All of the recent efforts to get Detroit kids in school –and stay there—are paying off. Detroit Public Schools (DPS) Emergency Financial Manager Roy Roberts on Thursday released the latest enrollment reports for the district’s 100 schools showing daily attendance has reached at 90 percent.

As of Tuesday, 51,674 students have attended school in DPS this fall, surpassing the adopted fiscal year 2012-13 budget’s forecast, which is based on a fall term enrollment of 49,852. The newly released attendance numbers could surpass the fall term budgeted forecast based on student head count. “I continue to witness that attitudes are different across our schools this year,” Roberts said. “This is based on an overall positive direction moving forward, a smooth start operationally and academically for the new school year.”

Roberts also attributed the climbing enrollment to comprehensive efforts by parents and community members in late summer geared to ensure parent and family readiness for the first day of school. That’s in addition to a number of new initiatives to keep kids in class. One of these is a new automated calling system, which notifies families if a student misses even one class a day. To date this system has logged more than 177,000 calls, keeping parents in touch with their child’s attendance.

To help boost enrollment, more than 50 ministers’ wives and widows participated in the new presence mission at DPS on Opening Day. Community involvement in DPS enrollment spiked this year with Detroit Parent Network parent organizers and parent volunteers exceeding 2,000 and DPS enrollment teams present at 100 local events in August.

DPS now has assigned 41 attendance agents whose job is to address absences as they happen. Roberts urges parents and guardians of students who have not returned to classes this fall or who have poor attendance to act now so students don’t fall behind at this crucial point in the academic year. While Tuesday’s enrollment numbers are not set in stone—final count data for the October 3 Term Count dates have not been released yet— the news comes as another positive step forward for DPS.

As enrollment and attendance climbs in the district, so will funds. The enrollment and attendance boost directly connected to community and family involvement according to Roberts, who highly encourages and welcomes those interested with plenty ways to get involved at schools throughout the city.

After appearing alongside her sisters on WEtv’s hit original series, Braxton Family Values, Tamar Braxton is set to break off into her own limelight, alongside husband Vincent Herbert, in the aptly titled series, Tamar & Vince.

Aiming to keep viewers entertained with her sassiness, the 10-episode spinoff revolves around the couple’s rigorous schedule of balancing their three year marriage in addition to a wide variety of career driven goals.

During a recent interview with the Huffington Post, we caught up with the singer-songwriter as she opened up on the new series and recording her as-yet-untitled Streamline/Interscope Records release.

After landing success with Braxton Family Values, what inspired you and Vince to do your very own spin off show?

Well the number one thing would be the fans. They really wanted to know who Tamar really is, and how does Vince put up with this loud mouth, opinionated young woman? And then the network wanted us to do the show. At first we were like, “I don’t think so.” It took a lot, but then we decided to do it, because we felt it was necessary to show all sides of us.

Have you experienced any challenges shooting the show?

The only con is a lot of people might not agree how Vince and I conduct our relationship. We work together every single day, we’re together all the time. We’re pretty much velcro. And he manages me, so it’s a lot. The way we decide to communicate and what works for us, a lot of people won’t agree with that.

This season will show you recording your new album. How has the process been?

I love the records that I have recorded so far. Every time I record a new record Vince wants to change the single. [Laughs] And that’s great news, because if he didn’t like it he wouldn’t be so keen on listening to it all the time like he does. So I’m just really proud of the work that I’ve done.

During the first episode you’re seen recording the track, Get Your Life. Are you still planning on releasing it as the first single as mentioned?

Oh no, that’s not the first single. [Laughs] They actually just put the first single back two weeks. And I just found out that he [Vince] doesn’t know what the single is going to be.

While Vince also serves as Lady Gaga’s manager, are there any plans on recording material with her for the album?

Not on my album right now, no. And it’s not because I’m not a fan, I’m a fan of hers. It’s just that I’ve been waiting my whole life to put out this record, and Gaga would be a great addition to it. But for right now I just want to do things just with me, my way. No features.

Is there tentative title and release date for the album?

That’s still up in the air as well. It just keeps changing.

Since you’re making progress with your recording career, does that also change your stance on becoming a mother?

Honestly, I definitely want to do that. And I wouldn’t have gone through the whole IVF process if I didn’t want to do that. It’s just that the hormones were so much at one time. Looking back on it, I kind of wish that I was in the right frame of mind, because I would’ve done it right then and there. I’m just starting to feel like my old self again within the past couple of weeks.

I just felt like after the IVF process there were some things that were very important to me that I accomplished just as a woman and as a person just to show my kids by example, not just by telling them. I never want my kids to feel like I’m just some housewife who was just kicking it with my husband, because that’s not the kind of woman that I am. If I don’t do things for myself then how am I going to show my kids? So that’s why we decided to wait.

Can fans expect any of your sisters to make an appearance on the show?

No, my sisters are not on the series, and it’s not because of me. [Laughs] We just wanted to show the real side of Tamar and Vince. And when we are together they are not around, like right now they’re not here. They’re about to go to Italy. They’re not thinking about me.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/20/tamar--vince-tamar-braxton-new-show-becoming-a-mother_n_1901880.html?utm_hp_ref=black-voices

MGM Grand Detroit on Thursday celebrated the grand opening of TAP, a sports-themed restaurant offering micro-brew beers, traditional pub fare and Midwest-inspired comfort food. “We’re thrilled to see the vision for TAP come to life,” said Steve Zanella, general manager of MGM Grand Detroit. “Our food and beverage experts have put together a menu that guests will find very satisfying.”

The restaurant’s décor offers a glimpse of Detroit’s past with museum-quality collectables from Detroit’s sports teams while maintaining a lively environment for music and sports enthusiasts. TAPS is the perfect place for game-day viewings with more than 40 HD flat-screen televisions in the restaurant. TAP’s beverage menu is geared to please beer-lovers, featuring a year-round curated collection of more than 30 beers on tap. But there’s something for everyone on TAP’s own specialty drink menu featuring seasonal wines and spirits.

A lively collection of sports memorabilia is artfully displayed in the new eatery, providing a casual, yet captivating atmosphere. The collection includes authentic artifacts not only from Detroit’s baseball, basketball, football and hockey teams, but other sports traditions such as hydroplane racing, wrestling and boxing. The knockout bout between Jake LaMotta and Sugar Ray Robinson at Olympia and the Detroit Lions moment of silence on the field after President John Kennedy’s assassination are just two examples of the one-of-a-kind images guests will find at TAP.

Chef Fershone Steen is the creative force behind TAP’s menu as he brings more than 20 years of culinary experience to the restaurant, including leadership roles in popular Midwest dining establishments such as Bonefish Grille, Buca di Beppo and Romano’s Macaroni Grill. This week, Steen and his culinary team have unveiled a menu that celebrates Detroit’s dining history while serving up a modern twist on pub classics. Highlights include the TAP Classic Burger, savory wings, and comforting fried mac-and-cheese sticks.

TAP’s design concept captures the city’s industrial age with interiors made of concrete, wood and steel. Pressed tin ceilings and reclaimed wine barrel tables add to the distinctive feel of the space. The kitchen, situated near the bar, will establish a connection with guests, allowing them to watch as chefs prepare food as it is served. “Our designers have created an interior that’s reminiscent of the city’s early days, yet hip and modern,” Zanella said. “It’s a recipe for a good time.”

Regular hours of operation at TAP at MGM Grand Detroit are 4 p.m. – 2 a.m. Monday – Sunday. Lunch is available at 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Thursday – Sunday. During football season, TAP will open at 10 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Opening statements started today in the corruption trial of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. Prosecutors begin to outline how city contractor and co-defendant Bobby Ferguson, made millions of dollars through rigged bids. Allegedly assisting in these fraudulent bids along with Kwame Kilpatrick were co-defendants, Victor Mercado and Kilpatrik’s father Benard Kilpatrick.

Among the allegedly bids they profited from, according to prosecutors, was in connection with a Sterling Heights sewer collapse in 2004 that took months to repair. Defense lawyers tried unsuccessfully to have this trial moved out of Detroit, arguing that heavy media coverage of the case had tainted the jury pool. Judge Nancy Denied a motion for a change of venue on Thursday.

The Kilpatricks are also accused of shaking down contractors who wanted business from Detroit city hall. All of the defendants have pleaded not guilty to charges of racketeering, bribery and extortion. Kilpatrick was mayor until 2008 when he resigned in the unrelated text-messaging scandal.