CM candidate is well known in the area
By Charles Sercombe The one and only candidate for Hamtramck city manager has a long history in the business. Hamtramck’s search for a new city manager yielded only one viable candidate, according to...
View ArticleCity manager search leading to charter change
By Charles Sercombe Some 39 people applied to be Hamtramck’s next city manager. But only three met the city’s charter requirements, and only one is being recommended to interview for the job. That was...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Let the party begin: Paczki Day brings on the Mardi Gras spirit
Local bakeries will be jammed with paczki lovers this coming Tuesday. The wait can sometimes stretch for over two hours. You can beat the rush on Paczki Day by picking up your dozen on Monday. By...
View ArticleCity reaches a fair deal for water bill snafu
Recently, city officials agreed on a deal to settle up on water bills with a few hundred property owners. What happened was that the city’s meter equipment underreported actual consumption of water and...
View ArticlePaczki Day is a success but there is room to improve
It’s probably safe to assume that Paczki Day in Hamtramck will continue to attract thousands of visitors each year. Our local bakeries are the preferred place to get these seasonal pastries, and our...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Get ready for another party
The 5th Annual Hamtramck Music Festival returns next week, starting on March 1. By Charles Sercombe Just as Paczki Day fades away, there is another yearly party coming up. The 5th Annual Hamtramck...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Search for new city manager put on hold until charter is changed
Former Eastpointe City Manager Stephen Duchane was interviewed by the city council for the city manager job here in Hamtramck. A bare majority of the council decided to wait before hiring a city...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Breaking news … State Treasury Department is seeking the return of local...
The state-appointed Receivership Transition Advisory Board will meet this Tuesday to decide whether to begin the process of returning local control to the city. By Charles Sercombe Hamtramck will...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Breaking news … State returns local control to Hamtramck
By Charles Sercombe That didn’t take long. The Michigan Department of Treasury issued a press release today (Friday, March 2) announcing that local control has been fully returned to Hamtramck. In...
View ArticleCity officials have to agree to disagree and then move on
Did Hamtramck blow a chance to hire a highly-qualified city manager? That’s been a matter of debate in city hall during the past few weeks, and it’s an issue that has sharply divided the city council....
View ArticleClik here to view.
City manager search clouded in secrecy
The search for candidates to fill the position of city manager was paid by taxpayers, but we may never know everyone who applied for the job. By Charles Sercombe Some 38 people recently applied to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
‘It’s time to take a stand and use our voices’
Hamtramck High School students participated in a national student walkout on Wednesday morning to memorialize those who were killed a month ago at a high school in Florida. They also called for the end...
View ArticleNow that the state has pulled out, time to roll up our sleeves
We’re not surprised that state officials abruptly returned local control to the city. We speculated earlier in the year that this would be the year the state ends Hamtramck’s receivership. What we are...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Friday fish fry is a Hamtramck favorite
By Charles Sercombe For food lovers Lenten season in Hamtramck means one thing: Friday fish frys. The city offers three places in town specializing in the tradition: Kelly’s Bar, PLAV Post 10 and...
View ArticleBreaking news … Hamtramck High School receives threat
By Charles Sercombe At about 3 p.m. today (Wednesday, March 21) Hamtramck High School received a threat from a caller who said “tomorrow we will shoot up the school.” As a result, all evening act ivies...
View ArticleBreaking news update … Arrest made in school threat
By Charles Sercombe A Hamtramck High School student is facing a felony terrorism charge after allegedly phoning in a threat to “shoot up the school.” The call was made Wednesday afternoon, which...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Change in city’s legal team spurs division and debate
Now that local control has been returned to the city, a familiar face has returned to city hall. James Allen has been appointed as the new city attorney. Councilmembers Andrea Karpinski and Ian...
View ArticleDid the city miss a chance to bring in a new perspective?
In Hamtramck, some things are too easily predictable. For the past 18 years or so the city has ping-ponged between two legal firms. When the state steps in and appoints an emergency manager to take...
View ArticleCity needs to fast track medical marijuana dispensaries
One of the reasons some city officials wanted to replace former City Attorney John Clark with James Allen was his expertise in the state’s medical marijuana dispensary law. For several years city...
View ArticleCity still has to face financial challenges ahead
Last week we reported that despite getting a clean bill of fiscal health from the state, Hamtramck still has financial challenges ahead. Several weeks ago the state ended its oversight of the city,...
View Article