Eleven Detroit city parks are receiving nearly $20 million in updates and beautification projects this year. 

All upgrades were ideas suggested by residents and block clubs in the neighborhoods near the parks. 

City Councilman Scott Benson was a persistent advocate for park improvements across the city. 

“Recreation is not just a luxury; it is a vital urban asset, and it’s a competitive edge for strong, thriving cities,” says Benson. “And this is what you see here today. Vibrant parks attract families, improve mental and physical well-being.” 

New amenities at the parks include an inclusive play area at Eliza Howell Park, the city’s first BMX bike track at Dorais Park and a multi-sport court at Jane-Lasky Park. 

Additional headlines from Thursday, July 23, 2026

Loud cars driving people away from Woodward?

Cruising Woodward is a summer tradition. But many residents near the avenue say vehicles are too loud. That is why legislators hope to crack down on modified vehicles.

Natalie Price is a Democratic state Representative from Berkley. She told WDET’s The Metro on Wednesday that some people are moving away from the Woodward corridor because the noise keeps them up at night. 

“We see property values being impacted by this noise. In November, I talked to a constituent [who] did that from out of state not realizing, and now has decided that they can’t live in the area due to this excessive noise.”

Price is proposing drivers receive ‘fix-it tickets’ instead of fines for driving excessively loud vehicles. She says that would prevent people from paying a financial penalty for driving noisy cars. 

West Nile Virus in Wayne County

Wayne County Public Health has confirmed the presence of West Nile Virus this summer season. The virus has only been detected in mosquito samples; no human cases have been reported in 2026.

Officials say the best way to protect yourself is to prevent bites. West Nile Virus cannot be spread person to person and most people do not see symptoms, however 1 in 5 may experience fever, headaches, body aches, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea, or a rash 2-14 days after a mosquito bite.

To stay safe, limit outdoor activity at dawn and dusk, use an EPA-registered insect repellent, and empty standing water at least once a week to reduce mosquito breeding sites. 

DDOT seeks council members

The Detroit Department of Transportation is seeking residents to serve on its Local Advisory Council. DDOT is recruiting people  who live in Districts 1, 3, 5, 7, and an at-large member.

The Council will help plan services for senior adults and people with disabilities.

Applications can be submitted by contacting DDOT’s ADA Coordinator at 313-316-2793. 

Hotter Than July kicks off

LGBT Detroit’s Annual Hotter Than July Festival is back and starts today. It’s the city’s longest running Black LGBT Pride event. The event kicks off with a candlelight vigil in Palmer Park by the Blue Spruce Tree at 5:30 PM.

The festival includes a bar crawl mixer tonight at 9 p.m. on the Avenue of Fashion, an Art and Film Festival honoring Duane Belin on Friday, the Palmer Park Picinic on Saturday, strolling brunch on Sunday and more! The festival will also feature a star search competition looking for Detroit’s next Drag Star.

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

Smoke from wildfires in Ontario and Minnesota has been lingering in Michigan skies. 

Some of it started on July 7, when lightning struck the woods of northern Minnesota. Those fires burned so hard the Forest Service shut the Boundary Waters completely. And the fires went both directions. One crossed into Canada, another crossed out of it, into Minnesota.

Meanwhile, four Republicans in Michigan’s delegation wrote to Canada’s prime minister last week, demanding Canada manage its forests better. They say they are done “accepting apologies in place of action.” This comes as the U.S. Forest Service, the agency that manages federal forests and firefighting on this side of the border, faces significant budget cuts under the Trump administration’s latest proposals.

Bobbie Scopa fought fire for 45 years. She started as a seasonal firefighter in 1974 and finished as an operations section chief: the person on a major fire who decides where the crews go, and where nobody goes at all. She’s the author of “Both Sides of the Fire Line,” and she hosts the podcast Bobbie on Fire. 

She joined Robyn Vincent on The Metro to explain why these fires are harder to stop than they used to be, and why she thinks Americans are asking the wrong question about them.

Hear the full conversation using the media player above.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand. Never miss an episode — subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or NPR, or wherever you get your podcasts. Have thoughts? Email the show at metro@wdet.org.

More from The Metro

Over the past four months, northern Michigan has experienced a series of extreme weather events.

In March, an ice storm caused tens of thousands of utility customers to lose power. In April, record-breaking precipitation caused rivers and lakes to flood, ripping apart roads. Now, smoke from Canadian and Minnesota wildfires has been creating air quality alerts. 

Before the smoke blew to metro Detroit, it hit northern Michigan first, choking that part of the state with a blanket of smoke. 

Climate change is affecting everyone, but effects can very depending on the location. What are things like for residents of northern Michigan? And, how are they preparing for future extreme weather events?

Vivian La is a climate solutions reporter for Interlochen Public Radio and Grist. She spoke about the northern Michiganders trying to adapt to climate change — and those who are trying to maintain the status quo — with The Metro’s Sam Corey.

Hear the full conversation using the media player above.

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

Never miss an episode — subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, NPR, or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro

Urban Neighborhood Initiatives is giving its annual Hero of the Neighborhood awards this week.

Simone Sagovac, director of the Southwest Detroit Community Benefits Coalition, is being recognized for her work with Trucks Off Our Streets. 

The impact of truck traffic

She says the work began a few years ago to get protections to prevent truck routes from going through neighborhoods. 

“On some of the streets, there were ranging between 500 and even up to 1,200 semi trucks, and we’re talking heavy-duty semi trucks that are part of our global economy here, and they were cutting through our neighborhood streets,” she says.

Sagovac says the trucks cause damage, emit emissions, and cause health impacts.

“There’s just a whole array of issues on top of the safety issues of living with trucks and people not being able to have kids play in the yards… we knew that it needed a larger strategy, so we formed the Trucks Off Our Streets Coalition that has representation from across all of the city districts,” she explains.

She says the organizations are rooted in the community that works with residents directly on issues related to trucks in the industry, air pollution and health.  

Study underscores the issue

The work resulted in the Southwest Detroit Truck Route Implementation Study, a pilot program to create the first designated truck route network by placing signs in the city. It was developed by the Southwest Detroit Truck Network Implementation Study in 2024 to manage truck activity and reduce traffic impacts in Southwest Detroit. 

Sagovac says Detroit communities are dealing with high environmental impacts, resulting in high rates of asthma and hospitalizations. 

“From our data, children under 18 living next to a truck route have 68% higher asthma rates, so it is really significant, and it’s something that is within local control to address by having more sensible, healthier truck routes, and there are other strategies too,” she expresses.

Her response to the recognition

Sagovac says she’s grateful for receiving an award, but she says it’s a community effort.

“First, it’s very surprising to be recognized, but it’s not surprising for all of the work that so many in the community have done over these years,” she shares.

Although Sagovac is not Latina, she says receiving an award feels validating that her work is making a difference. 

“It’s an incredible honor, probably the biggest honor to be recognized by people in the community. I feel like it validates something that’s really important to me, which is trust,” she says.

She says she’s happy to be a part of moving the work forward.