Ending the Civil War at the Riverfront: Neighborhood Health Care Reform and the new Ambassador Bridge span working together to make a difference

The Friends of George Cushingberry Jr.
September 1st, 2009


One of the primary objections to the new span is the increased traffic and health care concerns of the residents. This is a valid point and a concern to everyone concerned including our friend George. He is a big supporter of health care reform and the well being of his fellow citizens. And through the effort of friends and colleagues opportunity is at hand for health care reform through the expansion of the Ambassador Bridge.

While everyone is rioting at these town hall meetings about health care, our friend George is working to have free health clinics for the neighborhood surrounding the bridge. Rep. Cushingberry and Rep. Tliab do not like to hear about people getting sick and would like to do something about it. Most of the people who are really acting up at those meetings already have paid health care through the Government or their jobs. None of those people live in the affected communities that they are rioting against. A good example of the ethnic and economic differences can be reviewed by looking at this report filed by HBO Real Time with Bill Maher Reporter Dana Gould (Click Here to View Video of Health Care in America)


We the friends would like to have one of those free health care clinics on the Detroit Side of the bridge in the neighborhood that the bridge will affect. This will be a perfect statement to the commitment of equal opportunity health care for all citizens. And since the bridge company did not get permits in advance, let them build the bridge and fund the repair of Riverfront Park to the south of the bridge. This entire area is in need of investments and investors to restore the revenue and dignity to the neighborhood.


This brings us to the US Coast Guard’s opposition of the new span based on questionable research and studies. Please review the imagery of the new bride by clicking this link to a video of the proposed span. (Click here to view a “fly over” of the new span) After reviewing this video you can clearly see that the Coast Guard doesn’t have a boat to float in with their lame excuse of a navigational hazard. And the trucks will not have to travel into neighborhoods because they will have direct access to Interstate 75.


Rep. Cushingberry asked TFOC Investigator/blogger Richard Clement to ask the customers of Riverfront Park how they felt about it. The ones that Richard spoke to in the park vehemently agreed that changes need to be made and in a hurry. One gentleman said that his car was damaged from the neglect of the City to pave the lot. Another resident of the community told Richard that “Stevie Wonder with a blood alcohol count of 2.0 driving a freighter could get under that new bridge. They must have been under a PTSD attack when they came up with that one”. Richard reminded the commenter that driving drunk is not cool and, the Coast Guard needed some love and understanding before they get told off for trying pitch that sorry behind excuse.


The DIBC would be willing to assist and develop the park for use in a partnership with the City of Detroit. As far as the bait shop on the American Side at 23rd street goes the settlement amount will vary between 1.7 million and 20 million. Both sides will have to work on that or a Judge will decide an amount that will please no one but the lawyers and the IRS with the bait shop owner getting the difference. The owner of the bait shop cannot logically conduct business at the present location and be serious about it. The bait shop needs to be closer to the bait and that can be done by relocating the bait shop to Riverfront Park where the fisher-persons are. (Women fish too!)

The old span will have to be retired soon and time waits on nobody. Our friend George is working with everyone concerned to solve the problem for everyone’s benefit. He would like to hear from you and discuss the bridge issues of trucking jobs, health care, and economic growth.




Feel free to contact Rep. Cushingberry at his office or by e-mail

Video of of the Proposed New Amassador Bridge Span

Contact for Rep. George Cushingberry Jr.
Phone: 888 347 8008
Email gcushingberry@house.mi.gov

What it takes to make a great city: Declaring Historic Fort Wayne in Detroit a US Historical Landmark.

The Friends of George Cushingberry Jr.
Detroit Michigan
September 1, 2009


We the Friends of George Cushingberry Jr. support our friend George in his efforts to have Historic Fort Wayne declared a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Forrest Service. Fort Wayne in southwest Detroit has been a long neglected landmark in the City of Detroit. Its prominence in history is un-disputable and the impact upon the history of America has been undisputed. As far as getting the respect and funding it deserves, the effort has been an abysmal failure and a victim of benign neglect.


Fort Wayne is one of two facilities in the State of Michigan that played a significant role in the defense of America. The other fort is Fort Michilmacinac in located in Mackinaw City MI. The primary difference in the two facilities is that Fort Michilmacinac is recognized as a National Park by the US Forest Service in 1960. The entire facility has federal funding which supports the upkeep and maintenance of the facility and, pumps money into the local economy. State, County, and local entities are relieved by taking the burden of managing the park from their responsibility. The only thing any of these agencies have to provide is local police and fire protection.


On the other hand, the facilities at Historic Fort Wayne are crumbling and some of the historic buildings look like some of the abandoned homes in the city. The current residents of the property do a fine job with what they have to work with.




The management of the property belongs to a consortium of organizations with City of Detroit Recreation Department, Friends of Fort Wayne, Colonial Dames in the State of Michigan, the Detroit Historical Society, Tuskegee Airmen and other groups. While these group of organizations provide support and maintenance through volunteerism and pride, they have limited resources and can only do so much.

City of Detroit and Wayne County residents were assessed a millage specifically to maintain the parks. Now it is time to put the people’s money to work for them. Upgraded facilities for residents to use in the form of a fishing pier, water park, Interpreting Center and upgrades to the National Tuskegee Airmen Museum.


Historic Fort Wayne should be elevated to a US National Park, just like Isle Royale and Fort Michimacinac. Federal recognition as a National Park will allow a conglomerate of Federal law enforcement agencies such as the US Border Patrol and Park Rangers to patrol the area. Fort Wayne is in a perfect position because of its closeness to Canada and the ability to house federal agencies at that location.

If you would like to help our friend George in Lansing make these things happen please contact him at his office.

Contact for Rep. George Cushingberry Jr.
Phone: 888 347 8008
Email George Cushingberry Jr. gcushingberry@house.mi.gov


Additionally, if you would like to help Historic Fort Wayne to maintain, please visit their website at www.historicfortwaynecoalition.com

Rep. Cushingberry Endorses Online Voter Registration by January 1st 2010 or sooner with House Bill 4539.

By January 1st 2010 Michigan residents will be able to register to vote using the Secretary of State’s website. House bill 4539 is a mandate to the Secretary of State and the Department of Information Technology to design, test, and implement this application.



Our friend George is a co-sponsor of this legislation with other representatives to make this happen. When the friends contacted him at his office he took the time to explain the rationale to T.F.O.C. blogger Richard Clement.

“You can do everything but vote with the internet and it is about time that Government agencies step up to the plate. This bill is a request for service to the Secretary of State and the Department of Information Technology to create this web page link to help Michigan citizens participate in their Government.”

“I have also discussed this with various school districts regarding the registration of high school students eligible to vote. They are required by law to register for Selective Service but, they are not required to register to vote. It should be a requirement to graduation and, any high school student that does not see the need would be required to take an additional course of history with a military veteran.”

“This change would take from 30 minutes to 1 hour to implement based on industry standards for website development and lack of complexity for this application. This is a small investment of time and labor from DIT personnel.”

“And before I have to get back to the House Floor, this is a precursor and a systems test for a same day voter registration law in the State of Michigan by 2011. We have the technology to do the job now and there is no need to let it go to waste. Hey Rich, I have to go now see you later.”

The Secretary of State and DIT must have all procedures in place to insure the integrity of the data being entered. Therefore if you do not have a driver’s license or a State of Michigan ID, you will be required to register in person. Given the tight parameters for this application, making this due date should not take much effort by Information Technology personnel.


For a full reading of the mandate click here

Ending the Civil War on the Riverfront: Keeping Michigan Trucking Business in Michigan with the new Ambassador Bridge span.

The Friends of George Cushingberry Jr.
August 20, 2009



The construction of the Detroit River International Crossing Bridge(DRIC)has a hidden cost to the State of Michigan. With the support of former Governor James Blanchard lobbying on the behalf of the Canadian Government, the revenue from the trucking industry would be transferred out of the United States to Canada.


If this is allowed to transpire, it will be at the expense to the citizens and business in the City of Detroit.

Mr. Maroun is willing to invest his own money in the bridge and Riverfront Park that is on the land adjoining the bridge if approved. Currently this city park is full of potholes in the parking lot that is big enough to swallow 17 inch tires or big enough to make a Pontiac Vibe fall in and damage the undercarriage of the vehicle.

The neighborhood surrounding the current Ambassador Bridge is in need of new revenue and opportunity. Currently US Customs and US Border patrol vehicles frequently drive the neighborhood surrounding the bridge. The old bridge has been modified to handle the additional traffic and US Customs inspection requirements for trucks. With the new span in place, 4000 to 20,000 additional jobs will be generated by pedestrians and trolley service between Windsor and Detroit. The trolley will be similar to the people mover that is currently travelling around downtown Detroit. It would be located on the new span with a connecting station on the Detroit side to a people mover line to Downtown Detroit. It would also be a long and healthy walk or bike ride across the old bridge to Windsor and back on the old span with the cars and trucks on the new span.

The DRIC Bridge located one mile away from the Ambassador Bridge is being built with public funds in a retaliatory measure toward Mr. Maroun. The biggest waste of taxpayer money is the actions of the United States Coast Guard in their opposition to the bridge. Both of the supports for the new bridge will be located on the riverbank of each side of the river. The span going across the river will be 10 to 20 feet higher than the old span of the bridge. The US Coast Guard is saying that it will interfere with boat traffic going across the river and a navigation hazard.

Did they consult true engineers or did they hire a Sara Palin clone to do the research?

This is the same Coast Guard that has to drive their boats under the Mackinaw Bridge and other existing bridges in Michigan. This is an extremely poor excuse by our Government at all levels and, the commanding officer of the Coast Guard has earned a written reprimand from his superiors for marketing this excuse.

The solution to this problem is to allow Mr. Maroun to complete the project at the current location. The residents of the neighborhood could use the additional business and the jobs that it will generate. Mr. Maroun has spent his own money to acquire land rights on both sides of the river including the narrow stretch of land between Highway 401 and the current bridge.

Road construction creates jobs on both sides of the river and this is on the wrong side of the issue. Mayor Bing and our friend George support the completion of the project at the current location. Public Dollars shall not be unwisely used to create an additional project to disadvantage private business. The Ambassador Bridge has been one of the most stable businesses in Detroit. We at The Friends want you to send an email or call Rep Cushingberry to express your concern for the job killing stance on the bridge and, support its completion keeping jobs and revenue in the City of Detroit and the State of Michigan.

Contact for Rep. George Cushingberry Jr.
Phone: 888 347 8008
Email George Cushingberry Jr. gcushingberry@house.mi.gov

Michigan Department of Transportation Gateway Project Information Webpage
MapQuest View of the Ambassador Bridge Area

*** As Corrected August 27, 2009 *********

Restoring the Revenue: Rep. Cushingberry addresses this pressing issue with an online presentation.

Our friend George has for public review a presentation on the current status of the Michigan economy. Please take the time to review it by (clicking here). Michigan will recover from our current economic condition and with the leadership of our friend George, our state will prosper once again. If you have questions or would like to schedule a visit by Rep. Cushingberry please contact our office by calling or email:

Phone: (517) 373-2276
Toll-Free (888) 347-8008
Email georgecushingberry@house.mi.gov

Thank you for allowing Mr. Cushingberry to serve the people.
The Friends of George Cushingberry Jr.

Ending The Standoff at the Gateway Project: House Concurrent Resolution #11 - "Ending the Civil War on the Riverfront"

Ending the Standoff at the Gateway Project:
Rep. Cushingberry introduces legislation to bring a truce on the river
By The Friends of Cushingberry
July 20, 2009


House Concurrent Resolution #11 was introduced by Representative Cushingberry this year to resolve the differences and encourage investment into the City of Detroit, State of Michigan and the United States of America. The completion of this bridge project would allow pedestrians, bike riders, and automotive traffic to cross the river fostering trade and revenue between the two cities of Windsor Canada and Detroit Michigan. It has been determined by independent studies from both countries that the project will create nearly 4,000 jobs during construction and support 20,000 jobs over the next 2 decades.

The friends support our friend George’s request that the Michigan Strategic Fund approve the Phase II inducement resolution of $787 million dollars to assist with the completion of the project. We also encourage MDOT and Detroit International Bridge Company to resolve their differences by allowing for the $145 million oversight to be made up in 3 to 6 years with bonds, public stock offerings, and payment from tolls from the increased traffic. And if it gets too tight, we would support the DIBC holding a fish fry on both sides of the bridge every third Friday of the month until the debt is paid off.


Marty Maroun is a brilliant person who likes to build bridges and spend his own money to do it with. With a short term loan from the Michigan Strategic Fund any additional work would be paid for and reimbursed back to the Fund within 5 years through duties and tariffs on products grown in America and Canada. Hemp from Canada instead of trash, exporting Detroit fertilizer from reprocessed solid waste as meloganite. The revenue generated from these and other sources would be invested into the DIBC project and others as needed. The entire region would prosper with investments from banks that are Michigan friendly and have a concern for the survival of the state.

Tearing out work that has already been done is a job killer and with Michigan’s unemployment rate at %15.0, this is an unwise request in these economic times. In summary the United States Coast Guard should come up with a better plan instead of excuses and work with DIBC. There is no excuse for stopping a job creating bridge project that will benefit everyone in the long run.

The needless standoff regarding funding is not creating any jobs but causing confusion and bad feelings among my constituents. In the interest of jobs and economic growth the differences must be resolved by all parties.




The entire text of the resolution can be read by clicking here:
House Concurrent Resolution #11 – Full Text.

Ending the Standoff at the Gateway Project in Detroit MI (Pot & MDOT)

Ending the Standoff at the Gateway Project
How Pot can fund MDOT
by The Friends of George Cushingberry




It was just a few weeks ago that MDOT Director Kirk Steudle went to the House appropriations committee to beg for additional funds. You could not tell the difference between him and Keith Sweat in the way he was asking for an increase in fuel taxes. He said that a half of pack of Gum increase in the fuel tax will allow MDOT to build and maintain new and existing bridges and roads. At the same time MDOT has $145 million dollars tied up in a legal squabble along the US / Canada border regarding the Ambassador Bridge and Federal Stimulus Funding.

Rep. Cushingberry asked his master blogger Richard Clement to take some time to investigate the situation on the river and report back to him. And on one bright and beautiful Saturday afternoon Richard went for a ride on the river. There was a duty free shop and a lot of dirt and, there was construction that stopped at the street. On the Canadian side, all of the homes in the path of the bridge are vacant and waiting to be removed. The Ambassador Bridge is a privately owned bridge and the owner wants a new span built. They have duty free shops that sell a pack of gum with no sales tax on them so that visitors can have something to take home.

So what does this have to do with a half a pack of gum? How much is a half a pack of gum? How big is the pack in question? ($0.25 up to $1.00 for a pack of some real good Wrigley’s Spearmint. The math would be half of those amounts or $0.37 and $1.50 respectively. ) I ran into my old school neighbor from around the corner by the name of Richard Bennett. Mr. Bennett a prominent citizen of Detroit designed the African Mask Logo on the Charles H. Wright museum and he heard about the half a pack of gum increase in fuel.

I mentioned to him that did you know that for the cost of a $2.00 marijuana cigarette MDOT could have enough money to fix roads, bridges, potholes, and still have money left over for employee out of state travel. The Duty Free shops on both ends of the bridge will be allowed to sell hemp products without fear from prosecution at the hands of US Customs Agents and the Drug Enforcement Agency. If you have a valid Michigan Medical Marijuana card with your passport, you can legally have 2.5 ounces of Marijuana in your possession at the border crossing.

Before I could finish another neighbor Leodis “Tony” Elam who is a magician with carpentry work in the City walked by. He said to me “man, what are you talking about”? Richard Bennett said let him finish and we will dog him out later! Tony said go ahead and finish because I have some work to do. I carried on to say that MDOT could raise substantial amounts of revenue by allowing the utilization of land in the right of way areas of the Interstate Highway system to produce income generating crops. Crops like from corn to Industrial Hemp will fuel Michigan and create jobs for residents and sustain the economy.

What is wrong with TWO bridges? Michigan and Ontario have approved land for a brand new span about a mile away that will be built with public funds. Is there a plan for a pedestrian walkway with a bike path to Canada on the bridge? If the old span is kept then will it be converted to a pedestrian walkway? These questions must be answered for the good of all the Citizens of Detroit and Michigan in order to allow the owner to build this new bridge. The owner of the Ambassador Bridge is a very sharp person with a definite plan to get the job done. Everything else is an accounting matter that can be handled by an admission of guilt by all and a plan to pay for the overage over a period of time. Basically add up the extras, finish the job and go home.

After listening to that speech, Tony and Richard pulled out their cell phones and called their elected officials saying to them that they need to get it together in Lansing. Then they said they would cut me a break this time and said say hello to your dad.

We the Friends of Cushingberry are urging that every candidate running for office in the City of Detroit write a letter of concern to MDOT and Canadian officials seeking a settlement of this issue. We call on current Mayor Bing and the Detroit City Council to file a letter of protest with the Michigan House and Senate to have this project come to a completion. This is not the way President Obama wanted the stimulus funds to be spent as a reserve fund for attorney fees. While we know that the legal community needs employment but deep down inside, both sites must come to a conclusion to resolve these differences.

Representative Cushingberry is not happy about this situation and would like to see it resolved at once before further action is taken by the appropriations committee