Tonight on The Detroit Evening Report, we cover a nearly $80 million expansion of funding for small businesses and entrepreneurs in Michigan; upcoming financial literacy workshops in Detroit and Dearborn, and more.

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Whitmer announces small business credit 2.0

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced an expansion of funding for small businesses via the State Small Business Credit Initiative 2.0, a federal program designed to increase the availability of capital for small business owners through lending or investment. The funding will provide over $79 million toward historically underserved communities, and entrepreneurs who need support to pursue their business ideas.  

ACCESS to host financial literacy workshops

The Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) is teaming up with JPMorgan Chase to host financial literacy workshops in Detroit and Dearborn. 

The eight-week workshops will provide attendees with lessons and resources for financial success. Topics include an introduction to banking, building credit, budget and saving, managing debt, avoiding scams and an introduction to investing. 

Workshops in both Detroit and Dearborn will be held every Thursday beginning Jan. 30. The Detroit workshop will take place from 1-2 p.m. at West Warren Career Center, 16427 W. Warren Ave. Workshops in Dearborn will be held from 10-11 a.m. at the One-Stop Employment & Human Services Center, 6451 Schaefer Rd. This location will also have Arabic translations available. Space is limited and attendees must register in advance on the ACCESS website.

White House Spanish-language page shut down

The White House took down its Spanish-language website, hours after Trump’s inauguration last week. The site now shows a 404 error message. The Associated Press reports that Hispanic groups say this is a step in the wrong direction. Many Spanish-speaking voters helped reelect Trump. The White House’s Spanish X profile was also taken down.  

The Trump administration took down the Spanish resources from the White House website during his last term. The Census Bureau reports that over 43 million people in the U.S. speak Spanish at home.  

Wayne County seeking nominations for residents to ‘highlight’

Wayne County is looking to highlight residents who have had a positive impact on the community. Residents can nominate people they know through the county’s Instagram page. 

Nominees can be individuals, groups, organizations, or businesses. Submissions can be made via a Google Form in the county’s Instagram bio or by emailing waynecountycommunications@gmail.com. 

Hamtramck vs Dearborn Charity Basketball Game

Hamtramck and Dearborn residents will once again compete against each other for a charity basketball game at 6 p.m. Feb. 7, at Edsel Ford High School in Dearborn. OZ Media is hosting the 4th annual charity game, with donations going toward charities in Lebanon, Palestine and Yemen. Many city leaders will be a part of the game, including Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, Dearborn Superintendent Glen Maleyko, Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin, Hamtramck Police Chief Jamiel Altaheri, Hamtramck influencer Dulla Mulla, and many others. 

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for kids 12 and under.  

Bollywood High Tea at Detroit Shipping Co.

Detroit Shipping Company will host a Bollywood-inspired “afternoon and high tea” event from 4:30-7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1. The event will be hosted by food blogger Alina Alam, known by her handle @foodiesnapper, and feature stories from South Asian culture, karak chai, Kashmiri pink tea, cookies and samosas.  

WDET’s Zahra Hassan contributed to this report.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) recently shared a report before Judge Nancy G. Edmunds of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan about the state’s foster care system. 

It’s part of the Modified Implementation, Sustainability, and Exit Plan, or MISEP, a process to get out-of-court oversight of the department since 2008. 

MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel says the department has been making improvements over the years. 

“The monitors as well as the plaintiffs agree that we’re making significant progress in those areas, and we are going to be able to move some of the requirements into a non-monitoring section,” she said.

Hertel said that will allow the department to focus on a few areas to get out of the consent decree. 

The report is a result of a 2006 lawsuit leading to a consent decree and federal court monitoring of foster care in Michigan. 

The department has passed five out of 26 points of compliance.

“We’re really proud to say that we’ve brought on almost 1,000 new foster families in the last year so that children are able to stay in a home environment instead of going to a residential facility.”

–MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel

The changes include: adding more foster parents to the system, reducing caseworker loads, increasing kinship care and improving services.

“We’re really proud to say that we’ve brought on almost 1,000 new foster families in the last year so that children are able to stay in a home environment instead of going to a residential facility,” Hertel said.

That’s to care for about 10,000 kids in the foster care system, with 200 youth seeking adoption.

Hertel said the department is monitoring maltreatment and care, keeping kids safe when they enter the foster care system.

“Sometimes families don’t understand the requirements when a child’s removed from biological parents that they need to have supervised visits or that sort of thing… Grandma will let mom take the child, and that really, maybe is against what the court order is,” she said.

Hertel says there is also an effort to keep kids in homes that are culturally sensitive to their unique needs, which she says usually happens when family members can step up to care for the youth.

“We know that there is a focus on whatever culturally appropriate needs they might have: the same religion, maybe the same school system,” she said. “Grandma, grandpa, aunt uncle may already know what that is.”

She says it’s important for children to feel physically, emotionally, and spiritually safe. 

“We continue to work toward that,” she added.

The state is also working to minimize the movement of foster care placements and to help keep kids out of the system in the first place.

“We want everyone to understand it is best for everyone if children can stay with their families, with their parents in a safe environment,” she said.

Hertel says the department is taking steps to leave federal monitoring.

“Our Children’s Services Administration, the governor, has prioritized ensuring that things are adequately funded, and we have service provision. We would really, really love to see that court oversight removed by the end of the governor’s tenure,” she said. “We really think that we have the momentum and the resources and the staffing to be able to do this.”

The focus, she said, is on keeping the kids safe.

“So we’ve really spent a lot of time thinking about where in the system these improvements can be made to ensure that families first are bypassing the system all along and staying safely together with some assistance, and if they do get to the point where they are entering the system, that they have the services that they should be getting to make sure that they can stay together safely.” 

Michigan’s Attorney General Dana Nessel says Michigan is one of 14 states taking legal action to protect health insurance access for Dreamers from potential court challenges.

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The move comes amid concerns about possible changes to U.S. immigration policies under the incoming Trump administration. The motion to intervene acts as a measure to allow Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients from losing health care insurance through the Affordable Care Act.

DACA designation is for people who have come to the U.S. as children and have lived here since 2007. It prevents immediate deportation for two years.

Michigan law allows DACA recipients to apply for insurance under the Biden Administration’s expansion of health care coverage.

“DACA recipients came to the U.S. as children but are now overwhelmingly adults caring for children — affordable health insurance is essential for healthy families and communities,” said Susan E. Reed, director of the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, in a statement. “Protecting access to the ACA creates greater stability for the entire health care system and we applaud this action by the Attorney General.”

Other states joining the motion include New Jersey, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon and Vermont.

Other headlines for Thursday, Jan. 16, 2024:

• The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services published a plan this week to improve its foster care system in Michigan.
• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded $60 million to 125 federally funded health centers to expand their hours of operation.
• Tejara, the American Arab Chamber of Commerce’s business incubator program, is hosting a coffee chat from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 23 at Bayt al Mocha in Dearborn. Speaker Farah Bazzi, the founder of Marassel Cards, will share marketing tips and insights on brand growth.
• Tejara is also hosting a 9-week boot camp to guide Arab American and first or second-generation immigrants in developing businesses from idea to launch. The program takes from 9:30 a.m. to noon on Friday,s Feb. 21 through April 18. For more information, contact Huda Rahman at huda@tejara.org or call 313-850-2849. Applications are due by Jan. 28.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

The Hamtramck Police Department is rolling out a new Citizens Police Academy  — a new course for Hamtramck leaders to learn the ins and outs of the department.

Hamtramck Police Chief Jamiel Altaheri says the 21-hour comprehensive course will give the public a working knowledge of the police department’s personnel and policies.

“I really think it’s going to really be a bridge between us and the community because the people attending the Citizens Academy are leaders within the community. That’s who we’re targeting: it’s the doctors, architects, laborers, also activists, religious leaders,” he said.

Altaheri says the course consists of a series of classes held once each week for three hours. People will be provided with coursework, tours, and hands-on demonstrations.

Topics include evidence collection, digital forensics, and patrol. The department hopes to provide tours and ride-alongs as well.

Altaheri says it’s an effort to build bridges between the department and the public.

“We’re going to create a group, Hamtramck police citizens group, and create events every year where we bring all the different graduates from various years together, and we hope that they could be liaisons and be ambassadors for the police department, but also for their own community,” he said.

Altaheri says he hopes youth will also take part in the academy.

“We also want to make sure we get all groups of people from different walks of life. So we’re reaching out to the African American community, the Bangladeshi community, the Yemeni community, so we want to make sure we get a diverse group of people,” he said.  “I think it’s good too, because they also get to know one another.”

People who live and work in Hamtramck are encouraged to apply.

Altaheri says he hopes the course also dispels misconceptions about the police department while creating transparency.

Classes will be held from 6:30-9:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, starting Jan. 29 through March 19. Those interested in participating can register at hamtramckcity.gov or by visiting the department’s Facebook page.

Applications can also be picked up at the front desk of the Hamtramck Police Department, located inside Hamtramck City Hall.

Michigan is working to streamline behavioral health care for Medicaid and Medicare patients with mental health or substance use disorders. 

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Megan Groen, Michigan’s Medicaid director, says the state received a $7.5 million grant to implement the changes over the next eight years. 

“You know, Medicaid and Medicare populations experience a disproportionately high rate of mental health conditions, substance use disorder or both, and as a result, they’re more likely to experience more health outcomes, such as frequent visits to the emergency department, hospitalization,” she said.

Groen says the CMS model hopes to provide a more personalized integrated care to reduce emergency room visits and improve behavioral and physical health outcomes. 

The department also hopes to address health-related social needs such as housing, food and transportation. 

Other headlines for Monday, Jan. 13, 2024:

• The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is looking for people to join its Social Determinants of Health Hubs Advisory Council. The council is a part of Michigan’s Roadmap to Healthy Communities, which provides recommendations to improve health and well-being. Applications are due by Friday, Jan. 17. Meetings will be held virtually, starting in February 2025 through December.
• Dearborn Heights homes and businesses will be getting new high-tech water meters to replace ones that are over 60 years old, thanks to state and federal grant funding. The replacements will begin this month and take about 24 months to complete.
• Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is warning residents about possible parking scams around the Detroit Auto Show, taking place now through Jan. 20 at Huntington Place in Detroit.
• The Association of Chinese Americans is hosting a Lunar New Year Community Fair in Detroit from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 2, in Shed 4 of Eastern Market.
• Several Asian American organizations are coming together to host a virtual presentation to prepare immigrants for policy changes proposed by the incoming Trump administration. The Asian Americans Advancing Justice Affiliation will go over potential immigrant policy changes and share key information impacting AAPI communities during a webinar set for 6:30 p.m. Jan. 21.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

Metro Detroit has a growing Bangladeshi population. That’s why there’s more interest in the region’s culture and food. 

Dina Begum is a U.K.-based food writer and the author of the Bangladeshi cookbook, “Made in Bangladesh: Recipes and Stories From a Home Kitchen,” which features 76 recipes from the country’s eight divisions.

“It was so important to preserve these recipes that have been passed down through generations, from my grandmothers, from my mum, my aunties,” she said. “Similarly, with a lot of the Bangladeshi diaspora — who have kind of grown up abroad — it’s important to preserve those recipes and share them with people who don’t know much about Bangladeshi cuisine.

Begum says she’s been compiling these recipes in her head since she was a child. Begum moved from Sylhet, Bangladesh to the U.K. when she was four years old with her family.

She says the book shares memories of her childhood watching her family members whip up Bangladeshi foods in U.K. kitchens, and a summer in Bangladesh watching how people make meals from farm to table.

“Everything that we had was fresh, kind of just harvested and cooked, the style of cooking was different. So even though we had traditional food in the U.K., the flavors and the way it was cooked and just the stories around them, families gathering, I just love the whole culture of it,” she said.

The book features the six original seasons of Bangladesh, the festivals, culture, and how intrinsic food is to those activities.

She also features dishes from the eight divisions of Bangladesh: Barishal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Mymensingh and Sylhet.

“It was important to showcase special specialties from different regions to people who are new to Bangladeshi cuisine,” she said. “We’ve got a range of dishes from the north, south, east, west.” 

Begum recently traveled to Bangladesh to do research for her new book, to test her recipes and learn more about the various regional dishes.

She says this book is for people who are familiar with Bangladeshi food, but also for those who are curious about the cuisine. 

“I didn’t grow up seeing a lot of Bangladeshi culture represented, and then I thought this would be an opportunity to present that to people that, not only people that I know, but people internationally, people who are not Bangladeshi, who want to find out more about Bangladeshi cuisine,” she says.

Begum says there’s an expanding interest in Bangladeshi cuisine, with an increase of Bangladeshis migrating to the U.K. who are in search of homemade foods, along with the rise of social media bloggers in the U.K.

She says many Bangladeshis owned Indian restaurants in the U.K. in the 1960s and 1970s, when the country was still a part of India, contributing dishes like the U.K.’s national dish, chicken tikka masala.

“At one point, we had over 50 restaurants along Brick Lane Bangladeshi owned restaurants and run by Bangladeshis. But sadly, they didn’t often sell Bangladeshi food, which was partly due to the fact that when they started opening, it wasn’t Bangladesh,” she said. 

Bangladesh gained independence from India in 1971.

“Often it’s Bangladeshis that started these businesses, but the cuisine or heritage is nowhere to be seen. So it was important to me to highlight that,” she said.

Begum says that cuisine is what Bangladeshis eat at home, and is oftentimes not found in restaurants.

But she says that’s slowly changing, adding that as a food writer, she’s noticed a shift in the past 15 years or so.

“Now I can see more kind of Bangladeshi restaurants popping up. There’s a smaller kind of eateries owned and run by Bangladeshi that sell kind of home-cooked style foods,” she said.

She says people are also hosting super clubs, and pop-ups, and writing about the food, and posting it online.

“Mothers at home, sometimes they don’t speak English, but it’s an amazing way for them to kind of share the food that they, you know, create every day. And through that, people kind of engage with the content,” Begum said.

She says tourism to Bangladesh has also spiked a curiosity in people. 

“Vloggers going to Bangladesh as a tourism has also kind of influenced that as well as people’s interest in Bangladesh cuisine,” she said.

Begum says the book was a labor of love, from figuring out measurements for ingredients to researching stories behind the recipes.

“I’ve tried to keep them as traditional as possible how my mother or grandmother used to cook. So obviously, it’s easier for the home cook to cook. And also, I guess the challenge was to try and write everything down, measure them, time them, which is not the way I grew up cooking,” she says. “Everything was kind of through andaaz or estimation, And it’s a way you feel your way around the kitchen. You kind of know when something’s cooked, when it’s how something smells or something looks, there’s no timers, there’s no, you know, weights, measurements, nothing in the Bangladeshi kitchen,” she said.

Begum says the book is a love letter to herself and others.

“I wanted [people] to open the book and just feel happy looking at it, you know, wherever they came from,” she said. “And also trying to include some Bangla in there as well, in terms of the season’s name and the map. So just to put that in there so people can see, you know, how beautiful Bangla looks.”

Begum is also the author of, “The Brick Lane Cookbook.” The book can be purchased here. 

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy put out an advisory last week about the link between cancer and alcohol use — which he suggests should be clearly labeled on alcoholic products.

Murthy’s advisory comes as research and evidence mounts about the bad effects that alcohol has on human health, but his proposal for a label would require a rare approval from the U.S. Congress.

Murthy notes alcohol consumption is to blame for nearly one million preventable cancer cases in the U.S. over the last decade. About 20,000 people die every year from those alcohol-related cancer cases, the advisory said.

Bottles of beer, wine and liquor already carry warning labels that say pregnant women should not drink and that alcohol consumption can impair someone’s ability to drive a car. But Murthy’s proposed label would go even further, raising awareness about the risk for cancer, too.

Consuming alcohol raises the risk of developing at least seven types of cancer diseases, including liver, breast and throat cancer, research has found. His advisory also notes that as a person’s alcohol consumption goes up, so does the risk for developing those illnesses.

“For individuals, be aware that cancer risk increases as you drink more alcohol,” Murthy wrote Friday on the social media platform X. “As you consider whether or how much to drink, keep in mind that less is better when it comes to cancer risk.”

Even with the Surgeon General’s advisory and new research that shows the dangers of drinking, it’s unlikely Congress would act swiftly to enact a new Surgeon General’s warning on alcohol products.

It’s been nearly four decades since Congress approved the first government warning label on alcohol, the one that says pregnant women shouldn’t drink and warns about the dangers of driving while drinking. No updates have been made since then.

The surgeon general’s advisory comes as the government is in the process of updating dietary guidelines, including those around alcohol, that will form the cornerstone of federal food programs and policy. The updated guidelines are expected later this year.

The current guidelines recommend women have one drink or fewer per day while men should stick to two or fewer.

Reporting by Amanda Seitz, Associated Press. Associated Press writer Carla K. Johnson contributed.

Other headlines for Monday, Jan. 6, 2025:

• Detroit police have arrested the driver who struck and killed an off-duty officer Sunday morning.
• The Hamtramck Police Department is looking for people to join the Citizens Police Academy. Classes will be held from 6:30-9:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, Jan. 29 through March 19.
• The Neighborhood Vitality Index is a tool to help Detroiters drive change in their neighborhoods. The project  — a collaboration between Community Development Advocates of Detroit, Data Driven Detroit and the JFM Consulting Group — seeks input from Detroit residents to find out more about their health, housing, and transportation needs. The first 4,500 respondents will get a $25 gift card. Participants must be age 18 or older.
• If you’re looking for a way to get rid of your Christmas tree, the city of Detroit is collecting them during the first two weeks of January. Text 313-800-7905 for reminders about trash pickup dates and recycling in the city.
• The Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) is hosting an education series featuring City Council President Pro Tem James Tate to talk about tax incentives and other city resources. The presentation will be held from 6-8 p.m. Jan. 13 at the James Tate Jr. Community Annex, 21511 W McNichols Rd, Detroit.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

Wayne State University’s College of Nursing trained about 600 people in Mental Health First Aid through a $1.5 million grant in the past three years.

Dr. Cynthera McNeill is an associate professor and director of the adult gerontology nurse practitioner program at WSU’s primary care program. She says the program initially started by adding mental health care providers in two Detroit primary care clinics to help connect people to resources and break the stigma of getting mental health care.

“A lot of mental health facilities had since closed due to funding or for whatever reason, and that mental health access was not readily accessible,” she said, with the grant rolling out during the pandemic. 

People were also trained in Mental Health First Aid, or as McNeill described it, “the ability to equip community-based organizations with the actual tools to be able to identify mental health concerns early in certain populations, and then be a bridge to that person getting mental help or mental assistance.”

McNeill says the training is like CPR, allowing people to identify symptoms, intervene, and connect them with resources, such as therapists.

“We initially trained 26 community leaders in Mental Health First Aid as a trainer. So that’s a separate training,” she said. “We trained the trainers first, and then the trainers then went into their communities, and collectively, to date, we trained over 600 individuals.”

The College of Nursing received an additional $600,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health this year to work with Middle Eastern North African (MENA) and African American communities to address colorectal cancer screening and opioid overdose prevention.

“For the opioid piece, we have incorporated and continue with the Mental Health First Aid, because the Mental Health First Aid does cover substance use,” she said.

She says the training creates sustainable solutions for communities in need.

“I am a strong believer that we need to really start to embrace equipping our communities with the skills that they need in order to implement and sustain interventions, and leveraging the community-based organizations — the entities that are the experts in their population of interest,” McNeill said.

She says the program allows communities to sustain themselves by training others and working with trusted resources within the community. 

“They can continue to offer this to their people and to be able to make an impact in their communities,” McNeill said.

This week on the Detroit Evening Report, we’re reflecting on some of the stories we’ve reported on at WDET this year that show how special the people and places in our community truly are.

We also share some news about what’s happening in the community over the holidays. 

Today, we hear a bit of an interview featured on WDET’s The Metro with Antonio Cosme, co-founder of the nonprofit Black to the Land; and Andrea Di Cresce, program coordinator of Our Global Youth.

They spoke to co-host Tia Graham about the work their organizations do to increase access to the outdoors for Black and brown people in Detroit. 

Other headlines for Monday, Dec. 30, 2024:

Young revelers and their families can ring in the new year without missing their bedtimes at “Noon Years Eve” celebrations Tuesday:

• United Skates of America in Lincoln Park is starting its festivities at 10 a.m. with a ball drop at noon. Attendees can partake in dancing, characters, noise makers and more. Admission is $16 and includes skate rental, pizza and a drink. Tickets are available through Eventbrite. 
• Visitors to the Henry Ford Museum can also party early on Tuesday. Their Noon Years Eve Party starts at 10 a.m. and ends at noon. There will be a story time, crafts, activities and a bubble wrap stomp. Party admission also includes access to the museum. The cost is $34 for non-members 12 and older; $25.50 for children younger between 5 and 11; children 4 and under and museum members are free. For more information visit thehenryford.org/rediscover. 
• The Clarkston Independent District Library will celebrate Noon Year’s Eve from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. The free event offers activities aimed at ages ranging from young children to upper elementary-aged kids. 
• Paradise Park in Novi will host a New Year’s Family Bash from 12:30 until 2:30pm. Paradise Park is at 45799 Grand River Avenue. Tickets start at $21.95. For more information, visit paradiseparknovi.com.  

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

Ali Mohammad Rizwan, author of the book, “MetalGhost: Kashif and the Echoes from a Past Life,” explores the life of Muslim superheroes.

Rizwan, who grew up in New Jersey, has watched and read superhero stories since childhood. But he felt that he couldn’t see himself in those stories.

“I’ve always loved writing, and I’ve always had this idea in my mind where I felt as a Muslim American, I really don’t feel we’re represented properly or enough so, and I wanted to do something about that,” he told WDET.

Rizwan says he began writing his first story over the past eight years.

“Before I knew it, I had a full-fledged novel in my hand,” he said.

As a child, as someone who loved watching and reading about superheroes, he would look for books at the library that had Muslim superheroes. But he says there were none.

“I grew up watching, like all of us, watching this Marvel movies… and read these comics. And again and again, they kept releasing awesome movies and comics and books, but I realized none of the characters, main characters, looked like me or you,” Rizwan said. “I think subliminally, that sends a message, whether they mean to or not.”

Rizwan says he wanted to do something about that. 

“That was my motivation, that I want to tell a story that’s purely authentic Muslim experience but it’s also American at the same time, so people can see this is what a Muslim American goes through,” he said.

The book — inspired by different superheroes — explores themes of love, relationships, family and friends, and loss, Rizwan says.

“I’ve always felt very connected to Superman, because, you know how he says, ‘I’m not really from here.’ That’s his line. And growing up as, like a Muslim American, I always felt we always kind of feel a bit on the outside sometimes because of how, especially after 9/11 and how we’re portrayed in the media and misrepresented, we are kind of sometimes treated as the other,” he said.

But Rizwan says he’s also connected to how Superman and others sacrifice themselves for the greater good, help their neighbors, and support their families.

He incorporates Islamic history and hadith, sayings of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, in the story — which he incorporates into Kashif’s thinking and motivation to save others.

“So we’re taught, there’s 1,000 years of Dark Ages, and then Europe kind of has this enlightenment. Well, in those 1,000 years, the Islamic world was prospering so much,” he said.

“MetalGhost” won the distinguished favorite in the Islamic category by the NYC Big Book Award. Rizwan says he did not expect to get this kind of reception.

“When you’re writing, I didn’t think… I could win awards, would be recognized in any way. So this, it was huge,” he said.

He hopes to write a trilogy in the series and has been approached for a Marvel edition to the book.

“They’re wondering if there is room for making this into a motion production picture or something. I’m definitely interested in that. I honestly, I would love for Muslims to produce this,” he said.

In the meantime,  he says, he’s writing his next book, which will feature comics.

The city of Dearborn has chosen 51 homes as honorees of the Dearborn Beautiful Commission’s winter outdoor decorating recognition program, Winter Aglow.

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The commission presents residential outdoor decorating awards in the spring, fall and winter, as well as “Standard of Excellence” awards in the summer for both residences and businesses.

Each Dearborn Aglow winner will receive a window decal, and will also be invited to have dinner with Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud next month.

Over 150 other homes received an honorable mention this season. For a full list of winners, visit dearborn.gov.

Other headlines for Monday, Dec. 23, 2024:

• The Detroit Fire Department is launching a monthly webinar series on fire prevention and safety, covering topics such as lithium batteries, heating safety, preventing house fires in the winter, and grilling safety for the summer. The first seminar will take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 6. Visit detroitmi.gov for more information.
• The U.S. Census released a new report saying that the country’s population is growing at its fastest pace in over two decades. That’s a 1% growth since 2023. The Census report states that the numbers have now “recovered from pandemic-era lows.”
• A group of students and alumni at the University of Michigan have filed a lawsuit for actions they say violate the Constitutional rights of pro-Palestinian student protestors.  The University Board of Regents, President Santa Ono, and Vice President of Student Life Martino Harmon were all named in the suit, filed by the Students Allied for Freedom and Equality at the University of Michigan.
• Motor City Match launched Detroit’s first rage room, “The Damage Zone.” The city of Detroit and the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation announced and celebrated the opening last week at 15785 James Couzens Freeway. 

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

The Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services, or ACCESS, has recently launched a new caregiver respite care program called EXHALE. It’s funded through a $300,000 grant for three years.

Amne Darwish-Talab is the director of Social Services at ACCESS, and she oversees EXHALE. She says the new program supports caregivers through bi-monthly gatherings, connecting to resources and recreational outings.

“We want to do all this with the aim of the program by having caregivers of all backgrounds join fellow caregivers twice a month for connection and support from health providers and other experts,” she shares.

Talab says the program aims to break stigma and stereotypes around caregiving in a culturally sensitive environment. She says in the Arab American culture, caregiving is a family obligation. 

“There’s a stigma around having a non-family member taking care of the elderly in the family, or this also extends to the notion of even placing an elderly in a facility such as a nursing home or rehab or any type of living where they’re going to be living away from the family,” she says. 

Talab says many times family members get burned out and need extra support, but people are hesitant to ask for help for fear of judgement. The EXHALE program aims to overcome stigma by connecting people to culturally appropriate supplemental resources and assistance as needed.

“Society is changing, and the duties of the children or grandchildren or daughters-in-law, or whoever it may be, or siblings, has changed, because the lifestyles have changed, and now most of the family members are working. And sometimes they’re forced to reach out for assistance for their caregiving,” she explains. 

Through the EXHALE program, caregivers receive an annual stipend.

The grant was awarded by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. ACCESS partnered with the Senior Alliance for this support group.

For more information, visit bit.ly/ExhaleProgram.

Several Syrian Americans gathered in Dearborn on Sunday to celebrate the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

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Syria has been in a civil war for over 13 years, with over half a million people killed and thousands displaced. The Associated Press reports that the fall came after a 10-day offensive by rebel groups who took over cities like Damascus.

Many of the more than 1,000 Syrian Americans who gathered in Dearborn on Sunday said they have been afraid to travel back to Syria for years, CBS News reports.

President Joe Biden called Assad’s fall a “fundamental act of justice,” but also a “moment of risk and uncertainty,” adding that rebel groups are “saying the right things now” but the U.S. would assess their actions.

Russia media say Assad has fled to Moscow with his family and received asylum from his longtime ally.

The leader of Syria’s biggest rebel faction, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, is now poised to chart the country’s future. The former al-Qaida commander cut ties with the group years ago and says he embraces pluralism and religious tolerance. His Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the U.N.

In his first public appearance since fighters entered the Damascus suburbs Saturday, al-Golani visited the Umayyad Mosque and described Assad’s fall as “a victory to the Islamic nation.”

Associated Press writers AbdulRahman Shaheen, Sarah El Deeb and Abby Sewell contributed to this report.

Other headlines for Monday, Dec. 9, 2024:

• State Sen. Stephanie Chang is hosting a workshop from 12:30-3 p.m. this Saturday offering free legal assistance for people applying for U.S. citizenship.
• Detroit residents are invited to learn about the development progress of the 22-acre Rogell Park site at a community meeting set for 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11, at the Detroit Service Learning Academy. Reserve your spot at bit.ly/rogell.
• D’Artillery in Hamtramck is hosting its annual Global Holiday Market from 2-6 p.m. this Sunday, Dec. 15, featuring handmade gifts from local women artisans.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

The National Poll on Healthy Aging has released new findings about the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren and the link between mental health and loneliness.

Kate Bauer is an associate professor at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. She spoke with WDET about the survey’s results and the changing roles grandparents are playing in their grandchildren’s lives.

Listen: Survey finds grandparents are most common child care providers in US

“Grandparents today [are] younger than ever before. They’re healthier than ever before, and they’re really involved in their grandchildren’s lives in lots of different ways,” Bauer said.

The survey looks at the different ways grandparents and grandkids connect. Bauer says grandparents are providing more care for their grandkids than any other form of child care, largely in part due to child care services closures during COVID.

“One of the first findings is that we identified that individuals with grandchildren and those who saw their grandchildren more often were less likely to say that they felt isolated and they reported stronger mental health,” she said.

Bauer says child care is expensive in Michigan and across the U.S. and grandparents are filling a critical need as child care providers — sometimes as their primary caregivers, especially in Southeastern Michigan and Detroit.

“Twenty percent of all grandparents with grandchildren under 18 are providing regular child care for their grandchildren, and 8% are providing daily or near-daily child care,” she said.

Bauer says it’s important to support grandparents and the changing nature of the roles they play in their grandkids’s lives — noting that it’s also important to not overly burden older adults.

“[We] want to make sure that we are supporting those grandparents right, and that it’s not an undue burden on them, that they’re taking care of their own needs, and maybe, you know, especially with grandparents who may have a spouse, they’re also watching after,” she said.

Studies found that 6% of Black and Hispanic grandparents live with their grandchildren.

Bauer says positive impacts of grandparents taking care of grandchildren include positive mental health and cognitive health. However, grandparents who watch their grandkids for 40 hours or more a week need more support and may be overburdened.

“There is one study from a few years ago that once those burdens of grandparent caregiving become too excessive, that grandparents’ risk of cardiovascular disease increases,” she said.

Finding a middle ground is ideal.

“I think there are policies and supports in the community that we can provide families to make sure that grandparents are providing the level of care that works for them, and it’s not an excessive burden,” she said.

The Wayne State College of Nursing has trained about 600 individuals in Mental Health First Aid protocols through a $1.5 million grant.

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The trainees took classes from 2022-2024. College of Nursing Professor Dr. Cynthera McNeill says the courses were part of a larger effort to break the stigma around mental health, including in communities where there’s a shortage of mental health professionals.

“Rather than just show up and collect research data, we were given the opportunity to provide education and skills that enable community members to take action and serve as a bridge between those dealing with mental health troubles and the services they need,” McNeill said.

The trainees work with community-based organizations to educate others. In August, the college won another $600,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health to focus on reducing barriers to colorectal cancer screening and opioid drug overdose prevention — which McNeil says will also include mental health first aid courses.  

The trainings are being held in collaboration with African American and Middle Eastern North African (MENA) community organizations to provide culturally competent care. 

Other headlines for Monday, Dec. 2, 2024:

• A bill introduced in the Michigan House of Representatives would require commercial health insurance plans to cover long-term treatment for brain injuries from diseases, strokes, and falls.
• Several community health centers in Detroit will be open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. this week to assist with Medicare enrollment before the enrollment period ends Dec. 7.
• The city of Detroit’s District 4 will host a charter-mandated community meeting on from 7-8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 3, to share updates and resources from city departments. The meeting will take place both on Zoom and in person at the Detroit Burns Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 10125 E Warren Ave., Detroit.
• It’s National Influenza Vaccination Week, and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is urging people to get the flu vaccine before the holiday season.
• It’s also Older Driver Safety Awareness week. The Michigan Department of State provides resources to keep drivers educated and safe, regardless of their age.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

Overdose deaths in Michigan decreased last year by nearly 6%, with 2,826 deaths recorded compared to 2,998 deaths in 2022, according to state data.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) reports that overdose deaths have fallen five times faster than the national average since 2021.

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Dearborn Health Department Director Ali Abazeed says the prevalence of overdose-reversing medication like naloxone has played a big role in those reductions. The Health Department alone dispensed 8,000 units of Narcan in the past two years through a vending machine at the Dearborn train station.

“We made it so that people know where it’s at, how to get it,” he said. “…and then paired it with instructional videos — both in Arabic and in English — to show what you should do if you come across someone who’s experiencing an overdose.”

Abazeed says one goal is to reduce the stigma and shame associated with drug overdoses. 

Steve Norris, director of Overdose Prevention and Recovery Support at the Alliance of Coalitions for Healthy Communities, spoke with The Metro Producer Sam Corey this week about how similar intervention programs are helping reduce opioid deaths throughout metro Detroit.

“(I)f you look at the highest rate of incidents, our two major areas of concern are Pontiac and Waterford Township,” said Norris. “So those are where we’re really seeing significant numbers and reduction, and that’s where we’ve put a lot of our emphasis.”

Public health measures like Michigan’s Naloxone Direct Portal, which distributes the life-saving drug to community groups for free in high-risk areas, have also played a part in reducing opioid-related deaths. Other harm-reduction measures include increasing access to fentanyl and xylazine testing strips, allowing drug users to test for these dangerous substances and reduce their risk of accidental overdose.

Still, while the latest trends in overdose deaths are promising, the racial gaps continue. Based on 2023 provisional data from MDHHS, Black residents are 2.8 times more likely to die of an overdose than white residents, with American Indian/Alaska Native residents 2.2 times more likely.

MDHHS says the agency is taking a “data-driven approach” to ensure substance use disorder funding reaches communities with the highest need.

WDET’s John Filbrandt contributed to this report.

Other headlines for Monday, Nov. 25, 2024:

• The National Poll on Healthy Aging released a new study on how grandparents are impacted by their grandkids, and found they can improve mental health and reduce loneliness.
• The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) has unveiled a new air monitoring dashboard called MiAir, providing Michigan residents with real-time air quality data and historical trends.
• The Detroit City Council heard public comments Monday on a measure to prevent the sale of cats and dogs in pet stores.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

Tonight on The Detroit Evening Report, we cover a new “bootcamp” for women entrepreneurs in Dearborn; the death of Michigan State University’s first Black president; local halal food drives for Thanksgiving and more.

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Dearborn launches ‘Business Bootcamp’ for women 

Applications are now open for a new eight-week boot camp for female
entrepreneurs in Dearborn. The City of Dearborn’s Dearborn WORKS
and the Arab American Women’s Business Council (AAWBC) created the program, which offers professional development, financial literacy courses, and networking opportunities. Participants will also receive $3,500 in seed funding upon completion. The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Labor. People can register and find out more at Dearborn.gov/BusinessResources by Dec. 1.

MSU’s first Black president dies

Former Michigan State University President Clifton Wharton Jr. has died. Wharton Jr., the university’s first Black president, led MSU for most of the 1970s. As president, he oversaw the creation of the MSU Foundation and established an anti-discrimination judicial board. He was also the first Black CEO of a Fortune 500 company, leading the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association-College Retirement Equities Fund from 1986 to 1993. Wharton was 98.

Dearborn adding full-time therapist to police department

The Dearborn Police Department and the Arab Community Center for
Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) are teaming up to add a
full-time therapist to the police department for mental health calls.
The therapist will provide psychological evaluations during crisis
interventions and connect people with resources. More information about the position can be found on ACCESS’ website.

Detroit awarded $1.3M to expand lead hazard control

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services awarded $7
million in community grants to communities around the state for lead control services for Medicaid recipients. The city of Detroit received nearly $1.3 million as part of the funding, which will go toward lead inspections, risk assessment, and permanent removal of lead from eligible homes. The money can also be used to remove soil lead hazards, abatement work and pre-2014 faucets and fixtures that contribute to lead hazard 

DDOT hiring drivers and mechanics

The Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) is hiring drivers and
mechanics. Pay begins at $15/hour with transportation equipment operators making over $18/hour after 12 months on the job. General auto mechanics will make $24.92 an hour. To apply, visit detroitmi.gov/ddot.  

Islamic Center hosting turkey drive

The Islamic Center of Detroit is hosting a Food & Turkey
Distribution event offering halal turkeys from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23. ID is required, and it will be based on a first come first serve policy. ICD is located at 14350 Tireman St., Detroit.

Detroit Friendship House offering Thanksgiving meal kit

The Detroit Friendship House in Hamtramck is also offering halal turkeys in its Thanksgiving Meal Kit food drive from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Nov. 26, until supplies last. The in-person event takes place at 9450 Conant St., Hamtramck.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.