There’s been a lot of talk about city budgets in the news lately. Many communities are asking their unionized employees – including police officers and firefighters – to take temporary…
By Ian Perrotta The lamps at Aladdin might not contain genies, but the restaurant’s owners sure know how to work some magic. Over the past year, Monzur K. Shafi (Eleem),…
(Editor’s Note: This is part one of a two-part look at the fascinating Russell Street Bazaar, which is a mere five-minute drive from Hamtramck.) By Alan Madeleine If you spend…
By Ian Perrotta The four years of hard work put in by Hamtramck High’s senior class clearly paid off. Last Thursday (May 20), after years of fundraisers that included bake…
By Charles Sercombe Hamtramck’s government workforce will be trimmed by 11 positions, but that cut in spending still won’t be enough to prevent a budget deficit. At Tuesday’s City Council…
By Charles Sercombe So, just who is going to lose their job with the city? Here’s the body count: Five school crossing guards One inspection supervisor One code enforcer One…
By Charles Sercombe Hamtramck is not alone when it comes to a financial crisis. Just about every community in the metro region — and most cities throughout the state —…
By Charles Sercombe Hamtramck is mourning. Nadaa Thabeet, 16 years old, died last Sunday. The teenager and her 11-year-old sister apparently, according to her family, were swept away by a…
By Charles Sercombe For some Hamtramck public school teachers and other staff members, summer vacation will be a time to think about retiring. A new state teacher retirement plan has…
(Editor-at-Large Walter Wasacz writes a weekly column on life in Hamtramck.) By Walter Wasacz I’m up to my neck in techno these days, getting ready for the impressively massive Movement…