Serving Metropolitan Detroit Since 1944
Serving Metropolitan Detroit Since 1944
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With a man as physically big as Coach Eric Pettway, it would be impossible to say he lived in anyone's shadow. Coach Pettway is an accomplished man of his own merits. He had proved himself on the field in various levels of football, and got the chance to coach high school football. This was all before he made a home at River Rouge where he and a dear friend got to build a program of their liking, from the ground up. Over the years, Coach Pettway has grown himself to be more of a people person....
Those who attended school with Brittany Chriswell would remember her as a relatively quiet young lady. She stuck to herself, and stayed close to her friend group. Brittany wasn't a loud student, nor did she compete, or desire to be in River Rouge High School's limelight. She played in the band, where she was adored, and looked at as a younger sister by some of her bandmates. After graduating in 2014 Chriswell set off to find a lane of her own. Eventually she ran into a family member who had...
Janine Folks has spent her career helping people when they need it most. Her spirit has comforted families at funerals, in hospitals, even weddings and churches. At the same time Janine has built a reputation for being a prolific writer, she has written over ten books over the course of her career, and has even been a writer for the Telegram newspaper. Recently Janine was able to combine her talents and interests. She teamed up with Rachel Matthews, and was able to host the first Books & Bling...
River Rouge is undergoing a major political change. There will inevitably be new people in mayoral, treasurer, city council, and school board positions. The race is on. The polls will be opening on November 8th. The neighborhood has been redecorated with signs and banners, and candidates have held events pushing their campaign. The auditorium of River Rouge High School was home for a public forum hosted by the Western Wayne County NAACP and Just Transition. All candidates on the November 8th...
Times are changing. New spaces constantly arise that include lifestyles not prevalent to popular culture ten, or twenty years ago. Simply put, more people have been given opportunities. These opportunities give society a chance to step away from home, and still be comfortable with the situations and people they encounter. Lo Cunningham has always had his thumbs around the paradigm shift. Cunningham crafted a name and professional career for himself doing something my mother never allowed me to...
Zaniya King walked across the stage of River Rouge High School in June. She has been running across the country for quite some time now. In the 6th grade, King joined the track team. The coaches quickly recognized her talent, and encouraged the King family to consider track outside of middle school athletics. This encouraged Zaniya and her family to adapt to track on as a lifestyle. The 2022 River Rouge alumni joined AAU track, and was accepted with open arms into the Track Life family....
Fashion is a subject that can be recognized throughout all corners of the Earth. Every group in some way, has their own unique idea of fashion; which could be accepted or denied all the same by another area. This can be a frightening factor when it comes down to fashion. Some can be denied without being given the proper opportunity. Sierra Latrice has experienced growing up without that fair opportunity in the fashion world. Sierra grew up with bigger feet than her peers. Causing her to feel...
Ecorse High School is going through a culture of change. From academics, to athletics, even down to the student culture. This is not the same land Red Raiders walked on fifty, twenty, or even five years ago. It seems as if a new set of commandments are becoming etched into stone. Ecorse has a man in its building dedicated to leading that change. He was offered an opportunity almost four years ago, and declared himself committed to the cause. Gerrod Abram was hired by Ecorse High School to coach...
"It was great, everything ran smoove, that boys came out and did what they were supposed to do. Which was to show up and work hard. Today it was just done in front of an important audience." Proclaims new River Rouge head football coach, Eric Pettway. His team did not disappoint, nor miss a beat. Panther Stadium held host to hundreds of college coaches. Each one curious to see the progress the Panthers have made during the off season. The offensive line proved itself to be a topic of interest. F...
Are there any specific personality traits that come to mind when you envision an entrepreneur? Talent? Intelligence? Charisma? Colleen Ivana Jones. Simply known as Ivana, or Vonnie possess these qualities, and handfuls more. Miss Jones is not the way she is by accident. She cites her upbringing, on a supportive mother, literature driven father, and a sister who always had time for her shenanigans. Ivana is originally from Romulus Michigan. Later on, she moved to Livonia. Growing up she was into...
I'Esha Mitchell is the newest writer to be welcomed to Downrivers' club of authors. Mitchell has already sold out of her first title, "Malanie, The Perfectly Unique Swan!", and is waiting patiently for the next shipment. Malanie tells the story of a young swan, finding herself in the world that Mitchell has created. Malanie lives in a community of beautiful swans, where everyone shares the same physical attributes. Like most of Mitchell's audience, Malanie was born different from the bunch....
The 2020 season was a very unique one for every high school in the country. Games were canceled, seasons cut short, and extended at the same time. Some games leaked into the new year. The pandemic paused the program. But it didn't keep the River Rouge Panthers out of the MHSAA championship. The Panthers of Rouge fell short to the Panthers of DeWitt in a January MHSAA championship bout. Now, River Rouge is back into full stride, and ready to move forward. The Panthers first game will be against...
Shotcallerz barber shop has had a reputation of making their customers crispy. You come in one way, and you're guaranteed to leave out looking and feeling different. Markeisha Ezell is keeping the tradition alive. She is setting up shop for Kezell's By Shotcallaz. A boutique will specialize in embroidery, and sublimation work. Kezell's grand opening is set for July, but Markeisha has already made orders of facemasks, and shirts. Markeisha is no stranger to hard work. During the pandemic she...
Specialist Bakers Bible & Bookstore has been a valuable resource for communities, across the community of Detroit. The white building on Grand River Ave., and the corner of Woodside has been in service since November of 1993. The history of the man who keeps it running stretches longer than that. Mr. Baker was born in Alabama in 1932*. There he lived through the normal prosecution blacks faced in those times. His family migrated north, to Detroit where he learned the ways of the city. Baker...
f you asked me the name of the book I'm reading, and I answered, "Completely Naked", you'll be fair to assume I'm indulging in a piece of erotic fiction. Especially if you've done your research, you would discover the author's previous title is, In Between These Sheets. Despite what it sounds like, I can assure you Completely Naked is not your typical hedonistic story of passion and fun. In Completely Naked, Cleveland author, Jameel Davis, fulfills the literature's namesake. He gets naked, and...
n the year 1977 there was a young man who had a dream. A motive outside of his hometown of Des Moine Iowa. This young man had lost his father as a child, and lived under the leadership of his mother until the age of seventeen. After then, and only with his mother's permission, he was able to enlist in the United States Marine Corps. He was growing up, becoming his own man, and putting himself in the places he felt he needed to be. Despite his mother's worries and wishes, he signed up to be an...
4 was more than a year in time. 2020 was a thing that happened to the world. 2020 happened and most of the world didn't see it coming. Individuals like Tyrone Carter didn't have time to see it coming. His duty as Michigan State Representative is to defend the unforeseen punches of 2020, and every second behind it. Carter has done what he could in 2020, and has thoroughly moved on to the present. The District Six Representative's hands are full with what 2021 has to offer. Tyrone's schedule...
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and the men and women who built it did not learn the skills overnight. These people centuries ago belonged to a special, underrecognized, but omnipotent group of individuals. This group still exists and thrives in the world we inhibit today. Engineers are the aforementioned club that has built Rome, and everything else around it. It did not happen in a day, but Russell Hughes has earned the title of engineer. He grew up spending time across River Rouge and Ecorse. R...
In 2021 I will be twenty-eight years old. I've had my driver's license since I was seventeen years old. I wrote my first article for the Telegram Newspaper ten years ago. There are sixteen years of formal, and accredited education under my belt. My experiences are grains in the bottom of an hourglass compared to Dr. Ingrid Wilson-Johnson. Dr. Wilson-Johnson's life started in River Rouge, in an era many say the city will never get back. Dr. Wilson-Johnson had a long journey to become a doctor....
Everything about last year, and the upcoming years ahead will be called nothing short of historical. The year, 2019 ended with River Rouge earning its first State Title against the Muskegon Big Reds. During the 2020 season, the Panthers played well to maintain their reputation. But the Covid-19 Pandemic placed a halt on all sports, causing devastating damage to programs throughout the state. As pandemic restrictions started to lift, the football season resumed. River Rouge fought its way through...
There are a plethora of gaps that exist among the people in America. The wealth gap is what's spoken of on the front line, but it's only the tip of the iceberg; or just another block in the stack. Wealth does not come easy. It's either built or passed down. In certain areas of our country, there is no wealth to pass down, because there is no wealth to start with. Imagine playing a game of Monopoly, only to start with no cash, and hardly getting a turn at the dice. Tarence Wheeler has played the...
There is a box of treasure hidden under River Rouge. Hordes of people travel for sports, food, and entertainment in the city has skyrocketed over recent years. The fact that has taken the region by storm, is fashion. Ladies fashion in particular. River Rouge's own social butterfly, T'Kay Montaque had spearheaded this movement way before it was the fashionable thing to do. Montaque's lifestyle has naturally led her to the spotlight, and the position she holds today. While attending River Rouge...
Due to the fact that I don't have any children of my own, it's always a holiday or rare occasion in which I can read a children's book. The last time I got to read a children's book was for a series I did in 2018. There's many things I learned during that month two years ago. This week I have been blessed with the opportunity to break that streak. Author, entrepreneur, educator, and literary enthusiast Stephanie Fazekas (S.F.) Hardy is back to take her place among the bookshelves with her new...
Black people, in America have been fighting for the rights and resources to own business since the day our chains were taken off. Black businesses are important to the communities they are meant to serve. Black owned businesses create a skill building infrastructure that gives employment, boosts the economy, and fulfills the needs of the community. Practicing business as a black person in America has never been an easy thing to do. Most of the same hurdles that apply in education, healthcare,...
Small towns have their reputations. Some good, some bad, some false, some true. A small town's biggest fable is that it breeds once in a lifetime talents. Some individuals are destined to outgrow the boundaries of their one horse town. They inspire to move outside their city's small boundaries, and change whatever new world awaits them. Malik Boynton is one of those small town legends. An original product of River Rouge, Boynton has always had a natural talent in athleticism. He participated on...
