'Heat Wave' In Detroit

Motown star Martha Reeves, known for belting out hits like "Dancing in the Street" and "Heat Wave," is heading for a new stage as a member of the Detroit City Council.

With 99 percent of the precincts reporting Wednesday, she was in eighth place for one of nine seats.

Reeves said she knows she'll be tested in her first term in public office. She received about 5.6 percent of the vote.

"I want to be the voice of the people I spoke to during the campaign days who don't have a voice, who think their opinions don't matter," Reeves said Wednesday.

She said she also wants to help eliminate the city's debt and bring new ideas to Detroit from what she's seen in other cities, such as riverfront development and free parking to attract new businesses. She also said Detroit should pay tribute to its Motown past.

"I'm part of the many Motown musicians ... who have reached fame all over the world. I feel we should be better represented here in Detroit," she said.

Motown legend Smokey Robinson said Wednesday he was excited to hear that Reeves had won a seat on the council.

"Martha is one of my babies," he said. "I'm very happy for her."

With 714 of 720 precincts counted, Reeves had 89,210 votes.

The 64-year-old Reeves, who still travels and performs, was the lead singer of Martha and the Vandellas. Though Diana Ross and the Supremes overshadowed it, Reeves' group had its fair share of Top 10 singles that also included "Nowhere to Run."

Reeves said she plans to continue her singing career.

Monica Conyers, wife of Democratic U.S. Rep. John Conyers, was in second place with 99 percent of the precincts reporting. This is her first successful bid to join the public arena. Three years ago she ran for a vacancy in the state Senate but lost.

Council President Maryann Mahaffey, who announced in September that she will retire after 31 years on the council because she had been diagnosed with chronic, nonfatal T-cell leukemia, finished last among the 18 candidates on the ballot.

It was too late to remove her name from the ballot and had she won a seat, the city would have had to hold a special election at a cost of $1 million to $4 million.