The Michigan Public Service Commission is recommending lawmakers ban yearly rate hike requests from utility companies.  The recommendation is one of many on a list requested by Governor Gretchen Whitmer on ways to tackle energy affordability. 

Commission Chair Dan Scripps says under Michigan law, utilities can submit a rate hike request every 12 months, and often do, even right after another request was approved.  He says the commission could see hundreds of cases, but only a few get approved. 

“As we go through rate cases, we literally go line by line and say, ’Is this particular investment supported? Does it have enough evidence on the record? Does it have the appropriate level of signoff?’  And so we think of them as one case, but they’re literally hundreds of individual decisions.  And as a result, the utility typically gets less, and sometimes far less than they initially requested.”

Scripps says the list of recommendations includes tying utility earnings to a power company’s performance and ensuring the company uses current equipment to its full potential before requesting another rate increase to pay for more infrastructure. 

-Reporting by Bre’Anna Tinsley

Additional headlines for Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026

Casino revenues rise 

Detroit’s casinos are reporting improved revenues for the month of July.  The Michigan Gaming Control Board says the three gambling houses brought in more than $112.5 million dollars last month.  Revenues were up more than nine percent from June 2026.  

MGM Grand led the market, bringing in 47% of the total revenue.  Motor City had 31% with Hollywood Casino at Greektown controlling 22% of the market. 

Together the three casinos paid $13.3 million in wagering and development agreements to the City of Detroit.  They paid another $9 million in state taxes. 

Powerball jackpot hits $1 billion 

For those of you hoping to get rich quick, the Powerball jackpot has risen to more than a billion dollars.  That’s the eighth largest prize in the game’s history.  But remember, the odds of winning the grand prize are more than one in $292 million. 

The drawing takes place tonight at 10:59 p.m. ET. 

Edge of eclipse 

If you were outside around 1:30 this afternoon and something looked a little “off”—you’re not imagining it.  There was a slight eclipse of the sun, meaning about 3% coverage.  That’s because we were on the edge of the path of the eclipse. 

Folks in Iceland and Spain witnessed a full eclipse of the sun. 

The next solar eclipse will take place in February. 

Lions prep for first preseason game 

The Detroit Lions are wrapping up their preparations for their first preseason game of the year.  The Lions will be in Cincinnati Thursday night to play the Bengals. 

The NFL schedule was changed a few years ago, adding one more game to the regular season, and subtracting one pre-season game.  That means Detroit only has three pre-season games to work out the kinks.  Lions’ star Jahmyr Gibbs signed a contract extension this month, making him the highest paid running back in the NFL. 

The Lions play the Bengals Thursday night at 7p.m.  The game will be televised on Fox 2. 

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

The number of Michigan residents suffering from cyclosporiasis continues to rise.  State officials say more than 10,000 cases have been reported in Michigan as of Tuesday.  The parasite can cause gastric distress, including watery diarrhea.  

Most of the Michigan cases are in Wayne, Washtenaw and Oakland counties.  Investigators have traced the problem to iceburg lettuce sold by Taylor Farms and distributed to many Taco Bell restaurants.  That lettuce has been recalled.  The parasite is usually spread through food or water contaminated by feces.  The outbreak has spread to several other states.  

Additional headlines for Wednesday, July 29, 2026

WIC benefits can be used online at Meijers 

The state of Michigan says residents who use the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, otherwise known as WIC, can now use their benefits online at Meijers. 

 Beneficiaries could already use those benefits when they shop inside the store.  The state Department of Health and Human Services says the program will be available at all 122 Meijer stores in Michigan.  Officials say they plan to expand the program to other retailers in the future.  

Michigan’s WIC program serves more than 187,000 women, infants and children each month.   

Ford posts 2Q loss 

Ford Motor Company says it lost money from its electric vehicle business in the second quarter of this year.  But the Dearborn automaker is still predicting a more profitable year overall than experts previously expected.  

Ford officials say the automaker took a net loss of $1.3 billion in the second quarter, partially as the result of ending a joint electric vehicle battery partnership with a South Korean company and stopping other EV related efforts. 

But the automaker says customers, including those building data centers, remain interested in using Ford’s electric batteries to store energy.  Ford earned more than $48 billion in revenue in the second quarter, beating Wall Street analysts’ average expectations.  Officials say there’s still strong demand for Ford trucks and SUVs, despite high fuel prices. 

-Quinn Klinefelter

Rocket Mortgage Classic begins tomorrow 

The Rocket Mortgage Classic has returned to Detroit.  The PGA Tour event will be played at the Detroit Golf Club Thursday through Sunday.  147 golfers will take part in the tournament.  

This will be the final Rocket Mortgage Classic.  The PGA tour announced earlier this year that it has had trouble attracting top golfers to the Detroit event and will discontinue the classic after this year.  

The tournament will be nationally-televised Saturday and Sunday on CBS.   

Lions training camp underway 

The Detroit Lions have begun their training camp.  Players are gathered at the team’s Allen Park facility to begin preparing for the 2026 season. 

The Lions missed the playoffs last year with a record of 9 wins and 8 losses but hope to make it back to the post-season this year.  The team has a new offensive coordinator, Drew Petzing, who previously worked for the Arizona Cardinals.  

Safeties Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch are not expected to take part in training camp activities.  They’re still recovering from injuries that ended their seasons last year.  

The Lions first pre-season game takes place August 13 against the Bengals in Cincinnati.  Detroit’s first regular season game is September 13 in Ford Field against the New Orleans Saints. 

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

The tuition at Wayne State University is rising by 4% for its undergraduate and graduate students. This comes after a unanimous decision from the university’s board of governors. 

How will this affect the university students? Well, undergraduate students can see a tuition increase of about $250 and graduate students will see an increase of $33 dollars per credit. 

The university increased their tuition last year by 4.5%. According to the school’s officials the 2026-2027 housing rates will not increase. 

This rate increase is following a trend occurring in 4-year public and private universities and colleges across the country––tuition increases due to inflation, a drop off in enrollment post pandemic or uncertainty around state funding. WDET is licensed to Wayne State University.  

Additional headlines for Friday, June 26, 2026

Community Health Assessment shows positive results

This week, the city of Detroit released a Community Health Assessment that revealed that community improvements positively affect the health of residents. 

The report was an assessment of about 6,000 residents, some commuity organizations, public health experts and local data. 

During a press conference about the assessment, Mayor Sheffield expanded the idea of what health means. “Health is much more than what happens inside of a doctor’s office. It is also about prevention. Health is about whether a mother has access to prenatal care. It is about whether a child has healthy food nearby and it is about clean air, safe housing, transportation and whether families can access the care that they need when they need it.”  

Sports 

FIFA

The U.S. had their first loss of the 2026 World Cup to the already eliminated country of Turkey. Turkey kicked a last minute goal to win the match. The U.S. also had mostly reserves playing in the second half of the game to ready the team for their next game against Bosnia and Herzegovina. That game is Wednesday, July 1.  

NFL 
The Lions’ defensive back Terrion Arnold was arrested this week in Tampa, Fla. on alleged felony charges of robbery and kidnapping. 

Six other individuals were arrested, but according to police Arnold was the one coordinating and directing the codefendants. Arnold is from Tallahasse, Fla., which is about 4 hours away from Tampa.  

The Lions said in a statement that they are aware of the news but are not commenting “out of respect of the ongoing legal process.” 

MLB 
The Tigers loss to the Astros yesterday in the score of 4-1. Next game is today at Comerica Park. First pitch is at 6:40 p.m.  

Burger Battle

And this weekend get ready for what organizers are calling the biggest burger battle in the Midwest. This weekend the 10 year anniversary of Detroit Burger Battle is going down in the Motor City.

Fifteen of metro Detroit’s top restaurants will bang burgers and chef it up for the crown. Participants of the battle get a single voting card to pick their top 3 burgers. Whoever gets the most votes wins.

This is all going down on Sunday, June 28 from 1-4 p.m. at Shed 5 of the Eastern Market.

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

A creative new learning space is coming to Detroit’s District 5. The name of the space is Kraftologie and it is a place for inclusive, hands-on crafting.

Owner Trice Clark is able to bring her vision to life because of a $100,000 grant from the Comerica Hatch Detroit contest by Tech Town. Hatch Detroit is an organization that supports small businesses and encourages residents to vote on what businesses they want in their neighborhood. Clark beat out three other finalists in the May 13 Hatch-Off that followed weeks of public voting and live pitches from the four finalists. More than 30,000 votes were cast in this year’s competition. 

This contest has been going on for more than 15 years and past winners included dining restaurant Baobab Fare, Sister Pie and Batch Brewing Company. For more information go to hatchdetroit.com. 

Additional headlines for Friday, May 15, 2026

Senior housing community ready for residents

The former Lewis College of Business campus was reborn into a senior housing community. The long vacant landmark located on Detroit’s northwest side is now the Dr. Violet T Lewis Village, named after the American businesswoman and educator who founded the school in 1928. This affordable senior housing has 105 units and is for residents 55 and older.  

The project is a mix of historic preservation with new build and will help supply a housing market that’s experiencing a shortage. The village is fully income-restricted, serving households at roughly 30% to 80% of area median income, or about $20,000 to $70,000 per year. Developers say the project is designed to help longtime Detroit residents age in place and expands affordable housing for seniors. 

Sports

MLB

The Detroit Tigers fell to the New York Mets again with the score 4-9. It doesn’t help that the Mets are the last place team in the National League East.  

The Tigers now look to bounce back this weekend against the Toronto Blue Jays with a three game affair at Comerica Park. First pitch for today’s game is at 6:45 p.m.

NBA

And the Pistons face elimination in Game 6 of their series against the Cleveland Caviliers. The hometown heroes will potentially have to face Donovan Mitchell and James Harden without sharpshooter guard Duncan Robinson due to lower back soreness. 

Game 6 in Rocket Arena will be one to watch. Tip-off is at 7:00 p.m.

Soccer

Detroit City FC face off against Forward Madision FC as part of the USL Cup. The game starts tomorrow at 6 p.m.

NFL

Detroit Lions defensive end Myles Adams is showing up to the Salvation Army’s upcoming sports pop-up event at the Rochester Hills thrift store.

The one-day-only pop-up will showcase hand-selected sports inventory like jerseys, athletic apparel and Detroit fan gear all at thrift store prices. 

Adams spent the majority of the 2025 season on the team’s practice squad and was resigned this offseason because of the positive impression he left on Head coach Dan Campbell’s practice squad.  

‘Martin’ tour

And the Distinctively Detroit Tour is bringing you 90s sitcom nostalgia with Wazzup, Detroit! If you are a fan of the show Martin and the show’s Detroit’s ties, this is for you!

The tour will start at the William V. Banks Broadcast Museum where the star character Martin stepped into the world of broadcasting. The museum is the former WGPR building. Then the tour will go to Martin’s former apartment at the Garden Court Apartments. For more information go to distinctivelydetroit.com. This is all going down tomorrow May 16 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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

There’s no doubt the Detroit Lions have scarred many of their fans, being the first team to ever go 0-16.

Heartbreaking losses that seemed to defy the rule book, like Calvin Johnson’s non-catch in Chicago. Or the picked up penalty in the playoffs vs the Cowboys.

Losing affects the players too, like Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders faxing his retirement to his hometown newspaper.

It’s not easy for anyone around that franchise, apparently. The same goes for Dearborn-raised, Brooklyn-based comedian Joel Walkowski.

In his book “Honolulu Blues: How Loving a Losing Team Created a Winning Man” Walkowski recounts the story of his family’s personal trauma, alongside the failings of his favorite team, the Detroit Lions. It’s incredibly funny and deeply personal in a way that many can relate to.

Walkowski has been on stages across the country. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, on Comedy Central and a bunch of other places. He tells WDET’s Russ McNamara why he decided to write the book.

Joel Walkowski: It was during the [Lions coach Matt] Patricia era, and you knew that fourth quarter collapse was always coming, and knowing that the hard thing was coming kind of made it easier. And that made me think, like, ‘oh, being a Lions fan impacted me in a profound way’.

And then as part of my, like, sobriety journey, I was tasked to do goals for myself. Like, what do I really want out of life? What do I think maximizes who I am? And it was like, “Oh, if I don’t write this book, I will always regret it.” So it became my purpose, my number one goal, and like I revolved my life around writing this book.

Russ McNamara: It says a lot about the depth of a book when a historically bad franchise with its own share of tragedy isn’t the darkest stuff in it.

JW: I’ll say that there is maybe every bit of darkness that could exist is in this book, but it’s handled with lightness. And I do think the overlap is there because I started to get very serious about my sobriety, September 2021 exactly.

And I don’t know how familiar you guys are with Lions history, but things started to be done very different. So it’s Campbell-Holmes era. It’s Sheila Ford. I’m bouncing back from, like, my darkest points. So like looking at Jared [Goff] and Dan [Campbell] and Brad [Holmes], as I’m like, you know, white knuckling 90 days of sobriety and thinking, like, “Oh, is there a different way to do this?” It was so helpful.

RM: In the book, you’re very open about your experience growing up, and you specifically mentioned essentially getting addicted to speed as a child—as many people of our age did. At what point did you, even as a child, kind of realize something’s not right?

JW: I was seven years old when I was put on very high doses of Adderall. Then I get to high school and there was a high school video program. I started to want to make different videos. I wanted to have more ambitions, but I would just start taking pill after pill after pill, pulling all-nighters and really string myself out.

But along those same lines, every time I’d produce something, I got validation. I was seen for the first time. So this finding of my identity was happening while I was abusing a substance.

I didn’t become an addict because I was letting loose or partying. I became an addict alone in my room, fostering some ambition, because putting something out there was the only way I had any value, any worth, right?

RM: How much of that value and worth did you sort of get tied into with following the ins and outs of the Detroit Lions?

JW: My life revolves around Sundays, but I try and make them only value added. Regardless of a win or loss, I play basketball from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. If we win, I show my girlfriends the highlights. If we lose, I turn off my phone and don’t check any football news until Tuesday.

If you get to the very ending of this book, which dovetails with, you know, a certain 17-point halftime lead, [Lions vs 49ers in 2023 NFC Championship Game] that lesson was given to me is “the win is the friends and relationships we make along the way.” And that it took me nearly 40 years to learn that.

Joel Walkowski’s book “Honolulu Blues: How Loving a Losing Team Created a Winning Man” is out July 14, 2026 just in time for the start of Detroit Lions training camp. It is available for pre-order now.

Candidates planning to run in Michigan’s August primary election had until Tuesday at 4 p.m. to file their paperwork with the Secretary of State’s office.  That includes a few new candidates who filed at the last minute.  

Detroit City Councilmember Mary Waters filed to run in the Democratic primary for the 13^th Congressional District.  She faces incumbent Shri Thanedar, state Representative Donovan McKinney and realtor John Goci.  

The State Board of Canvassers still has to approve the candidates’ petition signatures before they can appear on the August primary ballot. 

Additional headlines for Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Leland House up for auction 

Downtown Detroit’s Leland House apartment building is up for auction.  The Detroit News reports that bidding for the building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, will start next week.  

The Leland House was built in 1927 and served as a luxury hotel for many years, before being turned into an apartment complex.  Tenants were forced out of the building late last year, after the owner declared bankruptcy, and the city declared the building uninhabitable. 

Clean air hearing tonight 

Michigan regulators are holding a public hearing tonight to discuss metro Detroit’s air quality status.  Planet Detroit is reporting that state regulators want to declare that southeast Michigan is meeting federal ozone standards.  If approved, the action could weaken clean air standards in the area.  

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy will hold the virtual meeting at 6 p.m. tonight.  You can call call 855-758-1310 to attend and use code 847 4896 8640  or you can join the meeting on Zoom.  

Pistons Game 2 preview 

The Detroit Pistons will try to rebound from a loss in their first game of the NBA playoffs.  The Orlando Magic beat them Sunday at Little Caesars Arena.  The Pistons brought the best regular season record in the NBA’s Eastern Conference to the playoffs, but that didn’t stop the Magic from taking the first game.  

Cade Cunningham had 39 points in the loss.  Game 2 in the nationally-televised best-of-seven series takes place at Little Caesars Arena tonight at 7 p.m. 

NFL Draft starts Thursday 

The Detroit Lions are making their final preparations for this week’s NFL Draft.  The team has the 17^th pick in the first round of the draft, which will be held in Pittsburgh.  

Football analysts suggest the Lions could use that pick to get an offensive lineman, edge rusher or cornerback.  The first round of the NFL draft starts at 8 p.m. Thursday.  The event will be televised live on ABC, ESPN, and the NFL Network. 

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