community


Bert Johnson, candidate for State Senate, District 2


By Bert Johnson It seems every election year


we are told this election is more important than the last and, in fact, could be the most important for years to come. 2010 is no different and this year those claims are no exag- geration.


All statewide offices are up


for the grabs as well as almost all State Senate seats and a large number of State House seats. We absolutely must make sure we elect proven, effective and experienced lead- ers to work on our behalf in Lansing.


That’s why I am running to


become the next state senator in District 2, which includes Highland Park, Hamtramck, all of northeast Detroit, Harper Woods and the Grosse Pointe communities. The current state senator in District 2, Martha G. Scott, is term-lim- ited, meaning she is unable to run for that seat again accord- ing to state law.


In my first two terms as a


state representative repre- senting the 5th House Dis- trict, which includes High- land Park, Hamtramck and part of northeast Detroit, I’ve been successful in passing 18 laws, which is more than any other state representative in Michigan, and there are 110 of us total. I’ve consistently re- mained accessible and on the side of the people.


I created a law regulating


refund anticipation loans, making sure that unscrupu- lous lenders could not take advantage of those individuals pressed for cash.


Additionally, I’ve created jobs by passing historic tax


Carron L. Pinkins for


State Senate, 4th District


Bert Johnson


rehabilitation credits for downtown Detroit’s Argo- naut Building, which will now house an expanded College for Creative Studies educational facility and brought $145 mil- lion in investment to Detroit, and the Broderick Tower, both vacant buildings that will now be brought back to life.


These are trying times for


Detroit and Michigan. We must send a senator to Lansing who has legislative experience, un- derstands the process and has built the relationships neces- sary to produce serious ac- complishments for you.


When you go to the election


polls on Aug. 3rd, I urge you to elect an experienced, in- novative leader with a strong record of accomplishment to represent you in the State Senate. I urge you to vote for me, Bert Johnson as your next state senator in the 2nd Dis- trict.


Bert Johnson is state rep-


resentative, District 5 and a candidate for State Senate, District 2.


THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE


Catchings for Detroit Board, 6th District


When Terry Catchings was


attending a Detroit Board of Education meeting from the audience, he noticed that time and again nobody could give a correct figure on the defi- cit. How can you proceed with budgeting for the coming year if you do not know the correct numbers? What nonsense!


Catchings was at the NAACP


Freedom Fund Dinner at Cobo Hall when a union representa- tive he knew asked him to run for the Detroit Board seat in the 6th District.


The incumbent was deemed


unresponsive to citizens’ con- cerns about the state of educa- tion in the 6th District.


Catchings presented a


reform campaign based on: 1) A need for an Internal Audit Department and an inspector general and 2) Established and in-house cafeteria service which would stop the out- sourcing and create employ- ment for Detroiters.


After a grassroots cam-


paign, Catchings took his seat the Board of Education table. There was plenty of resistance against establishing financial integrity from many in the bureaucracy of the District. Through a sense of duty and patience, he was able to gather the votes to re-establish the Internal Audit Department with an inspector general and an auditor general.


Because of his due dili-


gence with regard to financial integrity, he was appointed to chair the audit committee. Among the committee’s fidu- ciary duties are compliance with legal and regulatory re- quirement, risk assessment


Carron Lamar Pinkins, Esq., is a candidate for


the State Senate representing Detroit’s 4th voting district. He is a father of three and is proudly mar- ried to Kerlyne Ale-Pinkins, Esq. He was born and raised in the city of Detroit and graduated from Wayne State University where he put himself through school. He left the city in 1999 to pursue his legal education, and subsequently has prac- ticed law for close to five years.


He returned to Detroit because he got tired and


frustrated of hearing all of the negativity that was emanating from his city. He realized that if he did not come back to work on the solution, then he too was part of the problem.


After moving back to Detroit, he immediately


went to work mentoring young men on the values of getting an education, developing career goals and respecting themselves and others.


Carron Lamar Pinkins


July 28-Aug. 3, 2010 Page D-3


Scott Benson, candidate for Michigan House of


Representatives, 2nd District ‘Putting Detroiters back to work’


While a new face to state


politics, Scott Benson is an old hand at revitalization ef- forts on Detroit’s east side.


Benson understands the


meaning of working hard to achieve your goals. He has 20 years of military service with the US Coast Guard, which includes two tours of duty in the Middle East and one de- ployment to Gulfport, Miss., to support humanitarian and search and rescue operations immediately following Hurri- cane Katrina.


In addition to serving his Terry Catchings


and risk management, select- ing and determining an audi- tor’s qualifications and inde- pendence and monitoring the performance of the indepen- dent auditor, and providing oversight to the $1.2 billion annual budget.


He has received many ac-


colades from neighborhood groups who have encouraged him to take his grit to higher office and to accomplish more for Detroit’s children. He was encouraged again to run for state representative.


Terry Catchings has always


been a person to step up to the plate. His two campaign promises became his agenda for the Board of Education.


A person such as this is needed in Lansing.


VOTE AUGUST 3, 2010 He founded the


non-profit orga- nization Save our Streets, and Re- store Peace to ad- dress some of the problems with the city’s vacant homes and build- ings. However, he realized that to bring about the real change that the city needs must come from a higher level. He decided to run for the Michi- gan State Senate.


As a senator,


concerned with problems of crime, joblessness and the lack of basic amenities, such as retail chain stores and supermarkets, he plans to stiffen mandatory background checks for people seeking to buy guns and obtain licenses to carry concealed weapons (CCWs), thereby reducing the high inci- dence of accidental shootings and killilngs; work with business and political leaders in Detroit and Lansing to continue to develop tax incentives and state funded programs to create jobs, not just in the state of Michigan, but jobs for people right here in the city of Detroit, thereby providing increased revenue for the city.


To get this done he needs your help. He is asking


for your vote on Aug. 3. Together he and the citi- zens of the 4th District can change Detroit, change the future and change the status quo. The time is now. The city cannot wait any longer!


country, Benson has served several east side neighbor- hoods for the past 10 years as the director of LAND, Inc., a nonprofit subsidiary of Warren/Conner Development Coalition. In this role, he was part of the team that devel- oped the $15 million shopping center Mack Alter Square, which resulted in 250 jobs and an annual tax revenue stream of $300,000 to the City of De- troit and State of Michigan.


As a graduate of Hampton


University and Wayne State University’s College of Urban Labor and Metropolitan Af- fairs, Scott Benson has a deep and broad knowledge of urban


Scott Benson


planning and economic devel- opment issues and policies.


Detroit needs the type of


leadership in Lansing that Scott Benson embodies. Leadership that is committed to the community they serve and willing to work hard in the interest of residents. If the 2nd District elects Scott Benson for state representa- tive, they will have the leader- ship, commitment and experi- ence northeast Detroit needs and deserves.


Join the Team!


DPS students and parents: Don’t miss the Back-to-School Literacy Training Camp


Aug. 9–13, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Detroit Federation of Teachers office 2875 W. Grand Blvd.


This FREE camp is sponsored by:


Detroit Federation of Teachers Detroit Association of Educational Office Employees Detroit Federation of Paraprofessionals


Our coaches, dedicated and talented member of Detroit’s school employee unions, have career-winning records with students in Detroit Public Schools!


Special guest motivational coach: Member of the NFL Players Association


Detroit Public Schools students grades 4–7 are invited to work with coaches to prepare for the big game—the MEAP test scheduled for the second week of school.


Parents can register their students, and Detroit community groups and businesses can donate supplies and materials, by calling 313/832-1275 or visiting www.astrongerdetroitforourkids.com.


Camp is FREE and includes: lunches and snacks, use of computers, back-to-school supplies and prizes!


Additional support provided by:


Lunchtime Detroit 3031 W. Grand Blvd. Detroit, MI 48202 313/874-3111 www.GetMeLunchTime.com


Amicci’s Pizza Detroit 3849 W. Vernor Hwy. Detroit, MI 48216 313/842-7373 www.amiccispizza.com


Amicci’s Pizza Hamtramck 9841 Joseph Campau St. Hamtramck, MI 48212 313/875-1992 www.amiccispizza.com


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