Tonight on The Detroit Evening Report, we cover Michigan State Police’s new campaign to encourage residents to sign up for emergency alerts; Detroit PAL’s annual Thanksgiving Food Drive and more.
The Michigan State Police has launched the “Know Your Plan. Be Alert.” campaign, encouraging residents to sign up for alerts to stay informed during emergencies. Alerts would send information during severe weather, active shooter incidents, missing or endangered individuals and more. For more information or to sign up for alerts visit michigan.gov/miready and click on local alerts.
State holds hearing on child care licensing rule changes
The state is updating its child care licensing requirements and wants to hear from residents. The proposed rules would tighten regulations on drinking water and add standards for outdoor nature-based childcare centers. They would also make it easier for teachers to qualify for a job at a childcare center. The state held a public hearing on the changes in Lansing on Tuesday. People can submit questions or comments on the changes by mail or email until 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22.
Cycling at the Velodrome
The Lexus Velodrome and Detroit Parks and Recreation are teaming up to offer an indoor cycling program for youth ages 13-17. The six-week program will be held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays starting on Jan. 7 and running through Feb. 11. Youth will learn the fundamentals of indoor track cycling from experienced competitors and coaches. Registration is open now and costs $10. For more information about this and other Parks and Recreation sports programs, visit dprdathletics.com.
Detroit PAL hosting Thanksgiving Food Drive
Detroit PAL is partnering with APEX Leadership Academy and the Detroit NFL Former Players Chapter to offer thanksgiving meals to 500 families next week. Turkeys, dressing, cornbread, cranberry sauce and more will be distributed from 10 a.m.-noon on Tuesday, Nov. 26, at Detroit PAL’s headquarters, 1680 Michigan Ave., Detroit.
Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.
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Detroiters will soon be able to keep animals on their property.
The city council voted on a new livestock ordinance today that outlines the type of livestock that could be allowed in the city. Residents will soon be able to keep chickens, ducks and honeybees on their property.
Some animals will have to be tagged and have health records. Owners will need to apply for a license to keep the animals and pay an annual fee. Wild animals are still banned.
City Council passed the new ordinance in a 5-3 vote during today’s formal session. It goes into effect Jan. 31, 2025.
WDET’s Bre’Anna Tinsley contributed to this report.
Minimum wage changes
A State House bill would keep the lower minimum wage of just under four dollars an hour for tipped workers.If that bill doesnot pass, within about five years, a new law will require restaurants to pay tipped workers the regular minimum wage.
Democratic Representative Nate Shannon introduced the bill and says some restaurants could close if the higher wage law goes into effect and workers could lose their jobs.
The labor group One Fair Wage opposes Shannon’s bill. It says restaurant workers deserve a regular minimum wage plus tips.
Foreclosure prevention
Detroit City Council member Coleman Young II is hosting a virtual meeting focused on property taxes and foreclosure prevention on Wednesday, Nov. 13. Wayne County Treasurer Eric Sabree and Willie Donwell from the Board of Tax Review will participate. The meeting is scheduled for 5-6 p.m., and residents can register to attend by calling 313-224-4248.
November science events
The Michigan Science Center’s November offerings include an exhibit of life-sized dinosaurs, Black Friday membership deals and a hands-on paleontology event. For more information about upcoming events, visit mi-sci.org.
Lego League volunteers needed
The organizers of this year’s First Lego League Challenge Qualifier are looking for volunteers. The event invites Lego robotics teams from throughout the area to compete at the Michigan Science Centeron Saturday, Nov. 23. Volunteers may act as competition judges, referees, field resetters and fill other roles at the annual event. To register as a volunteer, visit firstinspires.org.
Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.
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WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
He campaigned in Dearborn last week, pledging to bring peace to the Middle East, despite his longstanding support of Israel. Vice President Kamala Harris garnered 36% of the vote among city residents.
Green Party candidate Jill Stein, who campaigned as the anti-war candidate, received 18% of the votes. Some Muslim and Arab American voters shifted toward Stein and Trump hoping one of them would end Israel’s war in Gaza.
Still, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cheered Trump’s victory, and foreign policy experts say the win could embolden Netanyahu to expand the war. Trump has urged the prime minister to do whatever it takes to win in Gaza.
Tickets are now on sale for the SphinxConnect 2025: Ignite “convening,” referred to by organizers as the largest and longest-standing event dedicated to excellence and inclusion in classical music. The event will take place Jan. 23-25 at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center.
City Councilmember Coleman Young II is hosting an “I Am Thankful” dinner before an At-Large Evening Meeting next Tuesday, Nov. 12, at the Northwest Activities Center in Detroit. Attendees are asked to RSVP by calling 313-628-2766 or emailing zina.johnson@detroitmi.gov.
Former WDIV reporter Chauncy Glover has died. The Detroit News reports Glover, 39, had been working at KCAL in Los Angeles as a news anchor for more than a year. The circumstance of his death have not been released.
Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.
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WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
This election season, voters across the state will fill two seats on the leadership boards of Michigan’s three largest universities, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University and Wayne State University.
The state constitution gives statewide elected boards general supervision over each institution’s finances, as well as over the hiring of top university positions — including its president. Each board’s eight members serve staggered eight-year terms, with candidates nominated at party conventions.
Wayne State University Board of Governors
Incumbents Mark Gaffney and Michael Busuito are running to keep seats that expire in January.
Gaffney is a Democratic nominee. He’s a retired Teamster and former president of the Michigan AFL-CIO. He teaches in Wayne State’s labor program.
He says he’s proud of the work the board has done during his tenure and wants to continue that work.
“We want to continue to raise the graduation rates,” Gaffney said. “We want to increase the diversity. We want to be more welcoming to all kinds of students, and we want to better market the wonderful news about Wayne State University.”
Gaffney points to Wayne State’s status among research universities and says he wants to make sure it’s accessible to students who face both economic and academic challenges.
He says all students should feel they have a place and a voice at the university, adding that recent student protests around the conflict in Gaza and university investments have challenged the university to strike a balance between sometimes competing viewpoints.
Suzanne Roehrig, the Working Class Party nominee, says she visited the pro-Palestinian student encampment on campus in the spring and feels the university should work harder to protect student rights.
Roehrig says she was eight months pregnant when she started at Wayne State, making it difficult to juggle the responsibilities of single parenting and school work. Roehrig studied education and library science and has worked as a teacher and librarian in Detroit and Ferndale.
She says her education came at a financial cost, and believes college should be free.
“In the wealthiest country in the world, there is more than enough money to make this a reality,” Roehrig said. “The working class produces what is needed to run our society. They have a right to a free education.”
Rasha Demshkieh, the other Democratic candidate in the race, came to the U.S. from Syria when she was 19 years old. She is an alumna of Wayne State’s pharmacy school; served on the Port Huron Area School District board for 13 years; and served for eight years on the Michigan Civil Rights Commission.
Demashkieh says she’d like to see the diversity of Wayne State’s student body and faculty reflected on the board, and wants the university be a bigger part of the cultural and economic development in Detroit.
“I wanted to be a part of being able to push in that direction where we provide different opportunities to our students,” Demashkieh said. “When you provide them with a good job that helps the economy of Michigan… we want our students to stay in the area.”
Republican businessman and Wayne State Alumnus Sunny Reddy is also on the ballot, along with Farid Ishac from the Libertarian Party, William Mohr from the U.S. Taxpayers Party, Sami Makhoul from the Green Party, and Kathleen Oakford from the Natural Law Party.
There are no incumbents running to keep their seats on the Michigan State University Board of Trustees this election cycle. Eight candidates are vying for the two spots left vacant by outgoing board members Democrat Dianne Byrum and Republican Dan Kelly, whose terms expire in January.
Rebecca Bahar Cook, a 1992 MSU graduate and parent of two Spartans, is the Democratic Party nominee. She’s worked for several political campaigns and served on the Ingham County Commission and on nonprofit and public boards. She says one of her big concerns is the cost of tuition.
“Michigan State was founded to be the university for ordinary, everyday Michiganders who want a higher education,” Bahar Cook told WDET. “I think there has to be sort of a recommitment to keeping college affordable.”
Mike Balow says he has probably been to every board meeting for the past four years. The Republican candidate jokes some people call him the “ninth trustee.”
“Michigan State’s had its own very public and particular set of challenges over the last decade,” Balow said. “I became very dissatisfied that the administration there and the board was dealing with the problems in an open, honest, transparent and forthright way.”
Balow says the university’s handling of the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal and its survivors was “abhorrent.” And he also says tuition is too high.
Green Party candidate John Anthony La Pietra says the party believes college should be free.
Though not a former Spartan himself, he took a training there when he was preparing to teach English as a second language in Japan decades ago — and he says he later joined protests on campus against the war in Iraq. He wants to make the university a place he would be happy to send his own young daughters one day.
La Pietra suspects he’s pretty different from current and typical board members.
“I am someone who is independent of the big money or big influence that seems to be prevalent on University Board,” he said. “It’s almost like legacy positions in some ways.”
Democrat Thomas Stallworth III says he was politically active when he was a student at MSU and thinks it’s important to provide students space for that.
Stallworth served two terms in the state House. He says MSU helped him find his talents and led him to a successful life and career.
He says he’s concerned that recent crises have caused conflict among board members. He hopes to bring some stability to the body.
“We’re at a point in time where we really need to learn from the experiences that we’ve had,” Stallworth said. “The Nassar incident, the shooting on campus, the firing of the football coach… These are all occurrences that have resulted in significant, traumatizing experiences for students, staff and the state. We need to be focused on understanding how we can perform better.”
Julie Maday is also on the ballot for the Republican Party, along with third-party candidates Janet Sanger and John Paul Sanger of the U.S. Taxpayers Party, and Grant T Baker, representing the Libertarian Party.
The University of Michigan football stadium is shown in Ann Arbor, Mich., Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020.
University of Michigan Board of Regents
Republican candidate Carl Meyers has run for the U-M Board of Regents several times before. He says with six of the eight current members being Democrats, it’s hard for Republicans to win a space on the board.
Meyers says one of his concerns is how expensive a U-M education is, and how much debt students and families take on to fund it.
“My mission is to increase access to the university system by controlling costs, which will increase diversity,” Meyers told WDET. “If the University of Michigan is something made up of the Uber wealthy, it’s a bad thing.”
Democrat Denise Ilitch is the only incumbent running for reelection. Ilitch has held her seat since 2008, and says she has been “laser focused” on affordability. The program that makes tuition free to most families in the state was created while she served on the board.
She says her work on the board has also included advocating for an independent office to report sexual misconduct.
Ilitch says when students complained that it was hard to get mental health services on campus she advocated for the expansion of Counseling and Psychological Services.
“I have advocated for putting more resources towards that so that students can see therapists and counselors much quicker, particularly if they have an emergency or crisis on hand,” Ilitch said.
Republican Sevag Vartanian graduated from Michigan in 1991. His son graduated from the school last year. He says to lower tuition, the university will have to have different priorities.
“It’s got a huge budget, especially with the medical system,” Vartanian said. “We really need to look at what is essential to the student experience and what is not. And you have to make hard decisions, and you have to cut programs that don’t have a positive net present value return on them.”
Vartanian also says the university has too few spots for Michigan residents, relying on higher out-of-state tuitions to fund its projects. He points to the Ross School of Business expansion planned for California.
There are six candidates running for two Regent spots that expire in January.
Other candidates in the race include Democrat Shauna Ryder Diggs, Libertarian Andrew Chadderdon and Donna Oetman of the U.S. Taxpayers Party.
The general election is taking place on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. For the latest election information, visit WDET’s Voter Guide at wdet.org/voterguide.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
Tonight on the Detroit Evening Report, we cover a Boston-based education nonprofit’s expansion to Detroit; family-friendly Halloween activities that won’t break the bank and more.
Boston-based education nonprofit Bottom Line is expanding to Detroit, thanks to a $600,000 multi-year investment from Greenlight Fund Detroit. The organization focuses on getting kids to and through college, providing post-secondary advising to high school seniors and continuing support until students enter “economically mobilizing” first careers. Detroit is the fifth city in Bottom Line’s portfolio, with the organization planning to serve 725 local students per year beginning this summer. It already operates in Boston, New York, Chicago and Dayton, Ohio.
Free Halloween fun at the library
Halloween is upon us, and there are lots of fun free offerings for the whole family:
The Bryant Branch of Dearborn Public Libraries is hosting a Halloween tunes-themed Family Dance Party from 4-4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30.
Halloween in the D
Halloween in the D’s Trunk or Treat events invite the community into local police stations, fire houses and recreation centers Thursday, Oct. 31. Visit halloweeninthed.org for a list of the 19 locations and event times.
Our Inner Circle hosting Harvest Festival
For those looking for a different vibe for their Oct. 31 celebrations, the organization Our Inner Circle and Detroit Councilmember Mary Waters are hosting a Harvest Festival in Eastern Market’s Shed 3 from 5-8 p.m.. The event will feature hay and train rides, refreshments, arcade games, crafts and entertainment. Costumes are allowed but organizers request attendees not wear scary costumes. The family-friendly event is free but requires registration. To register, call 313-728-9677.
Detroit Reparations Task Force hosting public session
Detroit’s Reparations Task Force will have a public session from 2-4 p.m. this Saturday, Nov. 2, at Butzel Family Recreation Center, 7737 Kercheval Ave., Detroit. Attendees can join in person or virtually. To join online go to cityofdetroit.zoom.us/j/87510091466.
Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations Michigan chapter (CAIR-MI) wants prosecutors to further investigate whether a recent attack on a 7-year-old girl at a Detroit park qualifies as a hate crime.
Police allege that 73-year-old Gary Lansky slashed the girl’s neck with a knife as she was playing in Ryan Park on Detroit’s northwest side. The victim, a Yemeni American Muslim, was playing at the park when Lansky reportedly approached her without warning, lifted her head and sliced her throat with a knife.
The girl ran home and was taken to the hospital where she received treatment and was later released. Lansky currently faces charges including assault with intent to murder and felonious assault.
“While the charges faced by Garly Lansky are serious, we urge the Detroit Police Department and the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office to conduct a comprehensive investigation into this matter to determine whether hate was a motivating factor in the attack,” said CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid in a statement.
WDET’s Karen Brundidge and Jenny Sherman contributed to this report.
Other headlines for Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024:
The Michigan Legislative Black Caucus is asking for a formal investigation into an ad by a Republican Congressional candidate that lists the wrong election date.
Detroit Disability Power is holding a Day of Action from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday — the day early voting starts in the city of Detroit.
A town hall focused on demystifying 2025 Medicare plans is taking place at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Woodbridge Senior Village, 1200 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Detroit.
Detroit City Councilman Coleman Young II will host a virtual meeting from 5-6 p.m. Wednesday with Police Chief James White to discuss police department initiatives. To register, call 313-224-4248.
Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is offering a $1,000 reward for any tips leading to a conviction after a Jewish teenager was attacked in Ann Arbor over the weekend.
Ann Arbor police say the assault took place around 12:45 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 15, near Hill Street and S Forest Avenue. The 19-year-old victim told police he was walking down the street when a group of men asked if he was Jewish. When he replied ‘yes,’ the victim said the group assaulted him and then fled the area on foot.
The teen sustained minor injuries but did not require hospitalization, according to police. The incident is being investigated as a hate crime, however, police say they have limited information about the suspects involved.
“There is absolutely no place for hate or ethnic intimidation in the city of Ann Arbor,” said Ann Arbor Police Chief Andre Anderson in a statement. “Our department stands against antisemitism and all acts of bias-motivated crimes. We are committed to vigorously investigating this and other hate-motivated incidents and will work with the County Prosecutor’s office to aggressively prosecute those who are responsible.”
Anyone with information about the incident should contact the Ann Arbor Police Department tip line at 734-794-6939 or via email at tips@a2gov.org.
Other headlines for Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024:
The United Auto Workers has formally filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board against Stellantis, the Associated Press reports.
Detroit has introduced a new Quick Response Team funded by a city grant to help combat the opioid crisis.
The state Department of Treasury is hosting a fundraiser dinner for its Fostering Futures Scholarship Trust Fund from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20, at MotorCity Casino.
Detroit City Council Member Gabriel Santiago-Romero and State Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit) are inviting constituents to Coffee, Council and Conversation from 11 a.m. to noon this Friday at the Grand Circus Park People Mover Station.
Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.
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The Detroit Home Accessibility Program — a joint project of the city of Detroit, CHN Housing Partners and Detroit Disability Power — dedicates more than $6 million in ARPA funds to home modifications for eligible residents to add ramps or lifts, widen entrances, modify handrails, or add alarms to the entries and exits of their home.
“Detroit has more than 129,000 disabled residents. Members of this large, diverse and important constituency deserve the ability to fully engage in all that our City has to offer,” said Ani Grigorian, disability access consulting manager at Detroit Disability Power, in a news release. “This program is an important step towards greater accessibility, and therefore increased well-being.”
Homeowners who live in single-family homes who receive social security disability benefits, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Children’s Healthcare Services benefits or Veterans Administration disability benefits can still apply.
The program is expected to provide accessibility upgrades to at least 250 homes.
Applicants must also have homeowner’s insurance and be current on property taxes or in a payment plan. There are income requirements for participation. For more information, visit chnhousingpartners.org/Detroit/dhap or call 866-313-2520.
Other headlines for Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024:
Mason K-8 Academy opened its newly renovated and stocked school library today. The Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) chose Mason to receive 18,000 new books from the Council of Great City Schools and Scholastic.
Cass Tech students who live in Hamtramck and “Banglatown” – an area close to Hamtramck – are asking DPSCD to provide bus transportation to the school. Education nonprofit 482Forward organized student and adult members to take their appeal to tonight’s school board meeting.
The Detroit Food Commons will host a concert series this fall. The Freedom Sounds fall concert series kicks off Sunday, Sept. 22 with jazz percussionist and Jazz at Lincoln Center alum Ali Jackson. Bassist and composer Marion Hayden will perform Oct. 27; and on Nov. 24, multi-genre percussionist and food justice advocate Aisha Ellis will perform. The series is curated by violinist and flutist Michelle May. The events, held in the Mama Imani Humphrey Banquet Hall on the second floor of Detroit Commons, cost $25 to attend with funds going towards Detroit Black Community Food Sovereignty Network’s community programs.
The Hamtramck Parks Conservancy has a new director of programming and communications. Alicia Chiaravalli has a background in environmental science, play design and sustainability. She will be responsible for developing recreation programs, coordinating volunteers and community partnerships for the conservancy.
Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
The Michigan Department of Transportation is lifting some restrictions for transporting certain hazardous substances across the Ambassador Bridge this fall.
MDOTwill ease restrictions on transporting fuels and materials for batteries beginning Oct. 29. The bridge’s owners requested the looser restrictions, saying it can respond quickly to a fire or spill.
MDOT commissioned a technical study in June 2021 to evaluate the risks associated with transporting restricted materials on the Ambassador Bridge from Porter Street in Detroit to Canada, the state reported. MDOT subsequently collected more than 80 letters from elected officials, business owners and community members, many expressing support for the looser restrictions.
Restricted materials will only be transported during off-peak hours, under the supervision of vehicle escorts, according to the state.
Other headlines for Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024:
The city of Detroit is holding informational sessions this month to teach local nonprofits how to apply for grants to expand or improve their programs.
The Paradise Wellness Academy is hosting a free Community Health Education series this month, featuring live cooking demonstrations and tips for preparing nutritious meals, from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursdays, Sept. 12, 19 and 26.
Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
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