The Detroit Documenters play a vital role in improving our access to information. That’s because they attend a range of public meetings and document what leaders and community members are saying.

Detroit is in the middle of local election season. The primary is coming up on Aug. 5, followed by the general election in November.

Several boards and public bodies in Detroit have open seats, and it will take separate processes to make these boards whole. Some seats will be selected by voters and others will be appointed by local leaders.  

There are currently vacant seats on Detroit’s Public Schools Community District Board, Board of Police Commissioners, Wayne County Commission and the Tenants Rights Commission.

Detroit Documenters Coordinators Lynelle Herndon and Noah Kincade joined The Metro to help break it all down.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

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In Detroit, three of the city’s seven city council districts have a community advisory council (CAC). The body helps advocate for residents’ issues and gives them direct access to city council members. 

Unfortunately, due to confusion around filing deadlines in the city clerks’ office, anyone who wants to run for  a CAC  will have to run as write-in candidate because their names won’t appear on the ballot. This includes incumbent candidates who have been serving on these councils for several years. 

To help us break down what CACs are, why only some distracts have them and what exactly happened that led to candidates missing the filing deadline, Metro Producer Jack Filbrandt spoke with Detroit Documenters Coordinator Noah Kincade and Outlier Media Civic Life Reporter Briana Rice.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

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The city of Detroit launched new safety measures at the Rosa Parks and Jason Hargrove transit centers last month, including the installation of metal detectors and an increased police presence. 

Many residents have since expressed concerns about the security enhancements, saying they’re no longer allowed to wait inside the transit centers.

Detroit City Council’s Public Health and Safety Committee held a meeting this week to discuss the issue. Transit advocates in attendance told council members the policy change puts riders at risk — especially during periods of extreme cold or extreme heat. Their concerns come as temperatures this week rise to dangerously high levels, with an extreme heat warning in effect for metro Detroit through Tuesday evening. 

Producer Jack Filbrandt spoke with Detroit Documenters Coordinator Lynelle Herndon and BridgeDetroit Reporter Malachi Barrett about the security enhancements and concerns shared by residents at the meeting.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

More stories from The Metro