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Detroit Evening Report: Severe storms hit metro Detroit
Severe storms raced through metro Detroit Tuesday, bringing strong winds, heavy rains and even hail. Streets throughout Detroit were left with large puddles, causing drivers to avoid them. Wind gusts knocked down trees and broke limbs in some places.
The canopy of a gas station on Detroit’s west side was knocked over by the winds, forcing its closure. The Mobil station at Plymouth and Hubbell remains out of operation today.
Additional headlines for Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Mary Waters disqualified
Detroit City Councilwoman Mary Waters announced last month that she was running for Congress in Michigan’s 13th District. She made the announcement just before the filing deadline. But Waters has now been disqualified from running for failing to gather sufficient petition signatures.
Waters tried to run for the job in 2024, but came in second to incumbent Shri Thanedar in that year’s Democratic primary. She was re-elected to Detroit City Council last year.
Congressman Thanedar is running against State Representative Donovan McKinney in this year’s August primary election.
Mackinac Policy Conference preview
Politicians, industry leaders and philanthropists are making last-minute preparations for the Mackinac Policy Conference. They’ll travel to Mackinac Island next week to network, discuss policy and learn from one another.
The annual event is held by the Detroit Regional Chamber. Speakers will include Governor Gretchen Whitmer, former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and Professor Cornel West. There will also be a debate between the Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate.
You can hear coverage of the Mackinac Policy Conference on WDET beginning Tuesday, May 26.
Gas prices drop slightly, but still hurt
Metro Detroit gas prices have fallen slightly in the past few days, but are still nearly two dollars per gallon higher than they were at the beginning of this year. The average price for a gallon of self-serve unleaded in the area is now $4.74. That’s down eight cents from a week ago.
Motorists planning to head out on the road for the Memorial Day holiday weekend should still plan for prices that remain near $5 per gallon. AAA says Michigan is one of the 10 most expensive states when it comes to gas right now.
NAACP calls for sports boycott
The NAACP is calling on college athletes to boycott southern schools in response to a Supreme Court decision impacting the Voting Rights Act. NBC News reports the civil rights organization launched the “Out of Bounds” campaign this week.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled recently that using race to create two majority Black Congressional districts in Louisiana was unconstitutional.
The NAACP is asking Black recruits to withhold their commitments to attend certain colleges, most of which are in the NCAA’s Southeastern Conference. The boycott could have a financial effect via national sports television deals, ticket sales and alumni gifts.
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