With the 2026 Mackinac Policy Conference underway, politicians, policymakers and journalists are gathering on Mackinac Island this week to discuss major issues facing Michigan and metro Detroit. 

WDET’s Russ McNamara heard about how Michigan’s leadership is handling big issues like gridlock in the state congress, data centers and international conflict. Read some of the key takeaways from today’s interviews and press conferences. 

Gary Peters on the war in Iran 

The ongoing war with Iran has led to a substantial rise in the cost of living. Oil prices rose sharply after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz 

Michigan U.S. Senator Gary Peters says higher diesel prices are only one part of the problem. 

“You’ve got a third of the fertilizer that goes through the Strait of Hormuz. That’s why food prices are going up dramatically,” Peters said. “Farmers are scrambling to try to get fertilizer, and it’s a whole lot more expensive.” 

Peters says the U.S. will be dealing with economic fall out for a long time, and that the attack on Iran was poorly thought out and hastily executed.  

Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill today that provides $150 million in state money to support upgrades to Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Southeast Michigan. 

According to Peters, the money will help support a new mission for the base and unlock federal funding for further improvements.  

“The really important, exciting thing about it is that because of this seed money… we’re going to bring in nearly $800 million from the federal government,” says Peters. “So we’re going to have the best Air National Guard base in the country.” 

The base is set to get a new fighter jet and air tanker mission. The defense industry adds more than $30 billion to the state economy each year, according to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. 

Ranjeev Puri wants to see programs continue under next state budget

The budget process in the Michigan House is on a much better track than last year. 

House Minority Leader Ranjeev Puri says the political will is there to get the budget done on time this year.  

“Last year, noticeably, the speaker dragged the budget out well past the constitutional deadline into September, October,” Puri says. “This year, I think there is a motivation to try to get it done on time.” 

Republican Matt Hall held up a lot of the process during his first year as speaker of the House, hoping to send a political message and drive cuts. The deadline to present budget bills to the governor is July 1. 

Representative Puri says Hall is motivated to get a budget done this year so legislators can hit the campaign trail. 

Democrats have a two-seat advantage in the Michigan Senate and Republicans have a six-seat advantage in the House, so a drawn out budget fight is unlikely. 

Democrats are ready to fight to keep things like the RX Kids program for infants and new moms, states Puri. “If we’ve gotten to a place in our political discourse that’s saying that newborns are waste, fraud and abuse, we’re just not going to agree.” 

Puri says another program Democrats see as a sticking point is universal free school meals. 

He praises the state for setting a standard by guaranteeing breakfast and lunch to public school students. “I think that’s something we should take a lot of pride in, just being able to make sure that kids are learning on a full belly.” 

Hall has been critical of the free meal program, and tried to have it cut last year. He targeted mostly social programs for cuts while championing a rollback of the state’s property tax and education tax as a broader drawdown of state spending. 

DTE Energy plans energy storage for data centers 

DTE Energy is using battery energy storage to help provide power for planned data centers – including one in Saline Township.  

LG Energy Solution Vertech will provide energy storage with batteries manufactured in Holland, Michigan. DTE Energy CEO Joi Harris says they’re hoping to get the project completed by the end of next year.  

“It’s not a matter of if these projects will come to fruition – it’s when,” says Harris. “And when the first data center project we’re supporting comes online, expected by the end of 2027, our intention is to pause rate increase for at least two years.” 

Harris said the battery storage facilities will be located near the data center. 

“It’s not going to be on the Saline footprint. It will be built outside the Saline area. And this is clean generation,” Harris said. “What this does is allow us to take excess electrons off the grid and dispatch them as needed.” 

Residents in Saline Township and nearby areas have largely been against the data center despite potential economic benefits. The project was approved by the Michigan Public Service Commission and has moved forward with construction after Saline settled in a lawsuit.

DTE Energy says the battery energy storage represents a $1.6 billion investment. 

DTE Energy is requesting another large rate increase, just weeks after its last increase was approved.  The Detroit utility is asking for another $474 million to pay for infrastructure improvements.  The Michigan Public Service Commission approved a DTE rate increase of $242 million dollars in February.  

If granted, the new proposed hike would add roughly 10% to the average resident’s utility bills.   DTE filed the new request on Tuesday. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel says she will intervene in the case. 

Additional headlines for Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Detroit Regional Chamber releases poll 

The Detroit Regional Chamber has released a new poll showing the current state of primary races in the state.  

The survey, conducted by the Glengariff Group, shows Congressman John James leading all other Republican candidates running for governor in Michigan.  Perry Johnson and Mike Cox are second and third, respectively.  In the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate, Congresswoman Haley Stevens leads the race, with Abdul El-Sayed and Mallory McMorrow following.  

And just a reminder: a poll shows a snapshot in time.  It does not indicate future events.  Michigan’s primary elections take place on August 4.  

Highland Park CSO charges examined  

The city of Highland Park says it’s calling for a closer examination of its combined sewage overflow costs.  The city says it’s joining with other suburbs and the Great Lakes Water Authority to form a task force.  The purpose will be to find out why overflow rates are 10 times more than expected.  Highland Park is requesting an adjustment of $1.5 million for this year’s combined sewage overflow charges.  The task force is scheduled to meet in Dearborn on May 8th. 

No word on Gordie opening  

Metro Detroiters are still waiting for the Gordie Howe International Bridge to open – and there’s no word on when that might happen.  

U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra tells the Detroit News that there are still issues that need to be worked out in the agreement between the two countries before the new span can begin operations.  

President Trump threatened months ago to stall the opening of the bridge.  Canada paid the full cost of construction.  Michigan is set to get a share of revenue generated by the bridge, once Canada’s costs are covered.   

Gas prices jump (again) 

Gas prices in metro Detroit continue to rise quickly.  The average for a gallon of regular gas is now $4.25.  That’s up 6 cents from Tuesday.  

The price is 45 cents per gallon more than just a week ago.  Analysts say crude oil prices remain high because of the war in Iran, but refinery problems here in the Midwest are adding to the steep price increases.   

Pistons try to stave off playoff elimination 

The Detroit Pistons face playoff elimination if they don’t win tonight.  The team plays the Orlando Magic in game five of a best of seven series tonight.  Orlando leads the series three games to one.  

The Pistons finished the regular season with the best record in the NBA’s Eastern Conference, but they’ve failed to carry that dominance into the playoffs.  

Game five takes place tonight at 7 p.m. at Little Caesars Arena.  The game will not be televised.  You can watch it on Prime Video or listen to it on WWJ radio. 

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Activists in Ypsilanti Township keep fighting to halt a data center development associated with nuclear weapons research.

Stop the Data Center members gathered following an anonymous tip about a potential groundbreaking ceremony in South Hydro Park in Ypsi Township. So far, construction details for the $1.2 billion data center have been kept under wraps by University of Michigan and Los Alamos National Laboratory officials. 

Elizabeth Jordan is a spokesperson with Stop the Data Center. She says the facility will have several buildings, including one for nuclear weapons research that will need so much energy that a new DTE substation will need to be built on location. 

“One of the buildings will account for 10% of the energy, serving as a small data center for University of Michigan to lease, while the remaining 90% will power a much larger, top-secret military data center authorized for Los Alamos to conduct nuclear weapons research,” says Jordan.

Local officials are also against the data center’s construction in Ypsilanti Township. Jordan says the political influence of the University of Michigan could move the project forward despite existing zoning restrictions and widespread local opposition. 

Jordan says Stop the Data will continue to monitor the site closely, and host monthly public meetings. 

“[Stop the Data Center] is on Instagram…we also have big monthly meetings. The next one is May 9 at 2 p.m… it’s in North Hydro Park, right across the river,” Jordan says. 

Many Metro Detroiters were awakened by severe thunderstorms overnight, with heavy rain, lightning and thunder moving through the region in the early morning hours. Tornado warnings were issued for Washtenaw, Wayne and Monroe counties.

Damage was reported to buildings, trees and power lines in Lincoln Park and Ann Arbor. The National Weather Service is expected to survey the area to determine whether a tornado touched down.

The storms made for a difficult morning commute. Flooding on I-75 just north of downtown Detroit forced a freeway closure, with some traffic backups lasting up to two hours.
Downed power lines also led to traffic signal outages across Metro Detroit. DTE Energy reported roughly 20,000 homes and businesses without power by mid-morning.

Additional headlines for April 15, 2026

University of Michigan president-elect steps aside after cancer diagnosis

The University of Michigan’s president-elect will not take the job after being diagnosed with brain cancer.

Kent Syverud said he received the diagnosis after not feeling well last week and is now undergoing treatment in Michigan. Syverud, currently chancellor at Syracuse University, was hired in January and was set to become Michigan’s president on May 11.

Instead, he will join the university as a professor at the law school and serve as an adviser to the Board of Regents. Interim President Domenico Grasso will remain in the role while the board searches for a new leader. (AP)

DTE to host community resource fair in Highland Park

DTE Energy will host its first open house and community resource fair in Highland Park on Thursday.

The utility says the event will help residents better understand their energy bills and connect them with resources, including the United Way of Southeast Michigan, for assistance.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at New Grace Missionary Baptist Church on Ford Street.

Michigan updates air quality alert system after wildfire smoke

Michigan is changing how it communicates air quality issues to residents.

According to Planet Detroit, the state is streamlining its system after smoke from Canadian wildfires affected air quality in Metro Detroit last year and in 2023.

The state will now issue an air quality alert when fine particulate matter or ozone levels reach the “orange” range on the federal Air Quality Index, indicating air that is unhealthy for sensitive groups. Previously, alerts were issued at the “red” level, when air quality was considered unhealthy.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services recommends using an air purifier, running air conditioning and installing a MERV-13 air filter to reduce exposure to wildfire smoke.

Tax Day is here

April 15 is Tax Day, meaning the deadline to file income taxes is just hours away for those who have not yet submitted their returns.

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