an offer she couldn’t refuse
— the opportunity to lead
a station, something she’d
always wanted to do. Drutz
has received many hon-
ors for her work including
Emmy Awards and being
named Broadcasting &
Cable’s General Manager
of the Year. A multiplica-
tion buff, she figures she’s
driven to and from work at
least 20,000 times — even
throughout the COVID-19
pandemic — when she went
to work every day to be
alongside her team.
To celebrate her trailblaz-
ing, fearless and compas-

sionate leadership, Channel
4 recently threw a retirement
party for Drutz in a tent
outside the station featuring
an appearance by the Detroit
Youth Choir of America’s Got
Talent fame. She says she and
her husband plan to stay in
Detroit but will likely spend
winters in a warmer climate.
The next chapter of her
career will focus on nonprof-
it work.
“I have a strong desire to
give back to the community,
particularly helping Detroit-
area organizations,” she said.
“This is a part of my life I’m
really looking forward to.”

Marla Drutz and
Rhonda Walker at her
retirement party

A

American journalist
Danny Fenster is back
home in Huntington
Woods after having spent 176
days in a Myanmar prison.
The good news came early
Monday, Nov. 15, from for-
mer New Mexico governor
Bill Richardson, who had been
visiting the country on a human-
itarian mission regarding the
COVID-19 pandemic.
A Myanmar military spokes-
person confirmed Fenster had
been “released and deported.
”
According to a statement
released by Richardson, Fenster
traveled through Quatar on his
multi-day journey back to the
United States.
“This is the day that you
hope will come when you do this
work,
” Richardson said in a state-
ment emailed from his office.
“We are so grateful that Danny
will finally be able to reconnect
with his loved ones, who have
been advocating for him all this
time, against immense odds.
”
Richardson is known for trav-
eling to nations where the U.S.
has poor diplomatic relations to
obtain the freedom of detained
Americans.


The news came just days after
Fenster, the managing editor of
the online magazine Frontier
Myanmar, was sentenced to 11
years in prison by a military
court for spreading false or
inflammatory information, con-
tacting illegal organizations and
violating visa regulations.
The Fenster family released the
following in a statement: “We
are overjoyed that Danny has
been released and is on his way
home — we cannot wait to hold
him in our arms.
“We are tremendously grate-
ful to all the people who have
helped secure his release, espe-
cially Ambassador Richardson,
as well as our friends and the
public who have expressed their
support and stood by our sides
as we endured these long and
difficult months.
“I don’t know how we could
ever express our gratitude. On
behalf of the Fenster-Racey-
Kurzweil families, we say
THANK YOU and we love you
so much.
”

The Detroit Jewish News is working
on a full-length feature about Danny
Fenster. Look for it in the Dec. 2 issue.

Journalist held in Myanmar prison is
back home in Huntington Woods.

Welcome Home,
Danny Fenster!

JACKIE HEADAPOHL DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL

NOVEMBER 18 • 2021 | 23

THE RICHARDSON CENTER

Former U..S
Ambassador to the
UN Bill Richardson,
right, poses with
journalist Danny
Fenster in Naypyitaw,
Myanmar, on Monday
following his release
from prison.