The Great Lakes Water Authority has started building a new tunnel in southwest Detroit. The project will divert excess stormwater from a large sewer line along the Rouge River to a retention and treatment basin nearby.

Potential to address a longstanding problem

GLWA Chief Operating Officer Navid Mehram says the tunnel will reduce the risk of flooding. Additionally, it should mean fewer basement sewage backups during heavy rain. “We’re making an investment in our existing system by rerouting some flows, so that we can leverage an existing facility that wasn’t receiving all the flow it can treat,” Mehram says.

The tunnel will be almost 4,000 feet long and several feet wide. Nehram says GLWA expects to finish the job in 2028. “Our projects are very large,” he says. “This is a tunneling project, which is extremely complicated.” Besides reducing sewage backups, Mehram says the project will also make the system more resilient to heavy rain. “This not only provides us with water quality improvements along the Rouge River, but it can also provide a backup for our Water Resource Recovery Facility,” he says.

Who’s paying for it?

The project will cost $87 million. Mehram says GLWA will use both government grants and sewer rate revenues to pay for it. He says it will not increase customers’ bills.

The recently returned host of Visions, Kaleigh Wilder brings excitement and a broad-spanning perspective to the best of jazz. Always exploring different facets of the genre with a discerning and admiring ear, Kaleigh brings listeners a finely-tuned list of new artists to watch for and re-released favorites from 2025.

Looking back at 2025, she says:

“One of the things that had me excited all year, really since March, was the fact that Strata East Records was reissuing their catalog in partnership with Mack Avenue Records. I can now go to Bandcamp and buy music whereas before I could maybe find on YouTube or had to own a physical record to listen to it. I know a lot of that music was from the 70’s and 80’s, but a 2025 re-release has been a high point of my music listening this year.

“I was also really energized by Cecile McLorin Salvant’s new record, “Oh Snap,” because it’s so different than her other work. The album isn’t one she intended to release, just a passion project to spark new ways of creating where she used effects and tools she never used before. I’m so glad she released it! It’s really refreshing to hear her in this new context.”

Check out Kaleigh’s full Best of 2025 playlist below, and listen to In The Groove to hear her selections.

• “How You Been” – SML

• “Bishop” – Anna Butterss

• “Brilliant Circles”- Charles Tolliver & Stanley Cowell

• “Footprints” – ARTEMIS

• “FREEDOM JAZZ DANCE” – Kassa Overall

• “Guereh” – Noura Mint Seymali

• “Eureka” – Cecile McLorin Salvant

• “Unconditional Love” – Milena Casado

Tune in for reairs of In The Groove: Best Of 2025 Dec. 22-24 on 101.9 FM and stream on wdet.org — and follow along online for Best Of playlists and reflections from our music hosts.

See the Best of 2025 playlists »

The Trump administration issued an executive order reclassifying marijuana as a Schedule III controlled substance. This change doesn’t legalize the drug on the federal level but could mean significant tax savings for Michigan cannabis businesses.

Cannabis businesses are currently taxed on gross income and cannot deduct operating expenses like other companies ordinarily do. Changing the classification could help smaller businesses that operate without a lot of resources.

There are concerns from leaders in the cannabis industry about federal regulations that might follow this move — including taxes. The Trump administration announced that this move was to recognize legitimate medical use and expand medical marijuana and cannabis research for the medical community.

Additional headlines for Dec. 19, 2025

Food vouchers expire Dec. 31

Shoppers have until Wednesday, Dec. 31 to use their Double Up Food Bonus Bucks vouchers. The statewide program expanded during the government shutdown when SNAP benefit recipients were under threat and families didn’t know if they would lose their ability to purchase food.

Run through the Fair Food Network, the program matches SNAP benefits used to buy up to $40 in fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables at partnering farmer markets and grocery stores. It has been operating for more than a decade and is continuing into 2026. Frozen foods will be added to the list of eligible foods as well as unlimited earning and spending options.

If you have questions about the program, call the hotline at 866-586-2796 or visit doubleupfoodbucks.org.

Detroit sports updates

NFL: The Detroit Lions face the Pittsburgh Steelers in a Sunday night match up. Lions fans probably have a Detroit win on their Christmas list because they currently have a 25% chance of making it to the playoffs, according to ESPN reports. If they win the last three games of the season including the game against the Steelers, their chances rise to 95%. Kickoff is at 4:25 p.m. at Ford Field.

NBA: The Pistons fell to the Dallas Mavericks yesterday in a tight overtime matchup. The loss doesn’t change up too much because they are still number one in the eastern conference with a 21-6 record. The next game is tomorrow, Dec. 20 against the Charlotte Hornets at Little Caesars Arena. Tip off is at 7:30 p.m.

NHL: The Red Wings, currently on top of the Atlantic Division, go against the Washington Capitals tomorrow at the Captial One Arena. The game starts at 12:30 p.m.

Detroit Sandwich Week

Detroit Sandwich Week is going down right after Christmas. Sandwiched in between Christmas and the New Year, this annual event celebrates different local sandwich shops each day to support community and small businesses.

This year’s featured shops are Mudgie’s, Vesper and Ayiti Spaghetti, Ladder 4 Wine Bar, Roccos, Tall Trees Cade and Batch Brewing Company. For more information, visit detroitsandwichparty.square.site.

Perfume popup

Artisan perfumer and “scent docent” Terees Western will host a popup at Source Booksellers on Saturday for her business FragranTed. Visitors will have a chance to create their own holiday scents and learn about using scent to celebrate and make memories. The event runs from 2–4 p.m. at 4240 Cass Avenue.

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Congresswoman Haley Stevens is vying for the U.S. Senate seat in Michigan in a highly contested field. In this episode of MichMash, WDET’s Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Alethia Kasben sit down with the representative to see what makes her different from her opponents. 

In this episode:

• What sets Haley Stevens apart from the other candidates for Michigan’s U.S. Senate seat?
• What issues are currently affecting Michigan residents?

Correction: Congresswoman Haley Stevens is endorsed by the Mayor of Highland Park, not Hamtramck.

Overview

Stevens is often compared to other established Democrats like U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell or even Governor Gretchen Whitmer. These comparisons are sometimes used to present Stevens as out of touch with the new generation of politics. Stevens says the focus should be more on meeting the needs of Michigan residents.

“I was Michigan’s first millennial to the United States House of Representatives. I’m not an ageist. I think the goal is representing all of Michigan and getting results for Michiganders.” 

She also stated that leaders like Gov. Whitmer’s popularity alongside her own ability to get things done should be embodied.  

Stevens also addressed the comparison with her fellow Democrat opponent Mallory McMorrow, and how they seemingly appeal to the same voters.

“I think poll after poll shows I’m the only Democrat who can beat (Republican opponent) Mike Rogers,”she said. “We need a dogged advocate for Michigan. And I think some of the unique attributes that I bring to this race for the United States Senate is that I am Michigan’s workhorse.” 

The election for the open Michigan U.S. Senate seat is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026.  

More from MichMash

Every year, legendary jazz broadcaster Ed Love (host of Destination Jazz: The Ed Love Program on 101.9 WDET Sundays 5–7 p.m.) curates a list of recently-released recordings that he considers required listening for today’s jazz lovers.

This year’s list features 166 “CDs” from around the world, from France with Michel Petrucciani’s ‘Jazz Club Montmartre’ to right here in Detroit with the compilation album ‘Strata-East: The Legacy Begins.’

Use the table below to check out Ed Love’s highly recommended new CDs for 2025.

An area of very old trees at Independence Oaks County Park has been recognized as part of a national network of old-growth forests, drawing attention to both rare natural features and thousands of years of human history tied to the land.

Carol Bacak-Egbo is an Oakland County Parks historian. She says the newly designated old-growth forest lies within a landscape shaped by Indigenous peoples for 5,000 to 6,000 years. The park sits near historic Native American trail routes, and contains the headwaters of the Clinton River, once a major travel route for the Anishinaabe across what is now southeast Michigan.

“This history doesn’t start with log cabins and sawmills,” Bacak-Egbo says. “People lived with and cared for this land long before Europeans arrived.”

Artifacts indicate the area was likely used as seasonal camps rather than permanent villages. The park also contains one of only two remaining wild rice beds in southeast Michigan, a culturally and spiritually significant food source for the Anishinaabe.

The forest largely escaped widespread logging and farming in the 19th century, almost by accident.

In the early 1900s, a wealthy Detroit businessman purchased land around Crooked Lake but left it undeveloped. Later owners also did not farm the southern portion of the property, allowing the old-growth trees to remain intact.

Park naturalist Kegan Schildberg says the designation supports efforts to protect remaining natural areas in Oakland County, which has developed rapidly during the last century.

Bacak-Egbo encourages visitors to view parks as places where natural and human history intersect.

“When people walk these trails, they aren’t just connecting with nature,” says Bacak-Egbo.  “They are walking through the same forest people walked through hundreds and even thousands of years ago.”

This story is part of WDET’s ongoing series, The Detroit Tree Canopy Project.

The scents of the season will be the focus of a pop-up event at Source Booksellers this weekend.

Terees Western is a “scent docent,” artisan perfumer and the owner of FragranTed. She says she explains the cultural, historical and emotional experience of scent the way a docent in a museum might explain a work of art.

Saturday, December 20 from 2-4 p.m. at Source Booksellers, Western will offer visitors a chance to craft a personal holiday scent.

She spoke to WDET’s Sascha Raiyn about the scents of the holidays and winter, and the event.

As the year draws to a close, it’s the perfect time to celebrate the artists, small businesses and unique experiences that our region has to offer. Here are 14 ways to spend the holiday season in metro Detroit, from ugly Christmas sweater parties to dazzling light displays.

Upcoming events (Dec. 18 through Jan. 8)

The Original Turtleneck & Sweater Holiday Extravaganza

  Fifth Avenue Royal Oak

  Saturday, Dec. 20

  $26

The 25th anniversary of the ugly Christmas sweater party that started it all — right here in Michigan. There will be live music, a fashion show, food and drinks, professional photography and more. Festivities go from 5–10 p.m. and all proceeds benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. This event is 21+.

Downtown Trenton Noel Nights: Day 3

  Trenton City Hall

  Saturday, Dec. 20

  Free

An afternoon of activities encouraging residents to explore downtown Trenton, including pony rides, photos with Santa, a holiday market, a live nativity scene, kids crafts and a hot cocoa bar. Festivities go from noon to 4 p.m.

Art for the Holidays

  Detroit Artists Market in Detroit

  Ongoing through Saturday, Dec. 20

  Free

A long-running art exhibition and sale featuring nearly 1,500 unique, handmade works from nearly 100 local artists. Pieces span from ceramics and textiles to paintings and jewelry, and every purchase directly supports Detroit artists. The market is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

WDET’s (Not So) Modern Music Holiday Special

  Online and on your radio

  Saturday, Dec. 20 and Tuesday, Dec. 23

  Free

A radio special hosted by Jon Moshier (host of WDET’s Modern Music) and DJ Dave Lawson featuring a brand-new batch of rare and unusual holiday music. The special premieres on WDET on Saturday, Dec. 20 at 4 p.m., and an encore broadcast will air on Tuesday, Dec. 23 at 10 p.m.

Detroit Public Theatre Holiday Cabaret

  Detroit Public Theatre

  Ongoing through Sunday, Dec. 21

  $25–$100

A festive performance crafted with wit and rowdy charm. An ongoing tradition, the Detroit Public Theatre’s Holiday Cabaret features talented vocalists and adult humor. General admission is $52, but rush tickets are often available for $25.

Eastern Market’s Holiday Market

  Eastern Market in Detroit

  Sunday, Dec. 21

  Free

A seasonal market featuring Michigan-made gifts, including clothing, art, jewelry, beauty products and more. Christmas tree vendors will also be in the parking lot outside Sheds 5 and 6. The market goes from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is the final Holiday Market of the year.

Wayne County Lightfest

  Hines Park of Westland

  Ongoing through Wednesday, Dec. 24

  $5–$50 cash, depending on type of vehicle

A drive-through attraction featuring five miles of light displays down Hines Drive. Additional activities are available halfway through the route, including photo opportunities, food trucks and a mailbox for letters to Santa. Lightfest is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 6–10 p.m.

A Whole Lotta Love on WDET

  Online and on your radio

  Thursday, Dec. 25 through Friday, Jan. 2

  Free

A series of encore broadcasts from Ed Love’s legendary Evolution of Jazz program on WDET. The show is a master class in jazz history, featuring passionate, in-depth stories from Ed’s decades in the business. Episodes air on WDET weekdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Kwanzaa Celebration and Motor City Kinara Lighting

  Campus Martius Park in Detroit

  Friday, Dec. 26

  Free

A community Kwanzaa celebration hosted by Alkebu-lan Village, the City of Detroit, the Downtown Detroit Partnership and other community partners. Recognized as one of the largest Kwanzaa Kinara displays in the world, the 30-foot-tall monument is designed to stand alongside Detroit’s other major holiday displays, serving as a vibrant symbol of African American life, culture and community. Festivities go from 3–7 p.m. and the Kinara will be on display through the full week of Kwanzaa.

Winter at The Station

  Michigan Central Station in Detroit

  Ongoing through Sunday, Dec. 28

  $0–$15

A family-friendly celebration of the season featuring festive decor, interactive exhibits, holiday shopping, live music and more. Special programming will also take place throughout the month, including dance performances, artist workshops and more. General admission is free and open to the public, but some of the special programming is ticketed. Parking is $5 per vehicle. The Station is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but will be closed Dec. 24–25 and Dec. 31 through Jan. 1 for the holidays.

Holiday Nights in Greenfield Village

  Greenfield Village in Dearborn

  Ongoing through Sunday, Dec. 28

  $36–$44

An immersive historical experience featuring carols, roasted chestnuts, artisan crafts, ice skating and Model-T rides. Limited tickets remain.

Parlay Detroit’s New Year’s Eve Daytime Celebration

  Parlay Detroit

  Wednesday, Dec. 31

  Free

A spirited, kid-friendly afternoon centered around the Michigan Wolverines vs. Texas Longhorns game so families can celebrate New Year’s Eve without staying out late. There will be face painting, DJs and a game day atmosphere. Kids eat free from 2–5 p.m., and seating is first-come, first-served.

Parlay Detroit’s New Year’s Eve Nighttime Celebration

  Parlay Detroit

  Wednesday, Dec. 31

  Free

A vibrant New Year’s Eve night experience for adults and older guests, featuring multiple DJs, an energetic atmosphere and a full food menu available until 2:30 a.m. Festivities kick off at 9 p.m. and the party is first-come, first served.

Guests of Honor: Art of Faith from the Jewish Museum, New York

  Detroit Institute of Arts

  Ongoing through Jan. 3, 2027

  Free with general admission

A temporary exhibit at the DIA featuring a selection of Jewish ceremonial objects from the Jewish Museum in New York. The pieces date from the 1400s to the early 1900s, and include Torah finials, Hanukkah menorahs and more.

Progress on DCFC field

Demolition has started at the site of the new AlumniFi Field, which will be home to the Detroit City Football Club soccer field. The former Southwest Detroit Hospital, which has been vacant for years, will be demolished to make way for the 15 thousand seat soccer stadium and mixed-use project. The project will also include a 421-space parking garage and a 76-unit residential building.

Additional headlines for Thursday, December 18, 2025

Gorgon confirmed

The U-S Senate last week confirmed Detroit Native Jerome Gorgon as US Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. Gorgon will be the chief federal law enforcement official for federal cases in Detroit and throughout the state’s eastern Lower Peninsula. He follows former US Attorney Dawn Ison. Gorgon was born in Southwest Detroit, graduated from Southwestern High School, and taught in Detroit Public Schools.

Waitlist open

The Taylor Housing Commission is opening up the waitlist for its housing choice voucher program for 12 days this month. The last time the list was open was in 2023. Starting December 20, the commission will accept pre-applications for a potential spot on its waiting list for the program meant to help low-income families, the elderly, veterans, and people with disabilities afford housing. The commission will randomly select up to 400 names to create its new wait list. Applicants do not need to be residents of Taylor to apply. To apply, visit taylorhousing.org

Applications being accepted

PropserUs Detroit is hiring. The organization supports entrepreneurs with opportunities and capital needed to build businesses, generational wealth, and vibrant neighborhoods. ProsperUs is seeking applications for trainers to deliver a variety of programming, including entrepreneur training, subject-matter workshops, group technical assistance, and one-on-one coaching. Ideal candidates will have experience in entrepreneurship, knowledge of adult learning, and a commitment to equity and community impact. Visit ProsperUs Detroit’s Instagram page for a link to apply. Application window closes on January 11.

Drop in temps tonight

Watch out for a flash freeze tonight. Scattered showers throughout the day today are expected to create wind gusts picking up to about 40 mph by Friday morning. Temperatures are expected to quickly drop to below freezing overnight, increasing the potential of a flash freeze on the roads by Friday morning. Snow is also predicted through Friday morning.

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Modern Music host Jon Mosier joins In The Groove to share his Best of 2025 selections, spotlighting standout tracks from across new and emerging independent artists from Detroit and beyond.

From the propulsive energy of “Hey You – Radio Edit” by The Belair Lip Bombs to the expansive sound of “Others” by Matthew Smith Group, Jon’s picks reflect a year defined by adventurous new voices and confident returns from indie mainstays.

As Jon puts it: “2025 was a stellar year for under-the-mainstream-radar music from all over the globe and right here in Detroit with an impressive number of brand-new artists releasing debut records as well as indie stalwarts returning this year with solid records. Trends from my world are the continuing influence of 1980s post-punk experimentalism and shoe-gaze.”

Check out Jon’s full Best of 2025 playlist below, and listen to In The Groove to hear his selections.

• “Hey You” — The Belair Lip Bombs
• “Others” — Matthew Smith Group
• “Deus-Dará” — Oruã
• “DrnkGrlfrnd” — Kiln
• “Mercury” — Automatic
• “Secret Door” — Jeff Tweedy
• “Unsolicited Advice” — Laura Lee & the Jettes
• “Uniform” — TVOD
• “(You Can’t Go Back To) Oxford Talawanda” — Guided By Voices
• “Evil People” — MIEN
• “It’s All About the Music” — Bee Bee Sea

Tune in Friday, Dec. 12 – Friday Dec. 19 on 101.9 WDET FM, stream anytime at wdet.org — and follow along online for daily Best Of playlists and reflections from our music hosts.

See the Best of 2025 playlists »

In this episode of CuriosiD, we answer the question:

What happens to the Campus Martius tree after the holidays?

According to the National Christmas Tree Association, real trees are a renewable and recyclable resource, and there are more than 4,000 local Christmas tree recycling programs across the country.

Recycled trees can be used in a number of ways, from making mulch to burning the wood for energy. Up to 30 million live trees are sold every year in the U.S.

According to the company Mid-Michigan Recycling, if all those Christmas trees were recycled and turned into electricity, it could power 650,000 homes for a month.

The options

The Downtown Detroit Partnership, which is in charge of the Christmas Tree display at Campus Marius,  sent this statement:

“The Norway spruce that the city chooses each year is near the end of its life cycle. For every Michigan tree harvested, three new ones are planted. Each tree is recycled in a number of ways, whether into mulch or lumber, and then reused in Detroit parks, donated to local schools, or set aside for special cultural projects.”

Tree recycling of Christmas past

Mid-Michigan Recycling was once hired to recycle the tree.

Aaron Hess is the company’s operations manager.

“So the tree was cut up and put into a dumpster. Unfortunately, whoever loaded it got like some street barriers and ornaments and some other things kind of mixed into it, into the loads as it was delivered,” Hess said.

Hess says that because the tree had too many contaminants, namely, tree ornaments and tinsel, they were not able to do the job a second year in a row.

“We worked with the crews to clean it up and get the tree recycled, but it was a little extra work that we can’t normally do, uh, at least regularly.”

Mid-Michigan Recycling is the exclusive wood supplier for the Genesee Power Station, which is an energy plant that produces green, renewable energy from wood waste.

The facility receives most of its trees from cities with curbside pick-up in their neighborhoods. But people can also drop off trees at any time at their sites in Livonia or Macomb Township for free.

Hess says sending the trees to his company is a good option because there are not a lot of alternatives to salvage pine trees after the holidays.

“A Christmas tree doesn’t have the greatest value as a mulch product,” Hess says. “The needles and the bark content of a Christmas tree is pretty high compared to the, you know, to the wood itself.  And then the pine needles just don’t make a good mulch.”

More creative uses

But there are other uses for an old Christmas tree. Amy Start is the Executive Director of the Michigan Christmas Tree Association. She says one option is to use the tree as a different kind of decoration in your own backyard.

“You can put it outside and put like different kinds of crumbs and bird seed and things like that on it.” Start says. “And then just watch the birds come throughout the winter. It’s a great spot for them to perch, and you can really get some good entertainment out of it.”

Start says some have even used old evergreens for erosion control on beaches or as fish habitats in lakes. She even suggests contacting local farms who may be collecting trees.

“Goats love Christmas trees. So, check with a farm like that. You can also check with the Christmas tree farm itself. Some of them will have a program where they take the tree back, and then they can chip it up for you as well,” Start says.

How to get your tree recycled

Most cities have some sort of Christmas tree pick-up. Detroit is one of those cities. For two weeks after the new year, Detroit will collect Christmas trees placed on the curb on the neighborhood’s normal garbage collection days.

And those who miss that window can take their tree to a citizen drop-off site—locations can be found on Detroit’s Department of Public Works website.

But residents should be sure to remove all ornaments, lights, and tinsel from the trees first, as they can make them ineligible for recycling.

WDET’s CuriosiD series answers your questions about everything Detroit. Subscribe to CuriosiD on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

We want to hear from you! 

Have a question about southeast Michigan’s history or culture? Send it our way at wdet.org/curiosid, or fill out the form below. You ask, we answer.
Want more stories like this? Sign up for WDET’s weekly newsletter and never miss a curiosity uncovered.

More CuriosiD

In Oakland County, local leaders have gotten more attention in recent months. 

That’s because reports have shown potential conflicts of interest—some have voted on matters that affect their side jobs. 

Discussions arose about hiring an ombudsman to oversee county officials’ operations, or having commissioners disclose their financial information. 

But in a recent Oakland County meeting, neither of those things happened. Instead, county commissioners kicked the responsibility to the state legislature, urging those lawmakers to pass a bill mandating local officials to publicly disclose their assets. 

Why didn’t commissioners pass an ethics resolution? And, what ethics rules should be imposed on commissioners?

Oakland County Commissioner Michael Spisz was originally advocating for the county to pass an ethics resolution, but changed course. He spoke with The Metro‘s Robyn Vincent.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro

Double Up Food Bucks is a statewide program through the Fair Food Network. It matches SNAP benefits used to buy fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables at participating grocers and farmers markets.

Back in November, SNAP benefit recipients were on edge, wondering if money would be available to feed themselves and their families.

The program extended its offerings in November, introducing Double up benefits, like Double Up bonus bucks offering $40 vouchers for fresh fruits and veggies. Those incentives are ending Dec. 31.

Rachel Hoh is director of Double Up Food Bucks. They spoke to me about the program and its significance to shoppers and local grocers. 

 

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro

Once again, Jon Moshier teams up with local all-vinyl DJ and record collector Dave Lawson for a brand-new batch of rare and sometimes unusual holiday gems on the award-winning (not so) Modern Music Holiday Special!

Tune in Saturday, Dec. 20 at 4p.m. EST and again on Tuesday, Dec. 23 at 10p.m. here on 101.9 WDET.

The non-profit gun violence prevention group Brady United estimates about 4.6 million children live in homes with unlocked and loaded firearms.

And guns are now the leading cause of death among children.

Michigan recently took steps to help stop injuries from firearms by enacting a law requiring owners to keep guns safely stored and secured.

But the president of Brady United, Kris Brown, says gun owners must use extra caution during the holidays when large numbers of family members often gather together.

The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Kris Brown, Brady United: If you look at all of the different causes of gun violence in this country, unintentional shootings in a home kill or injure eight kids a day. About 76% of school shooters get their gun from a home where it’s not safely stored. And two-thirds of gun deaths are from suicide. The hugest risk factor for suicide in the home is the presence of a loaded and unsecured firearm.

Taken together, those statistics show us that preventing “family fire,” the unintentional injury or death of a loved one with an unsecured fire in a home, has to be a top priority if we’re really going to lessen the rate of gun violence in this country in a material way. It starts in everyone’s home and it starts with safe storage.

Quinn Klinefelter, WDET News: In Michigan, there was a tragic school shooting a few years ago at Oxford High School. It was one of the many that have happened across the country, sadly. A law was passed around the time of the Oxford shooting mandating safe storage of firearms. And in that case they also held the parents liable for the gun crimes committed by their son because they said that it wasn’t stored safely. From what your group has seen, are those kinds of laws widespread across the country? And do they seem to have any effect on limiting unintended shootings?

KB: They’re not widespread yet. There are a number of states that, after the Oxford shooting and others like it that have, unfortunately, occurred in states like Georgia, has created more of a groundswell to seek support for those kinds of laws. Child access prevention laws and similar laws of that ilk.

Brady United has mixed feelings about it. We believe the critical thing is to prevent these kinds of shootings from happening in the first place. Throwing parents in jail after the fact because they’ve been grossly negligent, that’s what the law we do believe should require. But it doesn’t bring back the innocent victims. It doesn’t stop the harm from happening in the first place.

That’s why we think child access prevention laws that ensure if you choose to have a firearm in the home it is safely stored are important compliments to public safety laws. They should be adopted across the country.

QK: In your view, does it seem that “threatening” parents, for lack of a better word, actually makes an impact? Or is it something where they just need to have this top of mind to begin with? There’s been shootings where people had a gun stuck in a shoe box that they seemed to think was fine because it stored away. And still a kid was able to get to it.

KB: I think there needs to be a complement of effort, sort of in the same way that getting a ticket when you’re speeding is a way to remind you that you shouldn’t have a lead foot. It compliments education in driver’s ed about why speeding is potentially very dangerous. The same sort of approach should apply here. This isn’t a unique area of human experience, though it’s a uniquely deadly area of human experience.

We at Brady have done a lot on our website so that families can find absolutely crystal clear guidance on safe storage options. And even how to talk to family members when you’re at the dining table over the holidays about the kinds of things that they can be doing, if they choose to have firearms in the home, to protect those who live there and those who visit the home.

We at Brady believe that it’s on each of us to have these conversations and to normalize something that’s as old as our nation, older than the Second Amendment, which is safe storage of firearms. Back in the colonial times it was mandated and enforced in terms of muskets. Why should it be different today, when eight kids a day are killed or injured by guns that those parents and most gun owners brought in with the idea that they should protect their families? And unless they’re safely stored, it’s tragic that that is exactly the opposite of what’s happening.

QK: I’ve heard some firearm owners and people that say they’re fighting for the Second Amendment who mention some of the recent mass shootings, the tragedy in Australia, for example. They’ll say that country had some of the toughest gun laws around and still that tragedy occurred. They argue restrictions on firearms really don’t make any huge difference, whether it’s children in the home or people out and about. What is your reaction to those kinds of comments?

KB: There was a mass shooting in Australia at Port Arthur. Immediately following that, I think it was a matter of days or weeks, not months, Australia banned various assault style weapons. And they greatly strengthened the regulation of the sale and ownership of firearms in their country. There was a significant reduction in mass shootings.

If you look at U.S. history, we have a distinguishing feature. Here guns are the number one killer of our kids. We experience 26 times the gun violence of every other industrialized country. The five states with the strongest gun laws in this country have a 70% or more reduced experience of gun death and injury compared to the states with the five weakest laws.

Will they prevent every gun death and injury? No, just like speeding limits didn’t stop every automobile fatality. But they reduced them a lot. This is in our hands. This is in the hands of gun owners across this country. That means guns locked, unloaded, and stored separately from ammunition. Doesn’t need a vote at the ballot box. It doesn’t need a better enforcement agency. It needs an individual taking an action that will ensure that a firearm is not used unintentionally to harm someone in their home.

Opposition to a proposed data center in Saline Township continues as state regulators prepare to take public comment on environmental permits tied to the project.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy will hold a virtual public hearing Thursday to gather input on whether to issue permits to developer Related Digital. The permits cover impacts to wetlands, streams, and nearby waterways.

Tim Bruneau, a member of Stop Saline Data Center who lives near the proposed site, raised concerns about the project’s closed-loop cooling system. He says repeated circulation concentrates contaminants such as glycol, rust inhibitors, and nitrates, which would eventually be discharged into the Saline River.

The project includes filling and excavating wetlands, installing culverts in unnamed streams, and constructing multiple stormwater outfalls that would discharge treated runoff into the Saline River, Bridgewater Drain, and other waterways. One of the outfalls would be located within the Saline River’s 100-year floodplain.

The virtual public hearing begins at 6 p.m. Information on how to attend is available at michigan.gov/egle.

Detroit Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield says she will retain Todd Bettison as the city’s police chief.  

In a statement released Tuesday, Sheffield praised Bettison’s results – citing Detroit’s record drops in violent crime – including the lowest homicide rate since the mid-1960s.  

Bettison had a 27-year long career in the police department, before becoming Detroit’s Deputy Mayor in 2022.  Mayor Duggan made him Police Chief earlier this year after former Chief James White left to become the head of the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network. 

Additional headlines from Wednesday, December 17, 2025

Sewer tunnelling project  

The Great Lakes Water Authority is starting a new project with the goal of alleviating sewage overflows in parts of Southwest Detroit.  The authority will hold a ceremony Thursday to launch the assembly and operation of a tunnel-boring machine.  

The $87 million infrastructure project will eventually build a three-quarter mile long tunnel that will redirect excess rainwater and snow melt away from the normal system into the Oakwood Retention Treatment Basin.  The GLWA says that should reduce sewage levels and overflows into the Rouge River.   

The tunnelling is scheduled to begin in the spring. 

North Corktown housing 

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has announced a new housing development in Detroit’s North Corktown neighborhood.  

The project will create 23 new apartments and retail space.  About 30% of the apartments will be classified as affordable housing.

The state is providing a $1.5 million grant from its Revitalization and Placemaking program.  The Detroit Economic Growth Corporation is also providing a $530,000 low-interest loan for the project. 

Trump addresses the nation 

President Donald Trump says he will deliver an address to the nation tonight.  He announced the action Tuesday on his Truth Social platform.  The president did not immediately say what the subject of his speech would be.  

The live address from the White House takes place at 9 p.m. and will be available on select broadcast and online platforms. 

Windsor street renaming 

Just across the river, the Chaldean Association of Windsor is holding a special street renaming ceremony.  

A section of Marentette Avenue will get the secondary name “Chaldean Way.”  Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens and other officials will be on hand for the ceremony.  The association says there are thousands of Chaldeans living in and around Windsor. 

 The event takes place at 3 p.m. on Friday. 

Christmas Eve one week away 

And Christmas Eve is just a week away.  That means many merchants around Detroit will be busier than normal as residents do their holiday shopping.  

Many large retailers will have extended hours to accommodate additional shoppers.  Independent stores may have expanded hours too, but check before you go.  

And if you haven’t been downtown in a while, you can look for several new shops, especially along Woodward Avenue near the new Hudson’s building.  

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

A recent study by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) found that 46% of adults aged 45 to 59 reported feeling lonely in 2025, compared to 35% of adults aged 60 and up. 

Heather Nawrocki is Vice President of Fun and Fulfillment at AARP. 

She says there are risk factors for lonely people.

“It’s important to keep an eye out for people around you that you know are spending a lot of time alone. They are going to be at a higher risk than someone who’s not. Mental and physical health challenges are also a big one,” she says.

Nawrocki says people who have physical health challenges may have difficulty getting out of the house to meet people in real life.

She says people who live in lower-income and rural areas also have higher risks for loneliness.

Get on the phone?

People can feel lonelier during the holiday season. 

Nawrocki says the study found adults 45 and older are engaging with fewer people in social settings. 

She says, however, that those who use technology usually have positive outcomes. 

“What the study shows is 6 in 10 really rely on tech, those who are not lonely. And they actually say they have more friends as a result of technology,” she says, although it depends on each person’s individual experience. 

Nawrocki says social health is just as important as mental and physical health to create the happiest, healthiest, longest life possible.

AARP offers 14,000 events online and in person nationwide for people to connect at aarp.org/connect.

Gender disparity

She says men have higher rates of loneliness compared to women.

 “They’re just not getting out of the house as much. They don’t have as many close friends and they’re not joining community organizations, clubs or pursuing interests with others the same way as perhaps they did before,” she says. 

The social interactions one can make doing volunteering, for example, are a great way to combat feelings of isolation.

Nawrocki says it’s important to check on friends and loved ones to rekindle relationships for social health, which also impacts health, happiness, and longevity.

In Michigan, bills to restrict phone use and social media access for those under 18 are being considered. 

Social media companies are distracting people, sowing division, and preventing kids from experiencing normal childhoods. 

Those are the big takeaways of the book, “The Anxious Generation”, by Jonathan Haidt. That book is a big reason countries, states and classrooms have been restricting social media and phone use.  

Michigan schools have already taken action. Gibraltar, Dearborn, and Novi school districts have restricted phone use. 

In Novi, the school superintendent gave copies of Jonathan Haidt’s “The Anxious Generation” to anyone who wanted it. 

About one year later, how has the book influenced Novi students, teachers and parents?

The Metro’s Sam Corey spoke with Novi Community School District Superintendent Ben Mainka to find out.

 

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