“Kids Count”
There was a 64 percent increase in the child poverty rate in Michigan between 2000 -2009, according to a new report. The “Kids Count” report, released yesterday by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, keeps track of 10 factors including child poverty, education levels and the rate of infant mortality. There was some good news to come out of the report. It shows that Michigan ranks better than the national average for the death rate among teens due, in part, to fewer fatal car accidents.
Detroit Job Fair
Thousands of people waited for hours to get into a job fair in Detroit yesterday. “The job fair was part of a nationwide tour hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus. It’s meant to draw attention to unemployment among African Americans… The Congressional Black Caucus says the unemployment level for African Americans is more than 16 percent. In Detroit, the figure ranges anywhere from 30-50 percent,” Sarah Cwiek reports.
‘Underwear Bomber’ Back in Court
The Nigerian man accused of trying to blow up a Detroit-bound jetliner with 290 people aboard on Christmas Day in 2009 is due back in court after prosecutors raised questions last week about sealed documents in the case, the Associated Press reports. From the AP:
The government seeks to know if Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab agreed to the sealed filings recently made by his standby counsel, Anthony Chambers. The hearing is Wednesday afternoon at U.S. District Court in Detroit. The subject of the filings hasn't been disclosed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cathleen Corke. But she wrote that it could affect the Oct. 4 trial date and the 24-year-old Abdulmutallab's ability to "continue with self-representation." He dismissed his court-appointed lawyers last year and said he wanted to represent himself.
