A car crashed and rolled over onto the sidewalk outside of Detroit’s federal courthouse on Nov. 24.

The vehicle jumped the curb, hit the poll, and rolled over but did not hit the building. The driver, though, has been treated for injuries after being rescued with the Jaws of Life. As disastrous as the accident seems, it “doesn’t seem to be anything more” than a typical crash, court spokesman Rod Hansen told MLive.

“The only thing I know about it is what I’m told,” said Hansen. “The car was north on Shelby, apparently going way too fast, tried to make a left-hand turn onto Fort and didn’t quite make it and hit the light pole right in front of the entrance and apparently flipped the car over.”

Though not much is known about the cause of the accident, Click On Detroit reports that the driver may have suffered a medical emergency.

Car accidents happen frequently — too frequently — but accidents caused by medical emergencies seldom occur. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that the percentage of drivers in crashes precipitated by their medical emergencies while driving are relatively rare, accounting for only 1.3% of all drivers. The most common reason for car accidents nowadays is distracted driving. Data from 2013 shows that distracted driving accidents claimed the lives of more than 3,100 people and injured about 424,000 more.

The most common medical emergencies that led to car accidents were seizures, blackouts, or diabetic reactions, which precipitated about 84% of the drivers who got into an accident because of their medical conditions. In the majority (85%) of incidents, the crashes were single-car accidents, while only 17% involved another driver. Drivers with medical conditions were also found to be more likely than other drivers to be more severely injured or to die as a result of the accident.

The best success stories feature someone who’s willing and excited to give back, especially to the community that they grew up in and are in many ways influenced by. Add Craig Sasser, 63, to the list of such candidates.

Sasser, a real estate developer and current CEO of Moneta Energy LLC who recently moved back from Los Angeles, announced on Nov. 19 his plans for a $200 million investment project to revitalize Detroit’s historic and abandoned Lee Plaza Residential Hotel, according to DetroitNews.com.

“Development has always been in my heart, when you see a good project, you know it,” Sasser, who grew up in Detroit, said. “This is a symbol of the shame and decline of what we as citizens have allowed to happen to our city. We can’t blame others. We are the solution.”

The building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, was built in 1927 as a luxury residential hotel and closed in the 1990s as a low-income senior living residence. Sasser wants to turn the 17-story structure into a 200-unit luxury apartment building.

His plan to buy the old Lee Plaza also includes the purchasing of two adjoining lots for a reported $258,000 from the Detroit Housing Commission. Ideally, he wants to have the sale finalized by December, the building cleaned out starting in January, and development to begin as soon as possible.

Sasser gave fall 2017 as a projected date for the project to be complete and available to rent a luxury apartment in.

The location of Lee Plaza is well outside the bounds of Detroit’s Midtown and downtown areas, which is where most of the higher-end real estate developments are found. Not only does Sasser plan on equipping the apartments with all the necessary requirements, such as at least one smoke detector per unit, but also additional amenities like renewable energy sources. The housing commission’s executive director, Kelly Lyons confirmed the potential sale to the Detroit Free Press.

“We are excited by Craig’s plans for the building, as well as his commitment to neighborhood involvement in the process,” Lyons said in an e-mail.

“Craig is the first to demonstrate the ability and commitment to close the transaction with the understanding that he must comply with the historic requirements to maintain the historic integrity of Lee Plaza.”

If Midtown and downtown Detroit are the only places where a business can succeed these days, don’t tell that to Detroit Fiber Works. They continue to grow with every passing day, and upcoming development in the area could help them even more.

According to Crain’s Detroit, local fashion boutique Detroit Fiber Works is one of several businesses that is thriving despite what is perceived to be a less-than-appealing location on Livernois Ave.

Mandisa Smith, co-owner of the fashion store, said that her decision to open the store on the historic Avenue of Fashion was mainly cost-influenced, but since she grew up in the area, it was an easy decision to make.

“We have thought about maybe opening in one of the busier areas, but one of the advantages of us opening here was the cost,” Smith said. “In order for us to open in Midtown or downtown, we’d have to spend a lot of money. For us that’s not possible right now. This feels like the right place to be.”

The store opened on the night of the Detroit Design Festival two years ago, which helped expose it to people from all over Detroit. Detroit Fiber Works specializes in handmade clothing and home decor items, which makes it perfect for the trendy Northwest demographic.

Detroit’s fashion scene has been burgeoning as of late, and another local fashion show recently took place in Midtown. According to the Michigan Chronicle, the 12th annual WALK Fashion Show attracted droves of fashionistas once again while raising money for HIV/AIDS awareness.

While Detroit Fiber Works and the WALK show feature high-end fashion, there are shops offering more practical threads that have also seen recent success in the Northwest.

John Varvatos on Woodward Ave. sells comfortable waxed jeans, leather jackets, and linen t-shirts. Those who wear linen maintain a skin temperature about 3°-4°C below that of their silk or cotton-wearing friends, so those who value function over fashion may skip Detroit Fiber Works and take a trip to Woodward.

No matter where you go, it seems as if Northwest Detroit’s momentum will only continue to grow. Several new restaurants are set to open in the area, and Mandisa Smith is preparing for a new wave of loyal customers to discover her store.

“We’re confident it’s just a matter of time before people know that we’re here,” Smith said.

A years-long crackdown on “charity gaming” in Michigan has caused quite a stir in the state; many residents are now wondering, is the crackdown really such a good idea?

As the Detroit Free Press recently reported, the existence of “charity gaming” provides essential funding for a variety of nonprofit and community organization; from youth sports leagues to businesses that pay for social workers to serve Michigan’s poorest residents, many charities depend on the cash that flows in through charity gambling.

Nonprofit organizations often struggle to make ends meet, and it’s estimated that around 72% of U.S. nonprofit revenue comes from programs similar to the charity gaming service regulated by the Michigan Gaming Control Board.

However, in recent years, Michigan’s Gaming Board has been cracking down on charity poker games, especially in Detroit’s three casinos. The Gaming Board has also increased regulation of charity poker events, the Free Press stated, and in 2012 it began going after alleged abusers.

Although some organizations hosting the charity poker events have admitted that there were some “bogus nonprofits” that profited from charity gaming, Philanthropy.com has reported that legitimate nonprofits in Michigan have lost millions in annual revenue because of the Gaming Board’s strict regulations. While chip sales were at $197.3 million in 2011 at charity poker games, this number quickly dropped to $86.3 million in 2014.

This past September, the Detroit Free Press reported that the Gaming Board had been investigating the charity-focused Poker Room at Ledge Meadows Golf Course because, according to the Bingo Act from the 1970s, the golf course was “acting like a casino.”

Since the Gaming Board began tightening regulations in 2012, at least 24 charity gaming locations throughout the state have been shut down.

A local mother is taking her son’s school district to court after he was allegedly abused by a teacher who has since been fired.

According to CBS Detroit, Jennifer Garza filed a civil suit on Monday in Grand Rapids, MI against the Lansing School District and several school officials.

Garza says that her 13-year-old son, who has been diagnosed with autism and attention deficit disorder, suffered physical and emotional abuse at the hands of a special education teacher at Gardner Academy.

The lawsuit alleges that the former teacher named in the suit, Lester Duvall, tossed the child onto the floor and into a bookcase. The boy was left with a concussion, bruising, and a black eye as a result of the incident.

Duvall was fired last year. He was charged with a misdemeanor relating to the alleged assault and fined $300. A telephone number listed for Duvall is no longer in service.

Autism now affects about one in 68 children, and the behavior of these children is often misinterpreted by those who don’t have an understanding of the condition. While Garza’s story sheds light on the mistreatment of autistic children, one local organization is doing its part to help them reach their full potential.

According to Click On Detroit, autism awareness and development center Special Education and Behavioral Connections opened its Detroit office in the spring. They provide custom programs for autistic children that enable them to learn at their own pace in a comfortable setting.

“These children are smart,” said Rev. Dr. Jim Holley, whose church donated an adjacent building to make the program possible. “They learn in a different way, and this is why I feel this is so important for Detroit.”

As for Garza’s lawsuit, there is no timetable for the court proceedings as of yet. District spokesman Robert Kolt said Monday that “it would be inappropriate for the Lansing School District to comment on pending litigation.”