#michigan public service commission

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Inside Climate News:

Wisconsin’s Saratoga Solar Project appeared to have every box checked when state regulators issued their final approval of the 150-megawatt solar farm last spring.

Wood County, where the project is set to be built, will garner $600,000 each year in state funding. Public comments showed residents were largely in support of the effort. And Wisconsin’s Public Service Commission had officially ruled that the project was “in the public’s interest,” greenlighting a plan that was expected to bring upwards of 400 jobs to the area.

“Construction is expected to begin this summer and be completed by the end of 2024,” reported the Wisconsin Rapids Tribune in April 2023.

But construction never began. And this March, the project’s developer, Savion—a subsidiary of oil giant Shell—asked regulators to give it an extension on its deadline to start building the solar farm. The company cited “delays in the interconnection study process,” setbacks in reaching an agreement to connect to the regional power grid and a three-year waiting period to receive critical pieces of equipment due to supply chain issues.

State commissioners granted the extension earlier this month, giving Savion until April 1, 2027, to start construction on its project that’s already a year behind schedule.

The situation isn’t uncommon. Across the nation, more than 11,000 solar, wind and battery storage projects, together capable of powering tens of millions of homes, were still waiting to connect to a power grid at the beginning of 2024, according to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s annual report, released in April. Clean energy developers have long complained that they’re often waiting years to get their projects online, even after construction is complete.

Midwest states, including Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan, have recently passed laws aimed at shortening that wait time. Last year, Michigan passed legislation that gave the state, rather than counties and municipalities, citing authority for large renewable energy projects to reduce the number of jurisdictions in which developers would need to get approval. And last month, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed a sweeping package of reforms into law that are expected to shave as much as nine months off the state’s permitting process.

Despite those efforts, many clean energy projects are still expected to experience lengthy wait times to connect to the Midwest’s regional grid, run by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, or MISO. Energy experts say that addressing the myriad delays developers face in the MISO interconnection process—and in other regional grids—is key to ramping up the clean energy transition to meet state and federal climate goals.

“We are still hamstrung by the MISO queue and hamstrung by the MISO process,” said Peder Mewis, regional policy director for Clean Grid Alliance, a Midwest nonprofit that advocates for clean energy policies at state legislatures. “Until the queue and the congestion and all that other stuff at MISO gets fixed, we’re just sitting here waiting, unfortunately.”

The nation’s regional power grids have seen a surge of interconnection requests in recent years, driven largely by the falling costs of renewables and public policy aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions to slow climate change.

The U.S. installed a record 31 gigawatts of new solar capacity last year, an increase of 55 percent from 2022, according to the Energy Information Administration. By the end of this year, the agency projects that solar, wind and battery storage will make up a whopping 94 percent of all the new power capacity added to the nation’s grids.

But that record growth has been marred by mounting complaints from developers, some of whom say they’ve been waiting five or more years to connect their new energy projects to the grid. That’s according to a Clean Grid Alliance survey released in April, which interviewed 14 developers operating in MISO’s jurisdiction.

[man-and-atom]

Big Rock Point Nuclear Power Plant

A time series of visitor booklets from approximately 1962, 1965, 1967, and 1969.

If you’re curious about the other two nuclear plants mentioned : Palisades came on the line at the end of 1971, and was withdrawn from service in 2022, after a lifetime production of 232 terawatt-hours. Efforts are being made to bring it back into service, although the age of the reactor vessel weighs against that. The cost of needed upgrades and modernization could not be amortized over very many years.

After long delays, Dow Chemical backed out of the Midland project, leading Consumers to cancel Midland 1 close to completion. The Michigan Public Utility Commission then forced Consumers to abandon construction of Midland 2 in the middle 1980s. We really wonder about the economic rationale for these decisions, which resulted in large costs to ratepayers with no corresponding benefit.

[merelygifted]

DTE wants to increase rates; Here's why they say they need to - WXYZ Detroit

'We need to basically rebuild entire sections of the electrical grid'

As DTE continues to work to restore power to all affected by last week’s ice storm, they aren't just facing tough questions for extended outages, they're also facing questions around a requested rate hike.

Just days after a crippling ice storm left countless DTE customers in metro Detroit without power for days, the company is still hoping to get approval from the Michigan Public Service Commission to raise residential rates by 13.9% and commercial rates by 11.5%.

It's money they say is necessary to improve the grid after the state approved a $31 million rate hike in November.

“The answer is getting wires run underground, but I had heard DTE say it’s cost prohibitive," said customer Kristi Kruger.

Kruger lives in Southgate and says six days without power is way too much.

“Thursday night power went out completely, so there is no heat for residents near me or myself," she said.  ...

dte and consumers power customers pay some of the highest rates in the country.  Both are for-profit companies with greedy high mucky mucks & stockholders.  Adding insult to injury, dte and cp customers experience far more frequent and far longer outages than anywhere in the midwest.  They just stuck us w/a 20% increase, and now they want more! They’ve been making $$$ hand over fist for ages without putting anywhere enough toward improving the grid, and they’d still rather cut down our trees instead of putting the lines underground!

Publicly-used utilities are completely fcuked unless they are publicly owned.

[lboogie1906]

Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Jefferson (November 15, 1921 – June 22, 2022) was an Air Force officer, famous as one of the Tuskegee Airmen, the 332nd Fighter Group. He served in the Army Air Forces during WWII.

His book, Red Tail Captured, Red Tail Free: Memoirs of a Tuskegee Airman and POW, is a personal memoir of those who served America in WWII and after.

He graduated from Clark College with a BS in Chemistry and Biology.

On September 23, 1942, he was sworn into the Army Reserve, volunteering but not accepted for flight training. Taking a job as an analytical chemist for three months, he entered the graduate school of Howard University, applying again to the Army Air Force.

Called up for flight training in April 1943, he received orders to report to Tuskegee Army Air Field to begin flight training. Receiving his pilot’s wings and officer’s commission at Tuskegee, he was assigned to the 332nd “Red Tail” Fighter group at the Ramitelli Airfield, flying the P-51 Mustang.

During his 19th mission over Toulon, France on August 12, 1944, while attacking a radar installation he was shot down. Parachuting to safety and landing in a forest, he was immediately captured by Nazi ground troops.

He served as an instrument instructor at Tuskegee Army Airfield. He remained in the US Air Force Reserve, retiring in 1969. He received his teaching certificate from Wayne State University and began teaching elementary school science for the Detroit Public School System. He received his MA in education and was appointed assistant principal in 1969. He retired in 1979 as an assistant principal, after over 30 years of service.

He was enshrined in the Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame. President George W. Bush awarded Jefferson a Purple Heart for being wounded while being shot down over German-occupied France. He attended a ceremony in the Capitol rotunda, where he and all the other members of the Tuskegee Airmen (and their widows) were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of their service.

Detroit honored him for his service during WWII, with a “key to the city” In 2021. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[ivankahasbeentreatedsounfairly]

By Eric LiptonKirsten GrindDavid A. Fahrenthold and Theodore Schleifer

Even before Donald J. Trump was re-elected, his best-known backer, Elon Musk had come to him with a request for his presidential transition.

He wanted Mr. Trump to hire some employees from Mr. Musk’s rocket company, SpaceX, as top government officials — including at the Defense Department, according to two people briefed on the calls.

That request, which would seed SpaceX employees into an agency that is one of its biggest customers, is a sign of the benefits that Mr. Musk may reap after investing more than $100 million in Mr. Trump’s campaign, pushing out a near-constant stream of pro-Trump material on his social media platform, X, and making public appearances on the candidate’s behalf across the hard-fought state of Pennsylvania.

The outreach regarding the SpaceX employees, which hasn’t been reported, shows the extent to which Mr. Musk wants to fill a potential Trump administration with his closest confidants even as his billions of dollars in government contracts pose a conflict to any government role.

Mr. Musk and executives at SpaceX and Tesla, his electric-vehicle company, did not respond on Wednesday to requests for comment. A spokesman for Mr. Trump’s transition team also did not respond to a request for comment.

The six companies that Mr. Musk oversees are deeply entangled with federal agencies. They make billions off contracts to launch rockets, build satellites and provide space-based communications services.

Tesla makes hundreds of millions more from emissions-trading credits created by federal law. And Mr. Musk’s companies are facing at least 20 recent investigations, including one targeting a self-driving car technology that Tesla considers key to its future.

Now, Mr. Musk will have the ear of the president, who oversees all of those agencies. Mr. Musk could even gain the power to oversee them himself, if Mr. Trump follows through on a promise to appoint him as head of a government efficiency commission. Mr. Trump has told Mr. Musk that he wants him to bring the same scalpel to the federal government that he brought to Twitter after he bought the company and rebranded it as X. Mr. Musk has spoken of cutting at least $2 trillion from the federal budget.

The effect could be to remove, or weaken, one of the biggest checks on Mr. Musk’s power: the federal government.

“All of the annoying enforcement stuff goes away,” said Stephen Myrow, managing partner at Beacon Policy Advisors, a firm that sells corporations daily updates on regulatory and legislative trends in Washington.

Hal Singer, an economist who has advised parties filing antitrust challenges against technology companies and also is a professor at the University of Utah, said that Tesla and SpaceX can expect less scrutiny from the Justice Department.

“They are unlikely to go after Elon — Trump’s D.O.J. won’t,” he said. “Abstain from investigating your friends, but bringing cases that investigate your enemies — that is what we saw during the first Trump administration.”

Change of Heart

On the campaign trail, Mr. Trump made clear that Mr. Musk was already reshaping his views. He once railed against government efforts to promote electric cars, the heart of Tesla’s business. Not anymore.

“I’m for electric cars,” Mr. Trump said in August, after Mr. Musk first endorsed Mr. Trump’s re-election effort the month before. “I have to be, because Elon endorsed me very strongly.”

Mr. Trump also made it clear in recent interviews that he would use his executive power to help out Mr. Musk.

“We have to make life good for our smart people,” Mr. Trump saidat a rally in Michigan in July, continuing, “and he’s as smart as you get.”

Already, on Wednesday, Mr. Musk’s wealth surged by $20 billion as Tesla’s stock rose in the aftermath of the election, bringing his total net worth to $285 billion, according to an estimate by Forbes.

Tesla benefits from a $7,500 tax credit for electric-vehicle purchases, which helps bring down the cost of buying one of its cars. Tesla last year also earned $1.79 billion from carbon credits, according to its most recent annual report. It sells the credits to other car manufacturers whose fleets do not meet emission limits imposed by the federal government, as well as to the European Union, California and China.

Changes to the tax credit given to new car buyers and to the federal emission standards on new cars could impact the benefits Tesla receives, though its competitors General Motors and Ford need the credit even more than Tesla, economists and regulatory lawyers said.

Mr. Musk has had a much more contentious relationship with President Biden, who snubbed him and his car company in 2021 when he invited all the big carmakers to an electric vehicle summit and did not include Tesla, one of the largest at the time. Mr. Musk has repeatedly complained about the slight since then.

The biggest ties to the federal government among Mr. Musk’s operations are with SpaceX, which just last year secured $3 billion in new federal government commitments and a total of about $11 billion in contracts over the five years.

But Mr. Musk is seeking more.

His allies in Congress and at the Federal Communications Commission have already challenged a decision by the commission to revoke a plan to offer SpaceX an $856 million subsidy to provide broadband internet service in rural parts of the United States. The effort was led in part by Brendan Carr, a Republican commissioner at the F.C.C. He has championed Mr. Musk and SpaceX on his social media feed in recent months, even intervening in Mr. Musk’s battlewith the government of Brazil over X, even though the social media company is not in Mr. Carr’s purview. (Starlink, which was caught up in the dispute, is.)

Mr. Carr did not immediately return a request for comment.

House Republicans recently started an investigation into the F.C.C.’s position on the rural internet request, suggesting that the agency’s decision might be reconsidered if Republicans take control of the commission, as is likely once Mr. Trump is sworn in.

Unexciting Moon Missions

SpaceX also holds huge contracts with the Defense Department, so many that Pentagon officials have grown concerned that they are over-reliant on Mr. Musk’s company for rocket launches.

“Having a good friend in the White House could be a very good thing for Tesla and SpaceX,” said Scott Amey, general counsel at the Project on Government Oversight, a group that monitors federal contracting, particularly at the Pentagon. “You have to worry about decisions that are not best for taxpayers when you have those kinds of cozy relationships.”

At NASA, which also has large contracts with SpaceX, Mr. Musk may press for the agency to adopt his longstanding obsession with travel to Mars, in place of its current ambitions to return to the moon. Mr. Trump has previously expressed support for such a move.

“Hey, we’ve done the moon,” Mr. Trump said back in 2019, during his first term as president. “That’s not so exciting.”

Currently, NASA expects to spend a total of $93 billion between 2012 and 2025 on this moon mission, called Artemis. There have already been calls to re-evaluate this commitment, which includes a contract with SpaceX of up to $4.4 billion for two landings on the moon.

The most concrete evidence of Mr. Musk’s efforts to reshape the agencies he does business with are his efforts to install his employees in the Defense Department. People familiar with those efforts said Mr. Musk recommended two SpaceX employees — a retired Air Force general and a government-affairs executive — as possible hires.

Among the SpaceX executives who have been recommended by Mr. Musk, Gen. Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy, an adviser who is retired from the Air Force, and Tim Hughes, a government affairs executive, are among Mr. Musk’s closest advisers, according to one of the people briefed. Mr. Hughes did not return a request for comment and Mr. O’Shaughnessy could not be reached.

The role that Mr. Musk could play for Mr. Trump could be similar to what another tech mogul, Peter Thiel, played for Mr. Trump eight years ago. Mr. Thiel seeded the transition team, and eventually the government, with several of his top allies and Mr. Musk likely would have the same opportunity, given Mr. Trump’s admiration for him.

Mr. Musk has already met with Howard Lutnick, the lead of Mr. Trump’s transition team. Several of Mr. Musk’s closest friends in politics, such as the tech investors David Sacks, Joe Lonsdale and Ken Howery, have publicly or privately said that they would be open to helping the Trump administration, according to their public comments or people who have spoken with them. Mr. Lonsdale declined to comment.

What seems clear is that Mr. Musk will likely see some kind of a return for his efforts to help Mr. Trump secure a second term. The weeks and months ahead will give greater clarity about what those benefits will be.

“He was going to do fine either way,” Mr. Myrow of Beacon Policy Advisors said. “But he definitely does better under Trump. It was probably worth his investment.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/06/us/politics/elon-musk-trump-benefits.html

[thoughtportal]

On October 21st, Muslim and Arab American Dr. Ahmed Ghanim, an invited community leader, attended a rally hosted by Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign. Fifteen minutes after being seated, a Harris staffer escorted him out of the building, threatening that if he didn’t leave, he’d be “sitting in the back of a cop car.”

The secret service agent told Dr. Ghanim his expulsion had nothing to do with security.

As Muslim and Arab residents of Michigan, we demand answers from Governor Whitmer: Why was a respected Muslim and Arab American leader targeted and removed from a democratic rally?

We need your leadership to address the rising hate and Islamophobia in Michigan. Muslims and Arab Americans are increasingly fearful of violence and attacks.

Earlier in October, a 7-year-old Yemeni girl was attacked by a man who slashed her throat in a Detroit public park. This attack, witnessed by the child’s grandmother, has impacted all Muslim and Arab community members as we await the slow investigation into whether this attempted murder was a hate crime.

The forced removal of Dr. Ghanim is not a hate crime. Still, it is indicative of the Islamophobia that exists among Michigan leaders, many of whom were at the Harris rally and sat idly by while a respected Muslim and Arab community leader was forcibly removed from the Harris event.

Our leaders are failing the Muslim and Arab communities of Michigan.

We call on Governor Whitmer, who has stated that there is no room for hate in Michigan, to take three steps to assure us that she is an ally to the Muslim and Arab communities:

1. Make a public statement denouncing the Islamophobia and bigotry Dr. Ghanim experienced.

2. Thoroughly investigate why Dr. Ghanim was invited by the Harris campaign to attend the VP’s rally and then forcibly removed.

3. Set up an immediate task force for targeted communities that have been impacted by anti-Muslim, anti-Palestinian, and anti-Arab bigotry through the Commission on Middle Eastern Affairs.

It is imperative that the Muslim and Arab American communities are heard and responded to at this time. Michigan is our home, and our communities deserve safety and respect.

[laurencna]

Opening Opportunities: Top Grants for CNA Training in 2021

**Title: Unlocking Opportunities: ⁣Top Grants⁤ for CNA Training in 2021**

**Introduction:** For those looking to pursue a career as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), finding the right training program can often be a financial ​hurdle. However,​ there are several grants available that can help cover the costs of CNA training, making it more accessible for aspiring healthcare professionals. In this article,​ we will ⁣explore some ⁢of the top grants for CNA training⁢ in 2021, providing valuable information ⁢to those‌ seeking‌ to kickstart their career⁤ in⁤ the healthcare⁣ industry.

**Top Grants for CNA⁣ Training in 2021:**

1. **Federal Pell Grant:** ‍ – The Federal Pell Grant is a need-based ‌grant ‍that‌ provides financial assistance⁤ to⁣ eligible students pursuing post-secondary ⁣education, including CNA training ‍programs. ‌ -​ Eligibility for the Pell Grant is determined ‍based on financial need, cost of attendance, and enrollment status. ‍ – The grant amount can vary each year but ​typically ‌covers a significant portion of tuition and fees for CNA training.

2. **Workforce Innovation and Opportunity ‍Act (WIOA) Grant:** – The WIOA Grant is a federally funded program that aims​ to help⁣ individuals access training programs for​ high-demand occupations, such as Certified Nursing Assistants. – Eligibility criteria may include​ being unemployed, underemployed, or receiving government assistance. ​‍ – The WIOA Grant covers tuition, ⁢fees, ‌and sometimes additional expenses related to CNA training.

3.⁣ **State-Specific Grants:** – Many states offer grants specifically ‍designed to​ support​ individuals pursuing careers in⁤ healthcare, including Certified Nursing Assistants. ⁢ – Examples of state-specific grants include the ‌Michigan ​Nursing Scholarship, California ⁤Student Aid Commission (CalGrant), and Texas Public Education Grant (TPEG). ‍ – Eligibility⁢ criteria and grant amounts​ vary‍ by state,‌ so it’s essential​ to research grants available in⁤ your area.

4. **Private Scholarships and Grants:** – Various⁣ private organizations, foundations, ​and healthcare‍ facilities⁣ offer scholarships ⁣and grants for CNA training. – Examples include the ‌American Red Cross Nursing Assistant ‍Training Scholarship and the Health Professions Education Foundation Scholarship. ​ – These​ scholarships ​often ​have specific​ eligibility ⁤requirements, such as academic achievement, community service, or career goals.

**Benefits ‌of Grants for CNA⁣ Training:** – Grants can‌ help make CNA training more accessible and affordable for individuals ​from diverse ⁤backgrounds. – By covering the costs of tuition and ⁣fees, grants allow aspiring CNAs to focus on their education⁣ without financial stress. – Access‍ to grants can open doors to career ⁤opportunities in the⁢ healthcare⁤ industry and help address the growing demand for‌ skilled healthcare professionals.

**Practical Tips for Securing Grants:** 1. Research available grants and scholarships for CNA training⁢ both at the federal and state levels. 2. Check eligibility ⁤requirements for ​each grant to ‍ensure ⁣you meet the criteria. 3. Submit applications early and provide all required documentation to increase your chances of receiving funding. 4.⁢ Seek⁢ guidance from financial ‌aid advisors or CNA training programs for assistance⁣ in‍ navigating the grant‌ application⁤ process.

**Conclusion:** grants for CNA training ⁢in 2021 offer valuable opportunities for⁢ individuals seeking to enter ‍the healthcare‌ industry as‌ Certified⁣ Nursing⁢ Assistants. By exploring federal, state-specific, and⁣ private⁢ grants, aspiring⁤ CNAs ​can find financial support to pursue their training and kickstart their career in healthcare. With the right resources and guidance, ⁢unlocking opportunities for CNA training can⁣ be within reach for all who aspire to make⁣ a difference in the healthcare⁢ field.

https://trainingcna.org/opening-opportunities-top-grants-for-cna-training-in-2021/

[afrikaabneyconsultant]

Sept. 14, 2024, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM EDT

Tenley-Friendship Library, 4450 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA

About the event

MidnightRose is a showcase of the multigenerational, multicultural writers in the Washington Metropolitan Region and beyond. Experience the richness of the community through the presentations of award-winning poets and authors. Come allow the words to inspire and empower you.

E. ETHELBERT MILLER is a literary activist and author of two memoirs and several poetry collections including his baseball trilogy: If God Invented Baseball, When Your Wife Has Tommy John Surgery and How I Found Love Behind the Catcher’s Mask published by City Point Press. He hosts the WPFW morning radio show On the Margin with E. Ethelbert Miller and hosts and produces The Scholars on UDC-TV which received a 2020 Telly Award. He is Associate Editor and a columnist for The American Book Review. He was given a 2020 congressional award from Congressman Jamie Raskin in recognition of his literary activism, awarded the 2022 Howard Zinn Lifetime Achievement Award by the Peace and Justice Studies Association, and named a 2023 Grammy Nominee Finalist for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album. On March 2, 2024, Miller received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to African American Literature and DC’s literary community from Esther Productions Inc. On September 18, 2024, he will receive the Furious Flower Lifetime Achievement Award.

NAOMI AYALA is a Puerto Rican poet, educator, and translator who’s published three poetry collections—Wild Animals on the Moon (Curbstone Press, 1997); This Side of Early (Curbstone Imprint, Northwestern University Press, 2008); and Calling Home: Praise Songs & Incantations (Bilingual Press, 2013). She’s the translator of La sombra de la Muerte/Death’s Shadow, a novel by His Excellency José Tomás Pérez, the Dominican Republic’s Ambassador to the U.S., and of Luis Alberto Ambroggio’s poetry collection La arqueología del viento/The Wind’s Archeology. She’s the proud recipient of artist fellowships from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities as well as Special Recognition for Community Service from the U.S. Congress.

BRIAN GILMORE is a native of Washington DC. Bard and Barrister, he is the author of four collections of poetry, including come see about me marvin (Wayne State University Press), a 2020 Michigan Notable Book Award recipient. Gilmore is also the author of the forthcoming cultural history, No More Worlds To Conquer: The Black Poet in Washington DC Since Dunbar, to be published in 2025 by Georgetown University Press. He practiced public interest law for 28 years in Washington DC and Michigan and served as a Clinical Law Professor at Howard University School of Law and Michigan State University College of Law. Presently, he is Senior Lecturer at the University of Maryland - College Park in the Law and Society Program (MLAW).

IT'S ALL FREE. REGISTER NOW at estherproductionsinc.com/events

For more information: midnightrosereadingseries@gmail.com

Esther Productions Inc. is supported by generous contributions—past and present--from Kerry S. Pearson LLC, Emmanuel Bailey, Veterans Services Corp, Pepco, an Exelon Company, A.Scott Bolden, David Jannarone, HumanitiesDC, Lesa Warrick, Rosalind Blunt, Betty Nyangoni and Esther’s Friends.

[abneyartist]

Sept. 14, 2024, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM EDT Tenley-Friendship Library, 4450 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA

About the event

MidnightRose is a showcase of the multigenerational, multicultural writers in the Washington Metropolitan Region and beyond. Experience the richness of the community through the presentations of award-winning poets and authors. Come allow the words to inspire and empower you.

E. ETHELBERT MILLER is a literary activist and author of two memoirs and several poetry collections including his baseball trilogy: If God Invented Baseball, When Your Wife Has Tommy John Surgery and How I Found Love Behind the Catcher’s Mask published by City Point Press. He hosts the WPFW morning radio show On the Margin with E. Ethelbert Miller and hosts and produces The Scholars on UDC-TV which received a 2020 Telly Award. He is Associate Editor and a columnist for The American Book Review. He was given a 2020 congressional award from Congressman Jamie Raskin in recognition of his literary activism, awarded the 2022 Howard Zinn Lifetime Achievement Award by the Peace and Justice Studies Association, and named a 2023 Grammy Nominee Finalist for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album. On March 2, 2024, Miller received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to African American Literature and DC’s literary community from Esther Productions Inc. On September 18, 2024, he will receive the Furious Flower Lifetime Achievement Award.

NAOMI AYALA is a Puerto Rican poet, educator, and translator who’s published three poetry collections—Wild Animals on the Moon (Curbstone Press, 1997); This Side of Early (Curbstone Imprint, Northwestern University Press, 2008); and Calling Home: Praise Songs & Incantations (Bilingual Press, 2013). She’s the translator of La sombra de la Muerte/Death’s Shadow, a novel by His Excellency José Tomás Pérez, the Dominican Republic’s Ambassador to the U.S., and of Luis Alberto Ambroggio’s poetry collection La arqueología del viento/The Wind’s Archeology. She’s the proud recipient of artist fellowships from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities as well as Special Recognition for Community Service from the U.S. Congress.

BRIAN GILMORE is a native of Washington DC. Bard and Barrister, he is the author of four collections of poetry, including come see about me marvin (Wayne State University Press), a 2020 Michigan Notable Book Award recipient. Gilmore is also the author of the forthcoming cultural history, No More Worlds To Conquer: The Black Poet in Washington DC Since Dunbar, to be published in 2025 by Georgetown University Press. He practiced public interest law for 28 years in Washington DC and Michigan and served as a Clinical Law Professor at Howard University School of Law and Michigan State University College of Law. Presently, he is Senior Lecturer at the University of Maryland - College Park in the Law and Society Program (MLAW).

IT'S ALL FREE. REGISTER NOW at estherproductionsinc.com/events

For more information: midnightrosereadingseries@gmail.com

Esther Productions Inc. is supported by generous contributions—past and present--from Kerry S. Pearson LLC, Emmanuel Bailey, Veterans Services Corp, Pepco, an Exelon Company, A.Scott Bolden, David Jannarone, HumanitiesDC, Lesa Warrick, Rosalind Blunt, Betty Nyangoni and Esther’s Friends.

[msafrikaabney]

MidnightRose: A Reading Series of Poetry & Prose 

Sept. 14, 2024, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM EDT

Tenley-Friendship Library, 4450 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA

About the event

MidnightRose is a showcase of the multigenerational, multicultural writers in the Washington Metropolitan Region and beyond. Experience the richness of the community through the presentations of award-winning poets and authors. Come allow the words to inspire and empower you.

E. ETHELBERT MILLER is a literary activist and author of two memoirs and several poetry collections including his baseball trilogy: If God Invented Baseball, When Your Wife Has Tommy John Surgery and How I Found Love Behind the Catcher’s Mask published by City Point Press. He hosts the WPFW morning radio show On the Margin with E. Ethelbert Miller and hosts and produces The Scholars on UDC-TV which received a 2020 Telly Award. He is Associate Editor and a columnist for The American Book Review. He was given a 2020 congressional award from Congressman Jamie Raskin in recognition of his literary activism, awarded the 2022 Howard Zinn Lifetime Achievement Award by the Peace and Justice Studies Association, and named a 2023 Grammy Nominee Finalist for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album. On March 2, 2024, Miller received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to African American Literature and DC’s literary community from Esther Productions Inc. On September 18, 2024, he will receive the Furious Flower Lifetime Achievement Award.

NAOMI AYALA is a Puerto Rican poet, educator, and translator who’s published three poetry collections—Wild Animals on the Moon (Curbstone Press, 1997); This Side of Early (Curbstone Imprint, Northwestern University Press, 2008); and Calling Home: Praise Songs & Incantations (Bilingual Press, 2013). She’s the translator of La sombra de la Muerte/Death’s Shadow, a novel by His Excellency José Tomás Pérez, the Dominican Republic’s Ambassador to the U.S., and of Luis Alberto Ambroggio’s poetry collection La arqueología del viento/The Wind’s Archeology. She’s the proud recipient of artist fellowships from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities as well as Special Recognition for Community Service from the U.S. Congress.

BRIAN GILMORE is a native of Washington DC. Bard and Barrister, he is the author of four collections of poetry, including come see about me marvin (Wayne State University Press), a 2020 Michigan Notable Book Award recipient. Gilmore is also the author of the forthcoming cultural history, No More Worlds To Conquer: The Black Poet in Washington DC Since Dunbar, to be published in 2025 by Georgetown University Press. He practiced public interest law for 28 years in Washington DC and Michigan and served as a Clinical Law Professor at Howard University School of Law and Michigan State University College of Law. Presently, he is Senior Lecturer at the University of Maryland - College Park in the Law and Society Program (MLAW).

IT'S ALL FREE. REGISTER NOW at estherproductionsinc.com/events

For more information: midnightrosereadingseries@gmail.com

Esther Productions Inc. is supported by generous contributions—past and present--from Kerry S. Pearson LLC, Emmanuel Bailey, Veterans Services Corp, Pepco, an Exelon Company, A.Scott Bolden, David Jannarone, HumanitiesDC, Lesa Warrick, Rosalind Blunt, Betty Nyangoni and Esther’s Friends.

[ear-worthy]

Nationly Podcast Debuts: What Election Issues Matter To Minority Communities?

 As summer time approaches, people expect historic heat, fulfilling vacations, and political candidates preparing for the fall campaign season. Podcast networks are ramping up their election coverage with new limited-series podcasts and extensions of their existing political podcasts. 

Immigrantly Media has added a new, and frankly overdue, spin on the upcoming presidential election with their new limited-run podcast series, Nationly, that debuted in early June. Nationly, co-hosted by J.D. Ramirez and Sara Sadhwani, discusses the “Why?” behind political issues that really matter to minority communities—immigrants and communities of color—specifically in the battleground states at the heart of this year’s election season. Focusing on minority communities—specifically, immigrants and communities of color—Nationly uncovers the issues that truly matter to these voters, ranging from global events like the situation in Gaza to local races such as the showdown between Kari Lake v. Ruben Gallego. The podcast asks: Who's spearheading the uncommitted movement in Michigan? What key issues are driving Latino support in Arizona? Why is Gen Z stepping up to run for office in Georgia? Delving into the "why" behind political issues, each episode explores key defining moments in the lives of these voters, providing a comprehensive view of America's political spectrum and the diverse voices shaping it. The first episode focuses on the Muslim population in Michigan and their response to President Biden's handling of the Palestinian crisis. Co-host Juan Diego Ramirez is a multimedia bilingual journalist. Having lived as an undocumented immigrant for over 20 years, Juan Diego has focused on telling stories from communities that reflect his life experiences. Juan Diego is reporting on the rise in unaccompanied migrant child cases in immigration courts and the effects of the system's delays on their proceedings. He also covers corruption at the highest levels of the Mexican government. His works include the 2023 Webby Award winner podcast, Idolo; The Ballad of Chalino Sanchez, USA v. Garcia Luna, and the NAACP Award-nominated podcast, The Sum of Us. He also produced and co-hosted Racist Sandwich, a James Beard Foundation-nominated podcast on food, class, race, and gender Sara Sadhwani is an assistant professor of politics at Pomona College, a Democracy Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation. She is working on her first book, which examines voting rights and representation for communities of color in the multiracial era. The project offers a reflection of her service on the California Citizens Redistricting Commission. Her research examines elections, representation, and public opinion with a focus on Asian American and Latino voting behavior. She has published widely in academic journals and her analysis of elections and politics has been featured in outlets such as The New York Times, Politico, Washington Post, NPR, The Guardian, and TIME Magazine, and she regularly provides political commentary for news outlets throughout California. J.D. Ramirez shares, “I’m thrilled to be co-hosting Immigrantly's newest podcast, Nationly, where we will be talking about issues that impact minority communities across the country during this election year.” 

I listened to the trailer and the first episode, and Ramirez and Sadhwani excel as hosts and have managed to form a strong team, both as narrators and interviewers. Nationly is brought to you by Immigrantly Media, creators of the Immigrantly podcast, Invisible Hate, and Banterly, and episodes of Nationly will be released weekly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all podcast distribution platform Immigrantly Media is a forward-thinking media company that specializes in authentic and unvarnished storytelling to redefine the immigrant narrative. In addition to Nationly, two more Immigrantly Media podcasts are currently in development and set to launch in 2024.  Saadia Khan is the founder and CEO of Immigrantly Media. Khan says: "My journey from a Business major to a Columbia University-trained Human Rights activist led me to the creation of Immigrantly, born out of a deep commitment to amplify immigrant voices in the wake of the transformative 2016 elections. Immigrantly began as a podcast challenging stereotypes and bridging gaps between communities. Today, it has evolved into a forward-thinking media startup that aims to explore America, the immigrant experience, and diverse stories through immersive storytelling.

Khan adds: "We are on a mission to challenge and disrupt one-dimensional narratives about 45 million+ immigrants and people of color in America."

Check out Nationly. The focus on nationwide elections through the lens of the minoritycommunity is unique and needed.Moreimportant, the show doesn't treat minorities as a monolith with identical viewpoints, priorities, and political strategies. 

[nicholasmukhtar]

All Nicholas Mukhtar Accomplishments: Founder of Healthy Detroit

Nicholas Mukhtar has made significant strides in the fields of public health and business management. In 2013, just a year after his graduation, he founded "Healthy Detroit," an organization aimed at fostering a culture of preventive health in Detroit, Michigan, through the implementation of the National Prevention Strategy.

For nearly 6 years, Mukhtar adeptly served as both founder and CEO, leading the organization to notable success. Building on this foundation, he also created "Healthy Communities LLC," a company dedicated to collaborating with public health agencies, corporations, non-profits, and municipalities to strengthen and nurture healthy communities.

Over the past decade, Nicholas Mukhtar has led "The Mukhtar Group LLC," focusing primarily on business management. Currently, he serves as a senior business management consultant at Tera in Florida, where he partners with CEOs, MDs, business owners, and others to facilitate their digital transformation journeys. His core competencies and expertise include developing tactical plans, executing regional and group strategies, leading critical strategic initiatives, optimizing business processes, and addressing key challenges.

He is known for providing consultative guidance, influencing decision-making, resolving significant issues, introducing innovative technologies, managing customer service standards, and engaging with top-level management and executives during client negotiations.

Professionally, Nicholas Mukhtar is proficient in Arabic and Spanish and possesses native bilingual fluency in English. Beyond his professional ventures, he maintains affiliations with several prominent organizations. Since 2014, he has been a board member at the MIU Men’s Health Foundation and was appointed as the co-chair of the Parks and Recreation Commission by the mayor of Detroit.

He also serves on the external advisory board for the MPH program at Wayne State University School of Medicine and has held board positions at the Michigan Parks and Recreation Association and the Chandler Park Conservancy since 2016. Additionally, he has been part of the steering committee of the Michigan Community Health Worker Alliance since 2017 and was appointed as a board member at St. Mary Mercy Livonia, a division of the Trinity Health System, in 2018.

Nicholas Mukhtar’s life is a testament to his unwavering passion and dedication, as reflected in his remarkable achievements in both public health and business management. His work continues to impact and inspire many, demonstrating his commitment to fostering healthier communities and supporting business growth.

[callmecayce]

GOSH, I wonder where that money is going.

[ID: A screenshot of the breakdown of the salary of the DTE Energy CEO. They make over $10 million a year, $3 million cash and $7 million in total equity.]

[lboogie1906]

Lieutenant Colonel Eldridge F. Williams (November 2, 1917 - July 2, 2015) was one of the first trainers of Tuskegee Airmen. He was born in Harris, Texas, the son of cotton sharecroppers Ora and E.D. Williams. He enrolled in Western University, he received a BBA. He received an MA in Education from Xavier University and an MA from the University of Michigan.

When the first Army Air Corps program to train African Americans to fly and maintain aircraft was established at Tuskegee, he applied for flight training. He was rejected for poor eyesight by an Army physician who opposed the “Tuskegee Experiment” and wrote “Negro. Re-examination is NOT recommended.” He was sent to an all-Black infantry unit at Fort Leonard Wood for combat engineer training. He was moved to an office when it was discovered that he could type 90 words a minute. He became a 1st Sergeant and, he was selected for Officer Training School in Miami Beach.

He graduated from OCS and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. He was assigned to the Tuskegee Airmen Program as Assistant Director of Physical Training. He trained cadets in parachute landing and survival techniques. He was promoted to Captain. He trained almost all of the 992 African Americans who became Tuskegee Airmen.

He became the head tennis and basketball coach at NCA&T College. He returned to military service and served through the Korean War. After President Harry Truman signed Executive Order 9981, he departed for his first integrated assignment on the island of Okinawa, Japan. He retired from the military service with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

He became a teacher with the Miami-Dade County Public School System. He wrote an autobiography, “Without Wings I Soared.” He was a member of the Tuskegee Airmen; Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, and the Rotary Club of Miami-Kendall. He was President of the Lake Chara Homeowners Association. He was presented with the Congressional Gold Medal by President Barack Obama.

He was survived by Rosa White, his companion for 17 years, and his daughter. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence #alphaphialpha

[thelittlestspider]

some ash headcanons

- ash is originally from nyc. his dad moved them back to michigan when he was 10 to be close to brock's parents.

- ash used to race cars against scotty before scotty totaled his car.

- he had a crush on michael from lost boys.

- his parents tried to send him to catholic school to 'straighten him out', but it didn't work and they ended up sending him back to public school.

- ash quit cheerleading for band and his mom went ballistic.

- in aus where cheryl lives, ash commissions her to paint decals on his car. (in my fic anyone else but you, cheryl painted a wizard blasting lighting from his fingers on the hood, with the lightning wrapping around the sides.)

- he drives a busted up toyota that's tricked out with nitro and shoots fire from the headlights.

- he has so many mods installed on games on his laptop that it's always barely clinging to life, and he will never change or learn his lesson no matter how many times he tells it he will.

- he likes baseball.

- he is very dramatic when he's being inconvenienced lol. his neighbors once thought he was dying bc he was crying, screaming, and wailing, but his laptop just died while he was playing stardew valley without saving 😔.

- he isn't a gamer, but he plays games. if that makes sense. like he plays those random computer games in the dollar bin at walmart (or s-mart in his case).

- he and scotty formed a death metal band together in high school.

- his love language is gift giving and acts of service.

(nsfw ones under the cut. please don't look if you're a minor)

- ash likes topping, but he's also happy playing pillow princess if his partner wants to do the work.

- this isn't really a headcanon per se because he does mention this in the comics, but ash is kind of into impact play. he likes being spanked and having his thighs slapped, and occasionally his face (the reason for this is because of how he reacted to sheila slapping him. which was super horny for no reason).

- he acts really macho and devil may care, but once he gets past the toxic masculinity he's very tender and sensual. he wants to please them and take care of them. (basing this off the deleted dance scene with linda and the deleted sex scene with sheila).

- he's fine playing dom or sub.

- he has a bit of a strength kink and a breeding kink. a little bit.