A recent survey of Wyandotte’s water system by state regulators has identified “significant deficiencies” that they say “pose a significant health risk” to water consumers in the city.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) survey, released in April, reported deficiencies in four specific areas, including water treatment plant maintenance, distribution maintenance, finished water storage, and management and operations.
Additionally, the survey suggests that 40% of Wyandotte’s water system has “significant deterioration.”
“As a result,” the report said, “the city is not demonstrating the technical, managerial and financial capacity necessary to own and operate a water system.”
Paul LaManes, general manager for Wyandotte Municipal Services, says the city is currently working to address the issues highlighted in EGLE’s survey, but insisted that the water is safe to drink and poses no health risk to the public.
He joined The Metro to share more details about the survey and how the city is responding.
Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
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The Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network (DWIHN) has expanded its network of autism service providers, contracting with several new agencies to meet the rising demand for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy in the region. Among the most notable additions is Success On The Spectrum (SOS), a national ABA therapy franchise now serving Medicaid-eligible families at two locations in Wayne County — Trenton and Southgate.
Michigan school districts face tough choices as their fiscal years began Tuesday while the Legislature remains deadlocked on the state K-12 budget.
The Republican-controlled House and the Senate, which is controlled by Democrats, adjourned and left town earlier this week after it became clear they would not reach a deal by the July 1 deadline set in state law. There are big differences between the chambers’ differing versions and it appears possible if not likely the budget will hang fire into the fall.
“We’ve seen school districts passing budgets that make cuts, that pink slip employees, that dip heavily into their reserve funds that they aren’t supposed to be touching,” said Robert McCann, executive director of the K-12 Alliance of Michigan.
McCann said this outcome was foreseeable as the budget process lagged months behind the typical process and missed key benchmarks, including getting initial versions adopted in the spring so they could move to bicameral, bipartisan conference committees to hammer out final versions. Those conference committee versions would have to be approved without amendments in up-or-down votes of the House and Senate before they would go to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for her signature.
“And instead we were left with this sort of chaos situation of trying to scramble something together before the deadline and, ultimately, there wasn’t the will or the way to make that happen and it’s really because of months and months of inaction,” said McCann. “This failure has been happening over the past five, six months now of delays and inaction and seemingly not caring about the urgency of getting a K-12 budget done on time.”
There are no consequences to lawmakers for missing the July deadline, which was enacted by the Legislature after a 2007 deadlock between then Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) and a politically divided Legislature led to a brief partial government shutdown.
The state’s fiscal year begins in three months on Oct. 1, when the Michigan Constitution requires a balanced budget to be signed.
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The powerful opioid carfentanil has resurfaced in Michigan’s unregulated drug market, killing at least 11 people so far this year after years of dormancy, according to a new alert from the state health department. The synthetic opioid, originally developed to sedate large animals like elephants, is estimated to be 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times stronger than fentanyl.
Families that can’t visit an on-site service can visit the meals to-go locations to take meals home. To find a location near you, visit Michigan.gov/meetupeatup.
Another option for summer meals is the SUN Bucks Michigan Summer EBT program administered by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). The program provides $120 for groceries per child through an EBT card. However, Health Department officials say because this program is backed by federal dollars, the program is in jeopardy this year due to proposed federal cuts to food assistance benefits and Medicaid.
For now, funding is still in place and families can take advantage.
Other headlines for Thursday, June 26, 2025:
The Wayne Mobile Health Unit (WMHU) is hosting a free vision clinic today through Saturday, June 28, at Grace Community Church. 21001 Moross Rd., Detroit. The event, held in partnership with Detroit OneSight Vision Clinic and Hap CareSource, will offer free comprehensive eye exams and prescription glasses, as well as free blood pressure checks, oral screenings, dental exams, hearing tests and more.
The city of Detroit is hosting a Veterans Resource Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Friday at the Northwest Activities Center. The free event will have career opportunities, veteran support services, community resources, and more.
It’s national Homeownership Month and Detroit Project REACh is teaming up with Detroit Future City and other community organizations to host the 2025 Homebuyers Fair at Huntington Place this Saturday. There will be two sessions, with the first from 10 a.m. to noon and the second from 1 to 3 p.m.
Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.
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Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced more than $130,000 in grants on Wednesday for nine Michigan communities, including Grand Haven, Saline, and Blissfield.
The grants of up to $15,000 are part of the Michigan Main Street Vibrancy program, with money going toward community enhancement efforts and improvement projects.
Funding can be used for a wide range of purposes, including physical improvements such as signage, advertising or pop-up events.
Other headlines for Wednesday, June 25, 2025:
Former Judge and state legislator Virgil C. Smith has died at 77 years old. Smith served for more than a decade as a Wayne County Circuit Court judge. He was working as Chief of Staff in the Wayne County Prosecutor’s office when he was appointed as a judge in 2004. Before that, Smith served in the state House for 11 years, and another dozen years in the state Senate. He was Michigan’s first Black Senate minority floor leader.
The city of Detroit will hold a mayoral candidates forum Wednesday evening to give residents a chance to interact with candidates running in the August mayoral primary. The event runs from 6 to 9 p.m. at the 3Fifty Rooftop terrace above Music Hall, 350 Madison St., Detroit.
The Belle Isle Park Advisory Committee is hosting a meeting Thursday to get feedback from the public about potential redesign plans on the island. Belle Isle Conservancy CEO Meagan Elliot says the organization has been attending block club meetings and encouraging residents to make their thoughts heard. The meeting will be held at 9 a.m. at the Flynn Pavilion on Belle Isle. It will also be livestreamed.
The Detroit Golf Club is getting ready to host another national event. The Rocket Classic kicks off Wednesday, with more than 150 athletes taking part in the tournament — including a dozen of the world’s top ranked golfers. The tournament will be televised on CBS Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.
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For most of human history, extinction has been understood as an immutable fact of nature—a one-way door that, once closed, could never be reopened. Species disappear, their genetic innovations vanish forever, and the world moves on, forever diminished by their absence.
It has been an eventful year in Michigan politics with the Michigan Legislature dynamically evolving. This week on WDET’s MichMash, Gongwer News Services’ Zach Gorchow and Alethia Kasben analyze the major events in a live recording at the Go Comedy! Improv Theater in Ferndale.
They were joined by Detroit Free Press Politics Editor Emily Lawler and Politics Editor for The Detroit News, Chad Livengood.
Whether the Michigan Legislature will make its July 1 deadline
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and her approach to working with President Donald Trump
How Michigan compares on the national stage in 2025
There has been a major sea change in Michigan politics this year.
With Republicans taking over the state House, President Donald Trump back in the White House, and Democrats maintaining their majority in the state Senate — their is a new dynamic in the state capitol.
“This is the first time that I’ve covered one chamber in Democratic control and one in Republican control,” Lawler said. “…It’s been just an interesting dynamic to watch and sort of see what the chambers are teeing up for each other and what of those things they actually expect to move — which I think is a smaller pool than I initially anticipated.”
Livengood called the current relationship between the chambers a “legislative Red Rover.”
“Getting the actual votes on some of these big issues, like roads, is going to be the real test,” he said.
They also talked about the notable shift in how Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has navigated national political dynamics this year, and specifically her relationship with President Trump.
“She’s engaged with him on things that she’s wanted to get done, and I’m not sure that all of those will get done, but certainly Selfridge Air Force Base — the upgrades coming there, the new mission coming there — is significant, that’s something that Michigan has wanted for years,” Lawler said.
But Lawler also noted that Trump isn’t someone Whitmer can rely on politically, pointing to recent discussions about pardoning some of the individuals convicted for conspiring to kidnap her.
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.
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.
As Michiganders in metro Detroit brace themselves for a massive heat wave early next week, many communities are opening cooling centers to help provide relief from the extreme temperatures.
An Extreme Heat Watch will be in effect for all of southeast Michigan, beginning Saturday morning through Tuesday evening, as temperatures are expected to soar into the high 90s — with a heat index of 104 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
View the list of cooling centers opening in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties below. Be sure to check your county website for the most up-to-date information on cooling center hours and closures.
Salem-South Lyon Library – 9800 Pontiac Trail, South Lyon
Troy
Troy Community Center – 3179 Livernois, Troy
Wixom
Wixom City Hall – 49045 Pontiac Trail, Wixom
Macomb County
Armada
Armada Senior Center – 75400 North Ave., Armada; open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; 586-784-5200
Bruce Township
Bruce Municipal Office – 223 E Gates St., Bruce Township; open 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, and 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursdays; 586-752-4585
Center Line
Center Line City Hall – 7070 Ten Mile, Center Line; open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; (586) 757-6800
Center Line Parks and Recreation – 25355 Lawrence Ave., Center Line; open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; (586) 757-1610
Chesterfield Township
Chesterfield Township Library – 50560 Patricia Ave., Chesterfield Twp.; open 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; (586) 598-4900
Clinton Township
Clinton-Macomb North Library – 54100 Broughton Rd., Clinton Twp.; open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; (586) 226-5082
Clinton-Macomb South Library – 35679 South Gratiot Ave., Clinton Twp.; open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; (586) 226-5072
Fraser
Fraser Parks and Recreation Department – 34935 Hidden Pine Dr., Fraser; open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday for residents age 55 and older; (586) 296-8483
Harrison Township
Harrison Township Public Library – 38255 L’Anse Creuse St., Suite A, Harrison Twp.; open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; (586) 329-1261
Macomb Township
Clinton-Macomb North Library – 54100 Broughton Rd., Macomb Twp.; open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; (586) 226-5083
Memphis
Memphis Fire Department – 35095 Potter, Memphis; (810) 392-2385
Memphis Public Library – 34830 Potter, Memphis; open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; (810) 392-2980
Mount Clemens
Macomb County Health Department – (586) 469-5235
Central Health Service Center – 43525 Elizabeth Rd., Mount Clemens; open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; (810) 392-2980
Macomb County Sheriff’s Office – 43565 Elizabeth Rd., Mount Clemens; open 24/7 Monday through Sunday; (586) 469-5151
Martha T. Berry Medical Care Facility – 43533 Elizabeth Rd., Mount Clemens; open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Sunday; (586) 469-5265
Salvation Army – 55 Church St., Mount Clemens; open 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday; (586) 469-6712
Lenox Township
Lenox Township Public Library – 58976 Main St., Lenox Twp.; open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday; 586) 749-3430
Ray Township
Ray Township Senior Center – 64255 Wolcott, Ray Township; open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday; (586) 749-5171
Richmond
Lois Wagner Memorial Library – 35200 Division Rd., Richmond; open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 9 a.m to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday; (586) 727-2665
Roseville
Recreation Authority Center – 18185 Sycamore, Roseville; open 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday; Saturday and Sunday times vary — call for availability; (586) 445-5480
St. Clair Shores
Macomb County Health Department – (586) 466-6800
Southeast Family Resource Center – 25401 Harper Ave., St. Clair Shores; open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; (586) 445-5480
Shelby Township
Shelby Township Senior Center – 51670 Van Dyke, Shelby Twp.; open 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday; (586) 739-7540
Sterling Heights
Sterling Heights Public Library – 40255 Dodge Park Rd., Sterling Heights; open 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 1 to 5 p.m. Friday and 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; 586-446-2665
Sterling Heights Senior Center – 40200 Utica Rd., Sterling Heights; open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday; (586) 446-2750
Sterling Heights Community Center – 40250 Dodge Park Rd., Sterling Heights; open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday; (586) 446-2700
Warren
Macomb County Health Department – (586) 465-8090
Southwest Health Center – 27690 Van Dyke, Warren; open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday
Washington Township
Washington Township Government Office – 57900 Van Dyke (1/2 Mile north of 26 Mile Road); open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; (586) 786-0010
Wayne County
Allen Park
Allen Park Community Center – 15800 White Street, Allen Park
Belleville
Sumpter Township Community Center – 23501 Sumpter Road, Belleville
Canton Township
Canton Public Library – 1200 S. Canton Center Road, Canton Township
Summit on the Parkway – 46000 Summit Parkway, Canton Township
Dearborn Heights
Caroline Kennedy Library – 24590 George Street, Dearborn Heights
Eton Senior Center – 4900 Pardee, Dearborn Heights
Richard A. Young Recreation Center – 5400 McKinley Street, Dearborn Heights
Berwyn Senior Center – 26155 Richardson, Dearborn Heights
John F. Kennedy Library – 24602 Van Born Road, Dearborn Heights
Safety tips during a heat wave
Drink plenty of water
Limit time spent outdoors
Wear lightweight, loose clothing
If your home is without air conditioning, take advantage of your nearest cooling center
Be aware of possible signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, such as nausea, confusion, rapid or slowed heart rate.
Recreation Centers with extended hours from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday:
Patton Recreation Center – 2301 Woodmere St., Detroit
Heilmann Recreation Center – 19601 Brock Ave., Detroit
Northwest Activities Center – 18100 Meyers Rd., Detroit
Recreation Centers open with normal hours of operation:
Adams Butzel Complex – 10500 Lyndon, Detroit; open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
Butzel Family Center – 7737 Kercheval, Detroit; open 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday
Clemente – 2631 Bagley, Detroit; open 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday
Coleman A. Young – 2751 Robert Bradby, Detroit; open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
Community Center at A.B Ford – 100 Lenox St., Detroit; open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
Crowell – 16630 Lahser, Detroit; open noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday
Farwell – 2781 E. Outer Drive, Detroit; open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
Kemeny – 2260 Fort St., Detroit; open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
Lasky – 13200 Fenelon, Detroit; open noon to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday
Williams – 8431 Rosa Parks, Detroit; open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
Detroit Public Library locations will also serve as cooling centers during normal business hours for residents seeking relief. Find details at detroitpubliclibrary.org/locations.
Ecorse
Ethel Stevenson Senior Center – 4072 W. Jefferson, Ecorse
Flat Rock
Flat Rock Community Center – 1 McGuire Street, Flat Rock
Garden City
Garden City Police Department – 6000 Middlebelt Road, Garden City
Garden City Public Library – 31735 Maplewood Street, Garden City
Radcliff Center – 1751 Radcliff Street, Garden City
Grosse Ile Township
Grosse Ile Public Safety Building – 24525 Meridian Street, Grosse Ile Twp.
Grosse Pointe Farms
The Helm – 158 Ridge Road, Grosse Pointe Farms
Hamtramck
Senior Plaza – 2620 Holbrook Street, Hamtramck
Inkster
Booker Dozier Recreation Center – 2025 Middlebelt Road, Inkster
Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park Community Center – 3525 Dix, Lincoln Park
Kennedy Memorial Building – 3240 Ferris, Lincoln Park
Livonia
Kirksey Recreation Center – 15100 Hubbard, Livonia
Robert and Janet Bennett Civic Center Library – 32777 Five Mile Rd., Livonia
Carl Sandburg Library – 30100 Seven Mile Rd., Livonia
River Rouge
River Rouge Police Department – 10600 W. Jefferson Avenue, River Rouge
Romulus
Romulus Public Library – 11121 Wayne Rd., Romulus
Southgate
Southgate Senior Center – 14700 Reaume Parkway, Southgate
William Ford Senior Activities Center – 6750 Troy Street, Taylor
Taylor Recreation Center – 22805 Goddard Road, Taylor
Taylor Sportsplex – 13333 Telegraph, Taylor
Trenton
Westfield Activities Center – 2700 Westfield St., Trenton
Westland
Jefferson Barns Community Vitality Center – 32150 Dorsey Road, Westland
Westland Fire Station 3 – 28801 Annapolis Road, Westland
Westland Fire Station 1 – 35701 Central City Parkway, Westland
Westland City Hall – 36300 Warren Road, Westland
Westland Police Department – 36701 Ford Road, Westland
Wyandotte
Copeland Center – 2306 4th Street, Wyandotte
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There’s new legislation in Lansing aimed at preventing universities and other groups from interfering with Michigan college athletes earning money by marketing their name, image, or likeness —also known as NIL.
NIL has become a profitable sideline for many Michigan athletes. Analysts say those deals can be worth millions of dollars, though most are more modest.
But a recent settlement of a national anti-trust lawsuit may change the game.
The House v. NCAAsettlement was finalized earlier this month. It resolves multiple antitrust lawsuits against the NCAA and its member schools, awarding $2.8 billion in back pay to athletes who were denied the chance to profit from their name, image, or likeness between 2016 and 2024.
The settlement also creates a framework for future revenue sharing between schools and student-athletes, allowing schools to directly pay athletes for NIL rights, and introduces new roster limits to replace scholarship limits.
However, a clause in the settlement that establishes a special commission to assess deals that student athletes can get is not being welcomed by NIL supporters.
“If such violations of Michigan’s NIL law do take place, it could cost Michigan college athletes tens of millions of dollars in NIL compensation each year,” said Huma.
And Thomas Dieters, the board president of Charitable Gift America, a group that negotiates NIL deals, sees the commission as essentially being unfair to student athletes.
“School administrators and coaches are very quick to negotiate their own seven figure contracts without a third party determining their value,” said Dieters, “Students should have those exact same rights.”
Former State House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit) is a former standout athlete at Michigan State University, as well as a player in the National Football League. He’s currently running for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat in 2026.
Tate’s bill would block schools, conferences, governing bodies and other groups from interfering with athletes cutting their own NIL deals.
“One of the things that this legislation looks to do were not only protecting student athletes in their ability to take advantage of their name, image, and likeness — also empowering them,” said Tate.
A University of Michigan Athletics spokesperson declined to comment on the legislation.
The U.S. immigrant population has significantly increased to 14.3%, a nearly threefold rise from 4.7% in 1970. Over the past two decades, under three different administrations, federal immigration policies have undergone rapid changes under different administrations. For instance, the Obama administration established the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program while simultaneously expanding the Secured Communities Program, leading to record numbers of deportations.
As the July 1 deadline approaches, Michigan House Republicans have unveiled and passed a budget for K-12 schools. In this week’s episode of MichMash, host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Alethia Kasben discuss what’s inside the proposal and the next steps.
Plus, former Lieutenant Governor of Michigan and President and CEO of the Small Business Association of Michigan, Brian Calley, joins the show to talk about the state of small businesses in Michigan and the insurance cost crisis.
How are insurance costs affecting small businesses?
What’s in the K-12 budget that Michigan House Republicans just passed?
What direction is the Michigan Small Business Association leaning during this major election year?
Calley said the cost of healthcare has been taking a major toll on small business owners.
“Four out of five of business owners tell us it’s getting in the way of expanding the business. Three out of four said it’s an impediment to hiring,” he said. “As you look at the overall economic performance of the state, there are subtle changes that could be damaging over time”.
He said the increased cost is coming from health systems and pharmaceuticals.
Hear the full episode on all major podcast platforms.
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A federal jury has found Michigan labor contractor Purpose Point Harvesting guilty of exploiting a group of Guatemalan farmworkers in a forced labor scheme that violated both federal and state laws. The verdict, delivered Friday after an eight-day trial in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, marks a major win for advocates fighting against abuses in the H-2A visa program, which allows U.S. employers to hire foreign agricultural workers for temporary jobs.
The two-year search is almost over for participants of the Big Tree Hunt.
The contest, held by environmental nonprofit ReLeaf, challenges everyday citizens to try and find the biggest trees in Michigan.
There are five prize-winning categories, including:
Largest tree submitted by someone under 15
Largest tree submitted by someone 16 and up
Largest tree by county
Largest white pine (Michigan’s state tree)
Any tree that is equal to or greater than the current state champion of a species
“We wanted to get people outside and looking up and being aware of trees and their benefits,” said ReLeaf Executive Director Melinda Jones. She hopes that the friendly competition better connects people with nature and tree conservation.
Looking for trees is one way ReLeaf engages families with young kids, but contestants span all ages.
“It also appeals to a lot of retirees,” said Jones. “They get just as big of a kick.”
ReLeaf reports that they’ve gotten submissions from 70 counties in Michigan so far. They hope to see submissions from the remaining 13 counties: Baraga, Branch, Hillsdale, Lake, Luce, Menominee, Montcalm, Newaygo, Ontonagon, Osceola, Otsego, Schoolcraft and Tuscola.
Crowning new champion trees
ReLeaf also wants Michiganders to work together to find new state and national champion trees.
Big Tree Hunt entries are sent to the Michigan Big Tree Register. Specialists then add additional information such as the height of the tree and its overall health before the tree is added to the national register.
All you need to enter the Big Tree Hunt is a tree’s circumference at “chest height” — that’s 4.5 feet above the ground — and the tree’s location. All entered trees have to be alive, accessible, and new additions to the Michigan Big Tree Register in order to win prizes.
After submissions close, the biggest trees entered into the contest are verified by volunteers, who verify the circumference and species of the nomination.
The last day to enter online or through mail is August 22, 2025.
A photo submission from the 2023-2025 Big Tree Hunt, provided by ReLeaf Michigan
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Last month, then University of Michigan President Santa Ono announced his resignation from the college after accepting a role leading the University of Florida.
But despite the University of Florida’s Board of Trustees voting unanimously to approve Ono as the school’s 14th president, the Florida Board of Governors — which oversees the state’s universities — voted against it, reversing the decision.
David Jesse, a senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education, joined The Metro to discuss this unprecedented reversal and the political motivation behind it.
Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
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A number of universities are worried about funding cuts that are coming from the Trump administration. That includes those in Michigan.
Wayne State University, the University of Michigan, and Michigan State University collaborate — sharing research and attracting businesses to their campuses. Late last month, Michigan Tech joined the re-branded group that’s now called Research Universities for Michigan.
At the 2025 Mackinac Policy Conference, presidents from three of the four schools spoke with WDET’s Russ McNamara: MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz, Michigan Tech President Rick Koubec and Wayne State President Kimberly Andrews Espy.
This isn’t the only way schools are collaborating. Although it’s not yet supported by administrative leadership, faculty at many Big Ten universities are advocating for their respective leadership to sign a NATO-like agreement. It would allow the universities to share attorneys and pool financial resources in case President Donald Trump’s administration targets one of them.
Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
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Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline has been fueling debate for decades.
It carries millions of gallons of crude oil and natural gas liquids each day from Superior, Wisconsin to Sarnia, Ontario. A critical segment of this pipeline lies exposed on the lakebed of the Straits of Mackinac.
It’s a location University of Michigan scientists call the “worst possible place” for an oil spill. That’s because of strong currents that could rapidly spread contaminants across the Great Lakes.
Now, Enbridge wants to build a $500 million dollar tunnel deep under the lakebed to shield the pipeline, prevent an oil spill, and repair aging infrastructure. A new environmental report from the Army Corps of Engineers says it will likely accomplish these things.
But that would come at a cost. Habitats could be destroyed, wildlife disrupted, and tribal rights threatened.
Meanwhile, legal fights continue. Michigan’s governor and Indigenous communities want Line 5 shut down, citing environmental and treaty violations.
Enbridge insists federal law protects the pipeline.
The Army Corps of Engineers is asking people to weigh in on its new report about the tunnel project through the end of the month.
So, it’s a good time to ask: is this tunnel a safe solution or a continuation of something that violates indigenous rights and threatens the environment?
Andrew Buchsbaum, an expert on environmental law at the University of Michigan, has been part of the movement to stop Line 5. He joined The Metro to discuss the new report.
The Metro invited an Enbridge spokesperson to discuss Line 5 and its proposed oil tunnel, but didn’t hear back before the show’s air date.
Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
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Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan received a major endorsement that may set him a part from his other gubernatorial candidates. As part of the weekly series MichMash, WDET’s Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow discuss how this move influences the rest of the race.
Then, Michigan Sen. and Chair of the Senate K-12 Appropriations Subcommittee, Darrin Camilleri (D-Trenton) joins the show to discuss the K-12 budget and what he’s willing to negotiate.
Duggan receiving an endorsement from a group that normally backs Democrats
Sen. Camilleri’s thoughts on the proposed K-12 budget
Whether budget negotiations will be settled by July 1 deadline
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSSzX_43trw
The Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights — a union representing more than 14,000 members across the state — announced this week it was endorsing Duggan for governor.
Although endorsements don’t equal votes, Gorchow says this powerful group may help draw legacy support away from Democrats.
“It’s one thing for a group to endorse. It’s another to put resources behind a candidate. And the carpenters union has done that for gubernatorial candidates in the past,” Gorchow said. “While the union did endorse Republican Rick Snyder for governor, it traditionally backs Democrats. It endorsed Gretchen Whitmer for governor twice, among others.”
Later in the show state Sen. Camilleri shared what’s in store for K-12 school funding, as well as his thoughts on the governor’s race.
The first-term senator and his Democratic colleagues passed a K-12 budget bill earlier in the spring that’s about $600 million more dollars than what Gov. Whitmer recommended. Since then, Gorchow says, the revenue outlook has cooled a bit.
Still, Camilleri says the state is “on the right road,” pointing out that it still has a balance on its School Aid Fund Balance Sheet.
“Even with the budget that we passed, we are well situated to pass it as-is,” he said. “I’m sure we’re going to have some differences between the governor and whatever the House puts out, because we’re still waiting to see what their proposal is.”
Camilleri says he agrees that Michigan is not yet where it needs to be on certain education metrics compared to other states across the country.
“However,” he said, “we have not seen the full outcome of these investments in at-risk funding, or in mental health and school safety, or some of the other programs that we’ve lifted up, including literacy funding,” noting that Senate Democrats are focused on making “long-term investments” in these “proven tools.”
The deadline for enacting a state budget is July 1.
This coverage is made possible through a partnership between IPR and Grist, a nonprofit environmental media organization.
Canadian wildfire smoke that blew into the Great Lakes region is expected to clear from northern Michigan this weekend — at least for now.
The Michigan Air Quality Division said Thursday morning that the heavy smoke across the Upper Peninsula was already clearing out. Earlier in the week, there were unhealthy levels of fine particulate matter in the air across parts of the Upper Peninsula and northern Michigan, with smoke settling here for days before moving further south.
While division forecasters expect Friday to be the last day for advisories from this round of smoke, they said it was too early to put out a firm forecast much beyond that: “There is still a considerable amount of smoke in Canada and the models are indicating a late weekend frontal system could draw down more smoke, next week.”
The state has been issuing air quality alerts for much of the region. As of Thursday, there were still advisories across the Lower Peninsula for sensitive groups, including people with health issues like asthma.
People can take measures to protect their health, such as limiting outdoor activities, closing windows, and running air conditioners with high-quality filters.
This is the latest in a series of intense wildfire seasons fueled by dry conditions in Canada, resulting in smoky springs and summers in the Midwest.
“For the last few years, you’ve combined what has been somewhat persistent wildfire problems in Canada with an air flow that is moving some of that air from Canada down into the United States,” said Jim Keysor, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Gaylord.
It can be difficult to predict how far-away wildfires will affect air quality in different regions, since smoke is influenced by factors like wind, pressure systems, weather fronts and geography.
“Wherever the wind blows, the smoke is going to go,” said Alec Kownacki, a meteorologist with Michigan’s Air Quality Division. “And at different levels of the atmosphere you can have differing wind directions.”
Over the past week, low pressure systems funneled smoke from fires in the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba toward the upper Midwest.
“Along with that wind shift, a cold front came through. And what happens on the back end of a cold front — you have a lot of air sinking,” Kownacki said.
Local weather patterns also have an influence. While rain can help improve air quality, the rain that swept across parts of the region earlier this week actually pushed smoke down toward the earth, Keysor said, making exposure more likely.
Smoke from Canadian wildfires was visible from Traverse City drifting across Grand Traverse Bay in May 2024.
“It’s actually helping to bring down some of that smoke that’s higher up into the atmosphere, which normally would have been way up there,” he said. “That wouldn’t have bothered us a whole lot.”
One positive, Keysor added, was that modeling for smoke forecasts has become more accessible in the National Weather Service offices in recent years. Their smoke forecasts are informed by state data.
“The programmers that were putting some of those models together began to look at that [smoke] parameter a little bit more and to make it a product that we could view more readily,” he said. The weather models they use are improving. “We’re able to see more of it than we used to.”
The heavy smoke that was hanging across the Upper Peninsula and northern Michigan has now moved further south, including around Lansing.
“It’s wreaking havoc for us down here right now,” said Kownacki, who is based there.
Conditions are expected to improve across much of the state over the next few days, but there may be more smoke from the fires in the near future.
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