Charlie LeDuff finally catches up with Detroit's Fire Commissioner. Fred Wheeler gives the reporter the silent treatment.

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Detroit & how to deal with the Charlie LeDuff's of the world will be part of the discussion in Room 125-126 on Thursday at 1:30 PM at FDIC.

I ask this week as I asked last week, when will they learn? Charlie LeDuff isn't going away. And either are the Detroit Fire Department's image problems if this is how they deal with the bad news.

It doesn't matter that you don't like Charlie LeDuff or any other reporter. A public official refusing to talk to reporters who have questions about legitimate stories is only asking to be ambushed. That's exactly what happened to Commissioner Fred Wheeler.

A public official who then gives that reporter the silent treatment while the reporter and a photographer are chasing after him down the street isn't going to look very good on television. That is also what happened to Commissioner Wheeler.

LeDuff wants answers about another broken down ambulance on an emergency call and information on whether Commissioner Wheeler is meeting the city's residency requirements for appointed officials.

If Commissioner Wheeler and anyone else guiding how the city responds to bad news hasn't figured it out yet, Charlie LeDuff probably isn't going away. The same old tactics for dealing with LeDuff aren't working. What was Einstein's quote about insanity?

Part of turning Detroit's major problems around is winning over the hearts and minds of the public and letting them know it is no longer business as usual. Stories like this don't give you much confidence that anything is really different.

If they can't get rid of LeDuff, someone better figure out how to deal with him. Here's a suggested start: answer the man's questions honestly and openly.