The Neighborhood Newsroom

Author: Aly Bates A signal one has been issued for 1st, 5th and 6th district police officers in the state of Michigan ahead of today’s rally and march for Samuel Dajon Sterling. A 25 year old father and rapper who was killed by a Sergeant Detective of the Michigan State Police. According to the broadcast from Allegan County the signal one, which means mayday/ emergency, has been issued “based upon potential for civil unrest against all law enforcement in the Grand Rapids area.” The advisory is in effect from Friday, April 19th at 5:00PM to Monday, April 22nd at 8:00AM. All community members planning on attending today’s march have been advised to keep their heads on a swivel and stay safe during today’s action. Justice for Samuel Dajon Sterling.

  Author: Aly Bates @alytheeactivist                                                                                       Full Image Gallery Here Yesterday afternoon a group of determined community members flooded the streets of downtown Grand Rapids united in the name of justice for Patrick Lyoya. A 26 year old Congolese refugee who lost his life at the hands of former Grand Rapids Police Officer, Christopher Schurr. The march organized by the Comrades Collective began at Fish Ladder Park around 2:30 PM, drawing a crowd of a little over 50 people, including Patrick’s parents and brothers.  Before taking to the streets organizers made sure to hold a moment of silence to honor not only Patrick Lyoya but also Tiffany Parnell, a local activist and revolutionary who t...

A water main break near Leonard St NE and Union Avenue NE has caused over 20,000 homes and businesses in the Grand Rapids area to experience a water crisis, leaving community members frustrated and struggling without access to safe drinking water. It all started on Sunday, March 17th, when a water main broke in a remote area. Around 1:30 pm, an emergency alert notified residents East of 131 and North of Hall Street of the water boil advisory. Although the broken main has since been fixed, the city is still in the process of flushing the system and testing the water for safety. Officials state that this entire process could take days. And warn that its unlikely that the issue will be fixed by Wednesday. Residents affected by the crisis have been urged by city officials to boil their water for at least two minutes before using it, to kill any harmful bacteria. To attest to the importance of boiling the water, a resident who unfortunately consumed the contaminated water on accident has re...