150 ppl gathered in front of the city hall in hamtrmack, the first majority-Muslim city in the US, for a #NoBanNoWall protest
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Regardless of how one feels about the atl police training facility ('#copcity'), I do think there is something mind-bending about watching 15+ hrs of public comments (almost entirely against something) + then seeing a public body vote against those statements
Today announced legislation banning the usage of facial recognition tech in public housing. Last nov. reported on Sheridan Place I and II — public housing joining PGL, a live stream camera program whose footage can be fed thru FR tech freep.com/story/news/loc
sooo Kid Rock denied reporters press credentials from his concert tnt.
He didn't like a column we printed
freep.com/story/news/loc
I tracked the chain of title for 23 homes lost to tax foreclosure in ‘12/3 that ended up in the hands of speculators. While 78% of the houses were occupied in ‘11, 78% were vacant by ‘18. My latest on the active process creating blight in the neighborhoods
I’m currently at Pioneer HS in Ann Arbor where students are flooding out of the the school for the #nationalwalkoutday protest against gun violence. Students are mtg up in riverside park at 11 for a rally w kids from other Ypsi-area schools.
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Dec 14 is the last day Detroit homeowners can apply for a poverty tax exemption! (The program is supposed to be more accessible following a '18 settlement btwn the city and the ACLU, who alleged the program wasn't widely advertised and difficult to apply for)
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Program to keep Detroiters in their homes nearing deadline. Here’s how to apply. bit.ly/3niVADq
ATL city council's tweet on the '#copcity' vote ignores the fact that the city’s contribution is actually $67M bc the “lease back” provision has the city paying Atlanta Police Foundation $1.2M a yr over the next 30 yrs for use of the facility ajc.com/news/crime/pub
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The Council approved allocating $30 million in funds from the uncommitted general fund budget to go to the Public Safety Training Center and authorized using $1 million in public safety impact fees to install a gymnasium facility on the project’s site.
It’s not “some say” - facial recognition *has* led to false arrests
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Replying to @MichiganRadio
Supporters of Craig credit him with a slight decline in violent crime in Detroit, but critics cite his promotion of facial recognition technology, which some say leads to false arrests.
Yesterday was my last at - in Sept I start at as an investigative news producer. I’m so grateful for the last 2 yrs collaborating w some of the hardest working journalist/editors. Excited to now continue telling local stories/learn a new medium! SEND ME TIPS!
The Pink Cadillacs are here. Respect for the QUEEN Aretha Franklin.
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Mark my word, the London Luggage Shop will be the one small biz in Detroit that comes out of this exactly as it was before: unscathed (and somehow forever open)
Gov. Whitmer needing the legislature's approval for a new 28-day state of emergency should be at the top (at least by the fifth graf) of any article on Michigan COVID-19 cases, imo
Such an honor to be recognized for work I love doing/can’t believe I get to do everyday!
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Congratulations to @Allie_Elisabeth of the @Freep who was named Young Journalist of the Year!
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Don't get what motivates the DeVos family to spend millions on school choice? Read this: metrotimes.com/Blogs/archives
Pontiac Silverdome, Post-implosion.
Standing next to guys from Adamo “this didn’t work.” Steel columns meant to come down clearly in place.
Mind-boggling to see journalists publicly commend protesters for dispersing at curfew bc "peace is the goal" when 1) It's not their goal to decide/weigh in on 2) last I checked the credo of the movement is (in fact) "no justice, no peace"
This was written over 50 yrs ago, posted in this article 5 (after Freddie Gray was killed) - and it remains as relevant as ever. MLK on riots: “They’re mainly intended to shock the white community...knowing that this society cherishes property above ppl”
With ~75% precincts reporting Freep calls Oakland County prosecutor race for Karen McDonald; an upset that would end a 10+yr reign by Jessica Cooper (a dem w one of the harshest stances/interpretations of Montgomery re: resentencing juvenile lifers)
I think I’m over Detroit, and then the weather breaks and I’m in love again💞
Fascinating. Charter supporter/billionaire Eli Broad writes a letter urging senators to vote NO on DeVos washingtonpost.com/news/education
Fascinated rn by the sharpie ballot "controversy" that the GOP pushed in Arizona — with the help of FB — and now is making its way to Michigan.
The Crumbley parents were found hiding in the basement of an "Albert Kahn gem."
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Replying to @DetroitScanner
Both suspects are now in custody, discovered in the basement of 1111 Bellevue, the location the vehicle was discovered by a citizen.
Good time to repost. Kasich has drastically altered what abortion access looks like in OH fivethirtyeight.com/features/john-
Now that everything is remote and online, I see no reason why all school board zoom mtgs (looking at you charter schools) shouldn't be recorded, uploaded and accessible.
Spilled coffee on my comp yesterday + (reluctantly) had to go to the mall. In order to walk into Apple u need to have ur temperature read. I asked the guard what mine was. He said 93 degrees. I said wow that seems low?? And he said ya that’s what it’s been saying all day. Soo 🙃
Aiyana Stanley-Jones was 7yo when she was killed by police. Today, siblings + cousins hold up a banner in her honor
DC pub school goes on a tweet storm highlighting positive educators after DeVos visits + says she can tell teachers are in 'receiver mode'
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This is what Sec. DeVos said about our teachers after her visit. Needless to say, we're about to take her to school... @dcpublicschools
Going to stop emailing all my pals this essay + just tweet it. Fascinating piece from historian :
i so rarely smile when it comes to media news these days, but this made me smile. usatoday.com/story/money/bu
A sight I never expected to see: about 400-500 yoga enthusiasts stretching to Eminem's "lose yourself" in comerica park this am.
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~ 90% of 25K eviction cases filed in 36 D Court btwn 3/20-'22 were filed by landlords w/o a Cert of Compliance. My latest on an enforcement gap that's emboldened bad landlords/ushered Detroit’s already dysfunctional housing mrkt into a new era of precarity
.@KristinaRizga follows the $ in this compelling piece on Betsy DeVos + her family's push to fund religious schools motherjones.com/politics/2017/
I wrote about Detroit Public Schools, school choice + likely Ed Sec Betsy DeVos for , check it here:
Honored to be selected as a finalist for my Action Before Auction stories. Grateful to the ppl who let me in for these pieces + the wonderful editors I worked w @ Freep ( ) freep.com/in-depth/news/
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Announcing the 2020 Livingston finalists in local, national and international reporting categories. See their names and exceptional reporting: bit.ly/2KFIXAY
Detroit protesters are discussing demands they created earlier this week. One of them? Defund DPD. Recommend reviewing the city's budget for more context. The difference in spending on DPD vs social services like the Health Dept ($300M v $9M) is staggering detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitm
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Some stats as we see a pub health crisis/mass protests against police brutality. Cities often lump "public health + safety" together when talking budgets. For ex, '18-19 ~40% Detroit's general fund budget went to the duo. Actual breakdowns? FY 19: Health Dept ~$9M/ DPD ~$300M
Impromptu trip tonight visiting the plant where (and many other papers) gets printed. Easy to forget just how much goes into getting the news out to the public. Feeling humbled and so appreciative 🗞🙌💖
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Wow. This piece (is it even a piece? project?) on US gun violence is so well done. Checkk it now: fivethirtyeight.com/features/gun-d
Thinking abt the tinder date I went on this time last yr where I told the guy I was toying w a DeVos book proposal + he was like “oh from Amtrak!” + I was like “No u mean AmWay” (explaining the biz model) + then he cont’d to insist the fam got rich from trains. That was insane!!
what an honor to be recognized w these talented journalists
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Finalists for Young Journalist of the Year have also been announced.
They are: @Allie_Elisabeth from the @freep, @darciegmoran from @MLive and @SarahRahal_ from the @detroitnews.
The winner will be announce at our banquet on May 2. Tickets here: spjdetroit.org
The city celebrates and thanks the Queen of Soul - an icon and Detroiter Aretha Franklin 💙
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The experience felt so out of body - I found myself driving over to the training facility when I woke up just to take in a visual (it had all become so abstract)
Detroiters Doris Watkins, 91, and Ann Sledge, 76, are waiting on Livernois to say goodbye to the Queen of Soul. Watkins says she remembers seeing a young Aretha Franklin sing in church. “I knew she’d be something special.”
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Depressing/surreal to be listening to the police scanner for updates on the search for parents of Oxford HS shooter, and to spend that time listening to reports of "shots fired" around the city; incidents of gun violence that simply serve as white noise in this country.
Happy to share I'm back to print and officially freelancing! Get in touch if you want to work with me on pieces about housing, policing, education, labor (and the intersection of all four!) allison.gross@gmail.com
Was about to tweet "ppl are out of their f'ing minds," but then I looked at the chain of title for this property and realized it was even more insane than just a wild sale price and proof Detroit's dysfunctional housing market
Feels almost wacky to watch a new jail / “criminal justice complex” get erected rn IRL as so much online discourse revolves around defunding the police (and in turn stopping the criminalization of the poor) and abolishing the carceral state. But maybe that’s just me!
Last nite we looked into the wrongful arrest/felony charges faced by Detroiter Michael Oliver bc of a facial recognition misidentification (and detective work that relied almost solely on the incorrect match/faulty software). I highly recommend watching:
Fascinated by Chief Craig's framing of Detroit's protests, repeating that they're about justice for George Floyd. The micro focus makes it easier for bigger issues, such as systemic police misconduct (within the nation, but also DPD), to get brushed aside. It becomes a MN problem
As the unofficial noble fish detroit correspondent, I feel obligated to inform the masses that delivery is now an option (within a 15 mile radius of clawson) noble-wolf-delivery.square.site/s/shop
A MI student was removed from her home and placed in a juvenile facility in May after an Oakland County judge ruled she was violating probation for struggling to keep up w her online learning assignments. This whole story is ... just wow propublica.org/article/a-teen
Detroit - a city that played a crucial role in Trump’s defeat - minutes after AP calling the election.
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I went to tv + wrote long! my latest on speculator Michael Kelly, who gets cheap homes at the tax auction->cycles ppl thru w murky land contracts/rentals->+ doesn't always pay property taxes himself. Accountability? This yr, for FCA deal, he was released from $1M in unpaid taxes
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A 7 Investigation found that a Detroit real estate mogul was released from over $1M in property tax debt as part of a deal with the City of Detroit.
What's it like to live in one of his homes? We talked to several residents about their problems.
bit.ly/2CrMTkF
Poverty (who has to work rn, who has access to health insurance, sick leave, water, adequate housing to shelter in place) is inextricably tied to the spread COVID19. Wild to imagine not seeing that. twitter.com/annalise_frank
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Reading Mark Jay and Philip Conklin’s excellent book “A People’s History of Detroit” and wow this 1970 quote from the late Kenneth Cockrel
This real estate listing for a $400K cube in Highland Park (MI) is stunning on its own, but it's the stressing of the site's proximity to an Amazon fulfillment center as a value-added selling point that's the real chef's kiss
A metro ATL sheriff is considering **renaming** its scorpion unit in light of Tyre Nichols killing ……………….
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Detroit Public School 5th graders wrote letters to w their hopes, fears + advice.
(Ty for sharing)
Everyone looks hotter in masks. And we should all continue to wear them in perpetuity.
Macomb, Campau, Beaubien, McDougall, Brush, Cass, Hamtramck, Dequindre, Livernois, Rivard — names of MI slave owners nytimes.com/2017/09/11/opi
For Detroiters looking for a COVID test, Wayne Health Mobil Unit (which dispatches to sites across the county) is a gr8 resource. I got a PCR test yesterday afternoon at the Islamic Center. No line, no costs + got my results back this am. Their schedule: waynehealthcares.org/mobile-health-
my new thing is reciting this article (in full) to anyone who happens to get on the phone w me: news4jax.com/news/local/202
Just sent to me by a friend at today's protest at 7 Mile + Livernois. A hyper-local chant: "Fuck a Green Light. Fuck a Green Light .... We don't want no facial recognizing green light"
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Last yr we reported on Michael Kelly a landlord sued for predatory practices. In May he got a $120K PPP loan then cont'd filing improper evictions. The $ + filings highlight a troubling plot: $ meant to boost stability during covid may be subsidizing chaos
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lol it would be the Green Book director that would make this whitewashed/detroit savior declaration.
Just went to get tested at the statefairgounds and am genuinely so impressed by the site Duggan set up. Will be curious to see how long test results take. But in terms of part 1 - taking the test - the entire process was accessible, quick and so streamlined.
Documents obtained by show that the Walton Family Foundation, staunch supporters of school choice/TFA's largest private funder, paid $4K for every teacher placed in a traditional public school + $6K for each placed in a charter. A must read: propublica.org/article/how-te
45th voter at precinct 136 just now. I felt like an idiot for not getting my absentee stuff together in time, but the process was super organized, distanced and sanitized. Go vote irl (if you too are disorganized!)
When you fundamentally miss the story
If you missed it before, Sunday’s A1 story: freep.com/in-depth/news/
A real loss for today as we say goodbye to - a powerful and poignant writer/one of the most important voices in this city.
I'm noticing more vote delays lately (gilbert tax break, shotspotter, etc) and wonder if it's in part b/c of programs like + increased eyes on council after yrs of city hall reporting cuts
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Bedrock asks Detroit City Council to delay vote on Hudson site tax break — again freep.com/story/news/loc via @freep
Excited to learn my story "The Throwaways" won best LGBTQ feature @ the '17 Alt Weekly Awards last nite metrotimes.com/detroit/seven-
Excerpts from a speech by washtenaw international hs junior Aja Turner, who spoke of the need for intersectionality in the gun debate. “Black lives matter has been screaming for a longtime that gun violence is real.” #nationalschoolwalkout
This month Detroit police have shot three Detroiters (two are dead, the third, from last night, is in stable condition). Here’s Chief James Craig’s explanation:
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That’s actually not my point. I think most would feel out-of-body after hearing 15 hrs of one thing + then seeing something else happen. Not weighing in on what the city at large feels, just what was witnessed btwn 1-6 am, and how the juxtaposition felt like cognitive dissonance
The ilitches refusing to comment on the unfinished glass at their HQs is one of my favorite hyper-local-plot-points of this yr
