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Bill Would Disclose Names of State Officials, Lawmakers Named in Sexual Harassment Settlements
by Laina G. Stebbins, Michigan Advance
A pair of Michigan House bills would shed light on any future sexual harassment or sexual assault settlements entered into as a result of accusations against state legislators and top Michigan…
As Staff Repeatedly Refuse Shelter to Victims of Domestic/Sexual Violence, SafeHouse Center Holds Fundraiser
by P.D. Lesko
There are public calls for the Board members to step down. The Executive Director is on administrative leave. The non-profit facility, in photos and videos taken by residents, staff and interns, has been shown to be unsafe…
County Commission Passes Emergency $75K in Funding to Help Women Made Homeless by SafeHouse
At an October 6, 2021 meeting of the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners, County Administrator Greg Dill informed the Commissioners that there would soon be an announcement about "interim leadership" at SafeHouse Center. Dill not only…
Mayor Pushes Council to Protect and Reward John Fournier, Subject of Allegations by City Hall Whistleblower
by P.D. Lesko
An anonymous source emailed MLive's government reporter a copy of a complaint submitted by a whistleblower who is among the ranks of Ann Arbor's upper management. In the complaint, the whistleblower alleged to members of…
Judge Cedric Simpson Refuses to Rescind $3M Bond For Alleged Kidnapper and Rapist Jeffrey Dwayne Smith
by P.D. Lesko
On Sept. 19, Jeffrey Dwayne Smith, 47, of Flatrock, Michigan, was arraigned in 14A-1 District Court before Magistrate Elisha A. Fink. Smith was charged with one count of sexual assault, as well as two counts of domestic…
MDHHS Officials Say SafeHouse Executive Director’s Public Claim of State “Oversight” is Not True
by P.D. Lesko
SafeHouse Executive Director Barbara Niess-May has repeatedly told elected officials and the public a March 2021 MDHHS Division of Victim Services quality assurance report issued once every five years is proof that "the…
Elected Officials Must Ask the Michigan AG to Launch an Investigation into SafeHouse
Local and county elected officials must ask Michigan AG Dana Nessel to investigate SafeHouse Center, its Executive Director and its Board of Directors. Here's why: purported public fraud by the non-profit.
On September 22, the…
In Public Statement, Eleven Elected Officials in Washtenaw County Chastise SafeHouse Center Board of Directors
by P.D. Lesko
Update 9/26/21: Ann Arbor Council member Elizabeth Nelson (D-Ward 4) signed the letter.
Efforts by the Executive Director and Board members of SafeHouse Center to hire a Miller-Canfield lawyer and conduct a quiet…
Alleged Assailant of Survivor Evicted by SafeHouse Jailed on $3M Cash Surety Bond
by P.D. Lesko
Jeffrey Dwayne Smith. Photo | The Ann Arbor Independent
On Sept. 19, Jeffrey Dwayne Smith, 47, of Flatrock, Michigan, was arraigned in 14A-1 District Court before Magistrate Elisha A. Fink. Smith was charged with one…
Ann Arbor Council Member Sends Open Letter to SafeHouse Executive Director Barbara Niess-May
by Council member Katherine J. Griswold, MBA, MSW
Hello Barbara Niess-May,
SafeHouse provides a critical service in our community. Per its mission: to provide safety, support, advocacy and resources for survivors of sexual assault…