Building Bridges of Unity Between Michigan and Ontario With Cannabis

By Richard C. Clement - Marijuana Policy Analyst 

          April 2018 has truly been an appreciation celebration for everyone who has been involved in changing the horrible policy toward Cannabis.  On this month people tore down a wall and, are starting to build a bridge of peace, prosperity, green jobs, and health care reform.  Candidates running for office in August and November 2018 were put on notice that if you don’t support marijuana decriminalization, save your campaign money and withdraw your application. Congratulations to Attorney Dana Nessel for winning the Democratic nomination with the help of the Michigan Educational Association Teacher’s union and the Medial Marijuana community. Her position on Pot helped to upset Pat Miles who was hypocrite by prosecuting legal Medical Marijuana patients with Federal Law disrespecting the states rights of Michigan citizens.

From Both Sides of the Detroit River,  One Love 

This was the last illegal event Marijuana event in North America and it could not come fast enough. On July 1^st , Canada will formally enact recreational marijuana laws that will allow their citizens to safely use Marijuana without penalty of law.  To mark the occasion, I went on a fact finding tour of Windsor Canada and participated in the Epic 420/421 event with the proceeds going toward ending hunger in Windsor.  This event was located in front of Windsor City Hall and Police Station in front of Caesars Casino Windsor.

Just Say Know!  -  Reading is essential

In the mist of a worker strike at the Casino, union members and Canadian citizens fully supported and participated in this event. Featured speakers include Sam Mellace, a medical marijuana user and rights advocate, John Turmel, a long-time fighter for legalization and Paul Hartman, a cannabis user and the brother of late comedian Phil Hartman. Paul Hartman was deported from America for “Weed crimes against America". Hartman gave a compelling speech on how Cannabis helped him beat Colon Cancer. I was also pleased to find out that the Laborers International Union of North America covers their members Medical Marijuana costs.

George Cushingberry speaking to Canadian Press about the
sea change in the attitude towards Marijuana in America.
Building Bridges Instead of Walls.

The people were excited to see and hear guest speakers Richard Clement and Ex-Detroit City Councilmember Pro Tem George Cushingberry Jr describe the situation  in Detroit, and the fight to end the war on weed in America. The war can only be won through voting and demanding legislation by politicians to support the will of their employers. Or Else!

Building Bridges Instead of Walls 

The theme from us was to build a bridge or two of unity instead of walls of division. No one will ever get deported again from either country for the “crime” of marijuana possession. People like Marc Emery and Paul Hartman will be able to travel freely between Detroit and Windsor because, people have made a commitment to show up and vote in all elections in 2018.   The first date of early voting starts June 22^nd   for the August 7^th,  2018 Michigan Primary and September 22nd, 2018 for the November 6^th General Election. 

Richard Clement and American Deportee Paul Hartman 

If you will be 18 years of age on August 7th, or November 6th, 2018 register to vote NOW or face the consequences. Vote for candidates who support legalization and, the decriminalization of Marijuana. Check candidate prior records for flip-flopping or obstructing a marijuana business while in elected office.  Be on guard for candidates and their supporters who lie about supporting marijuana business on the one hand. While the other hand is materially participating in shutting them down via zoning hearings, court orders, and enacting local ordinances.

Festival Vendors in Attendance

Otherwise the Epic 420/421 event was a huge success. Charles Clarke Square is behind Caesars Casino Windsor, right in front of Windsor City Hall and the Windsor Police Department. Participants at the fest were able to purchase cannabis products without a card after paying the admission fee. There were no arrests or police incidents reported.

Charles Clarke Square - Windsor Ontario Canada

Epic 420/421 Festival

Michigan Freeway Lighting Partners(MFLP) team up with MDOT To Install Lights On Freeways in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties.

By Richard C. Clement

Entrance to the Ambassador Brige

Michigan Freeway Lighting Partners (MFLP) has maintained their contractual commitment to install new lighting on the freeways in the Tri-County area.  Milestone 1 required that %90 of new luminaries be installed and functioning as design within the first year starting on November 24, 2015.  We are pleased to report that this milestone was finished one month earlier on October 18, 2016 resulting in 11,841 new lights being installed on our freeways. As of January 1, 2017, this number has increased to 12,572. Milestone number 2 is to substantially work towards the completion date of August 2017.  This is a 13 year contract between MFLP and MDOT to maintain the integrity of the lights.  The savings resulted in DTE presenting MDOT a $1 million dollar rebate check as part of their business incentive program for efficient energy usage.

For more information please contact:

Frank Wichtner, PMP

Senior Projects Manager

Michigan Freeway Lighting Partners

313.974.7316 x200

fwichtner@michiganfreeewaylighting.com
Website www.michiganfreewaylighting.com

Detroit at $750 an Impervious Acre, How to Figure Out Your Monthly Water Rate

By Richard C. Clement

Debugging the new water rates in the City of Detroit takes a definition of what Impervious Surfaces are. Wikipedia defines it as:

“Impervious surfaces are areas of the earth that have been covered by any material that impedes the infiltration of water into the soil. Areas of land covered by pavement or buildings are impervious to rain water. Concrete, asphalt, rooftops and even severely compacted areas of soil are considered impervious.”

Lake St. Clair

Unlocking the mystery of how much my new monthly water bill is can be solved by clicking this website link   www.detroitmi.gov/drainage  to access the City of Detroit Website article under impervious acers.  When you get there, enter your property address.  When your property is found, wait 10 seconds and double click on the picture inside the property line..  To calculate your new monthly water rate, multiply the impervious surface acre percentage times $750. The answer will equal you monthly rate.  If you are disputing the calculated amount, then you are encouraged to click here to fill out your drainage survey form and send it in to DWSD.

Direct Website Link to Impervious Acre Percent Map for Detroit

Eventually. a large combined sewer separation project will have to be undertaken like other cities have done in Michigan (Lansing Michigan Combined Sewer Separation Project) because of climate change in our world.

We hope this helps clear the confusion on the new rates.

A YES Vote for Riverside Park is a YES Vote for Detroit

by Richard Clement

"Mayor Duggan, Detroit City Council and The Moroun family push for peace on the Riverfront".

The vote to accept the land deal with the Morouns is a positive benefit to the Citizens of Detroit and Windsor Canada.  This investment trade off will give the City of Detroit an additional Boat Launch new playing field and a larger area to host neighborhood jazz concerts and other events.  The fishing is awesome at this location and to that effect investment in park infrastructure will increase opportunities for fishermen and fisherwomen.  This vote puts the Department of Natural Resources and the US National Park Service on notice that Detroit is ready to get to work right now instead of later. 

These two governmental agencies have known about the situation at the park for years. Both of them should not have any problem finding old paperwork to create an approval letter.  DNR’s objection to the vote is the kind of butt dragging bureaucracy that City of Detroit is eliminating from its vocabulary through; sound decision making and leadership by Mayor and City Council. The resulting development of the Park will create a new play field for Baseball and Soccer. On certain days, the river is full of people trying to catch fish and this will give the Michigan Department of Natural Resources opportunity to sell more fishing licenses

The Morouns have committed land and resources to make the park a viable park once again without the drama.  While the park issue is being resolved, the entrance ramp to the Bridge from W. Grand Boulevard and the Fisher Service Drive is suffering from poor road sign markings by the Michigan Department of Transportation. (View the Site)

Some of our American Citizens are forced to go across the Ambassador Bridge because they made a turn thinking that they were getting on the freeway.  No American leaving the park should be subjected to a full body strip search by the Canadian Border Security Agency and US Customs Agency for having “contraband” that is otherwise recognized as legal to have. To fix this situation we are strongly urging the Morouns to direct MDOT to place eye level signs at this Entrance with the Canadian Flag emphasizing that a driver will be leaving the Country if they turn, instead of the big green overhead sign that they have now. Some drivers have thought that this overhead sign is a part of the freeway and ignore it. Other driver's GPS units have told them to make a turn here to get on Interstate 75. This is a small fix from the State of Michigan that can easily resolved.

It is now time to get shovels into the ground and start getting to work on improving one of Detroit’s hidden assets on the Riverfront. The leadership of Detroit has clearly stated this is what we want for our citizens. All the Moroun haters out there will be happy once the Gordie Howe International Bridge is finally up and running. While truck traffic will decrease, personal car, bike and walking traffic will increase on the Ambassador Bridge.

(Request for Qualifications (RFQ) – Gordie Howe International Bridge Project)

Eventually, the old span has to be replaced by a new one. Before that new span is built, the old one has to stay open until the new one is completed. We anticipate that The Morouns will hire local labor because they want to come right to the City of Detroit after all of the conflict.  They have to live here like everyone else and we foresee a peaceful accord will be reached between the dissenters like Attorney Rashida Tilab and supporters like Malik Shabazz.  When this bridge of understanding is reached between the parties, there will be peace, profits, and prosperity on both sides of the Bridge for years to come.

Mr. Cushingberry is Demanding a Retraction from Rashida Tilab regarding the Comparison with Synargo and the Ambassador Bridge Settlement

By Friends of George Cushingberry Jr.

Councilmember Pro-Tem Cushingberry is demanding an immediate apology and retraction from Rashida Tilab for accusing him of committing a Federal Crime like former City Councilmember Monica Conyers 

(Click Here to Read The Synargo Story)

Mr. Cushingberry is extremely pissed off about Rashida’s public statement about the Council saying; “This Riverside (Park) deal is just like Synargo” and “I will expose the crime” comparing the Riverside Park project to the Synargo Scandal is deplorable and reprehensible. Councilmember Cushingberry Jr. and his colleagues are working very hard every day to insure the transparency of City Business to the people of Detroit.  

Rashida's childish comparison of Cushingberry to Monica Conyers with her allegations is something that she needs to address verbally and in writing at the next regular session of the full Detroit City Council including Sam Riddle. Mr. Cushingberry strongly states that there is nothing to hide regarding the business of the Ambassador Bridge, Maroun Family and, the City of Detroit.

On behalf of the Detroit Water and Sewage Department, the Council and Mayor’s Office are looking at ways to save the City money by re-purposing the solid waste into fertilizer that will be sold at places like Home Depot and, Eastern Market for consumer use. This will be much better than the current process of burning the waste at the City incinerator and polluting the environment.

The Riverside Project will be a benefit to the City of Detroit by providing a new baseball/soccer park and reopening the Marina that was closed during the 9/11 days. The old Detroit News Warehouse and the railroad tracks will be removed by the Maroun family as a tradeoff for the Marouns building the second span next to their old span.  Mr. Cushingberry is a fan of Gordie Howe and supports a fair settlement with the Maroun family regarding the issue of a Government buyout of privately owned property.

When this happens, Ms. Rashida and her hate Maroun friends are more that welcome to; play in the new park and, participate in the construction of the Gordie Howe and New Ambassador Bridge once the financials are worked out.

We are demanding a retraction by Rashida Tilab esq.

Marijuana Policy at Mackinaw? A 2016 Ballot Question To The People

by The Friends of George Cushingberry Jr.

Lansing Mayor Virg Benero

During the Mackinaw Policy Conference, a new effort to allow Michiganders the legal right to use Marijuana without arrest, prosecution, and discrimination was introduced.  The group MI Legalize (www.milegalize.com) is spearheading an effort to place this issue on the ballot in November 2016. This Marijuana legalization effort if adopted by the people will allow municipalities to regulate this industry with 20% of the profits going to the city or township the provisioning center is located in. The current Michigan Medical Marijuana Act will remain intact.

"Free The Weed for the Jobs We Need" -   Richard C. Clement

Michigan residents will have another chance to determine the direction of the management and regulation of the exploding Marijuana Industry. Michigan voters have the opportunity to force the reform of the current system by electing responsible leaders who will do the following:

1. Getting a Picture of the Cardholder on the Medical Marijuana Card
2. Removing all Marijuana Convictions from citizens who are incarcerated in the legal system
3. Use the growing revenue to revitalize blighted properties in Detroit
4. Eliminate the requirement of placing Medical Marijuana in the Trunk of your car
5. Remove Marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act
6. Pot profits for Potholes, School Funding, Retiree Pensions and lowering Co-Pays on Health Insurance with the Affordable Care Act.

Richard Clement and
Mrs. Jodie Emery
Wife of Marc Scott Emery
 A Canadian Citizen abused by
America's war on Weed.

Since the Ronald Regan revolution of the 1980, the prison population has quadrupled to 2.4 million people. Cost per prisoner ranges from $21,000 to $33,000 per year for each person within the US Prison population. 20% of State Prisoners and 51% of Federal prisoners are in jail for Drug Charges like possession of Marijuana. Compared to 4% of the prison population is composed of robbery and 1% for murder, this is a huge financial commitment to keep people locked up. Currently, the State of Michigan spends up to $2 billion dollars a year maintaining their Department of Corrections facilities. On a Federal level, prison costs are expected to rise to 30 percent of the Department of Justice's budget by the year 2020.

Davidson Freeway at Oakland Exit

The ballot proposal by the group MI Legalize will put a major dent and spur a massive redirection of funds used to prosecute people for Marijuana crimes. The breakdown of the revenue that will be generated by this effort will direct 40% of all profits for transportation, 40% to the school aid fund, and 20% to cities and townships where the business is located. By voting in 2016 citizens can elect State of Reps that will introduce legislation to repeal the law that required people to carry Marijuana in the trunk of their car like a weapon.  This one law is responsible for many arrests, and convictions of Michigan Citizens was endorsed by prosecutors and a few mis-guided Michigan State Senators who were “influenced” by Attorney General Bill Schuette and, the Michigan Sherriff’s Association.

Citizens can finally force the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (www.michigan.gov/mmp) to place a picture on the Medical Marijuana card after 6 years of operating the program, calling an end to the legislative buffoonery when it comes to Information Technology. While other states like Arizona allow you to upload a passport like picture, Michigan officials are woefully lacking and intentionally slacking off to sabotage the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act, one of Michigan’s only profit making programs in State Government.

If Marijuana is to become legal then, we want our citizens of all races, religions, spiritual beliefs, political or sexual preference, etc. to have an equal opportunity to participate in this industry.   Based on population as of 2014, Michigan has 80% more citizens at 9 million residents than Colorado has at 5 million residents. Therefore, Michigan will make more money than Colorado from the legalization of Marijuana. Schools, Roads, and Retirees will benefit because a City or County Government can fund pension programs and defray the cost of their healthcare by diverting the 20% of profits into the pension system.

This effort needs 302,400 signatures to be collected by circulators who are gathering signatures from REGISTERED voters.  If you are not registered to vote please do so ASAP.  If you are a felon or know a felon who is NOT inside of a correctional facility, please inform them that they are eligible to vote. This is the non-violent social change that Dr. Martin Luther King was advocating when he was alive and when people got beat up on a bridge to get the right to participate in their government.

For more information  about this legalization effort, please visit the www.milegalize.com website.

For a list of 2016 Presidential Candidates please visit this link: 

https://www.mpp.org/2016-presidential-candidates/

Source:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/08/13/wonkbook-11-facts-about-americas-prison-population/

Taking Steps to Make Detroit a Better City: The Riverfront Park 2015 Status Report

Riverside Park is being redeveloped with a plan to reopen

One of Councilman Cushingberry’s goals when he got hired by the people was to reopen Riverside Park for sustainable public use.  The announcement of the plans by Mayor Duggan is a culmination of effort with Alicia Bradford Director of the Department of Recreation and the Mayor’s office.

The agreement between the City of Detroit and the Ambassador Bridge Company is summarized as follows:

The Ambassador Bridge Company will give the City of Detroit 4.8 acers of prime water front property and $3 million dollars. Pending MDEQ and Detroit City Council approval, the $3 million will be immediately invested back into the park in our Phase 1 development plan starting fall 2015.

Starting fall 2015 the City will perform the following:

1. Convert an adjacent 3.4 acre parcel into park land.
2. Build a New Baseball Diamond, Soccer field and multi-use play areas.
3. Build a New Riverfront Playscape
4. Install new benches, picnic tables and shelter
5. Improve Waterfront Promenade and Landscaping

Future Plans for Riverside Park

Subject to approval of State and Federal regulators, the City of Detroit will give the bridge company title to 3 acres of undeveloped park land. Upon receiving title to the property the Bridge Company will give the City an additional $2 million dollars for the expansion of the park that includes a 100ft river-walk on the waterfront.  In addition to that, The Bridge Company will demolish the warehouse that is on 5 acre property adjacent to the park and grant development rights to the City of Detroit before the end of 2018.

Starting in 2018, the Phase II step includes the construction of waterfront property into Fisherman’s Overlook that will contain additional sea wall improvements, sidewalks, benches and extended promenade.

Once the Ambassador Bridge Company get additional approvals, the company intends to use the 3 acres to help them build a second span of the Ambassador Bridge next to the old bridge creating jobs, and spurring additional commerce and development in Detroit. Plans include restoring foot and bike traffic on the old bridge and, adding light rail transportation on the new one. The old bridge will be available for special events like parties and gatherings. Special rules will apply so that people will not dance in rhythm while they are standing on the span.

In addition to funding the expansion of Riverside Park, The Bridge Company has agreed to install 1000 windows in the vacant Michigan Central Train Station with an investment of more than $2 million dollars. While there will always be a few who are against the project because of a personal dislike for Mr. Maroun, the new publicly owned bridge should take care of the "Hate Maroun" crowd and, improve the Riverfront Park area at the same time. Given the resounding rejection of Proposal 1 to raise the State Sales Tax to fix the roads in May of 2015, alternative funding methods and business practices have to be considered in the Plan B, C, and D options for paying for a publicly owned bridge.

Contact your elected leaders that includes, President Obama, Senator Stabenow, Senator Peters, Gov. Snyder, Detroit City Council Members and the Mayor’s Offices to voice your support to beautify our City of Detroit.