Detroit officials gathered at the Adams Butzel Recreation Center yesterday to unveil their summer crime prevention program.  Called “Occupy the Summer,” the initiative looks for ways to keep teens actively and productively engaged once the weather warms up.  

Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison says the overall idea is to find more ways to keep the community safe. “We know that as the temperatures rise,  our children, our seniors, our community – everyone is waiting to come outside.  We see year after year, violence and gun violence start to rise.” 

The Occupy the Summer initiative will keep several Detroit recreation centers open until 11 p.m., expand youth programming, hold cultural activities and bring back midnight basketball.  The program kicks off June 12 and runs until August 14. 

Additional headlines for Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Casino revenues are up 

Detroit’s three casinos are showing improved financial numbers for April.  Revenues hit $118.9 million for the month.  That’s up nearly 8% compared to April 2025.  

The Michigan Gaming Control Board says MGM Grand showed the greatest year-over-year increase at 14.3%  MGM also retained the largest share of the market in Detroit at 49%.  Motor City controlled 29%, while Hollywood Casino at Greektown pulled in 22%.  

The three casinos paid $14 million in wagering taxes and development agreement fees to the City of Detroit last month.  They paid another $9.6 million in taxes to the state of Michigan. 

Gas prices continue rising 

Gas prices in metro Detroit continue to rise.  The average price for a gallon of self-serve regular unleaded was $4.82 this morning.  AAA Michigan says that’s up a nickel from yesterday.  Crude oil prices remain high, with very little traffic passing through the critical Strait of Hormuz.  Refinery problems in the U.S. are also impacting gas prices in Michigan. 

Pistons prepare for game five 

The Detroit Pistons play game five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals tonight.  They take on the Cleveland Cavaliers at Little Caesars Arena.  Detroit had a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven playoff series last week, but the Pistons have lost two straight games to Cleveland.  

Detroit head coach J.B. Bickerstaff says the team didn’t play up to its potential in game four on Sunday afternoon, losing 112 – 103.  Game five starts tonight at 8 p.m.  It will be televised on ESPN.    

Lions play Patriots in Germany 

The NFL announced this morning that the Detroit Lions will play the New England Patriots in Germany this season.  The teams are scheduled to meet on November 15 in Munich.  The Patriots won the AFC East last season and advanced into the playoffs.  

The Lions failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2022.  The full NFL schedule will be released Thursday night. 

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The city of Detroit celebrated 10 years of Project Clean Slate with the program’s 20,000th expunged conviction.

Project Clean Slate is a program that removes barriers that limit the economic, social, physical and mental well-being of residents with criminal records. There are multiple benefits that come from expungement. Studies from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce show that companies that give second chances to returning citizens see reduced employee turnover and an overall higher quality of work.

During a press conference this week celebrating the decade-long program, Mayor Mary Sheffield announced her administration will offer a new opportunity for justice-impacted individuals.

“We just recently opened a new Office of Community and Neighborhood Safety. A part of that work will be working with justice-impacted residents through our new Office of Returning Citizens. When we invest in people and when we choose compassion, we don’t just change the lives of individuals, but the entire community,” Sheffield said.

Project Clean Slate currently has 4,000 open and eligible convictions in process and/or ready to be expunged.

Additional headlines for Thursday, April 30, 2026

Michigan gas prices continue climbing across the state

Michigan gas prices are going up again, with some areas seeing prices around $5 a gallon.

The average cost in the state is about $4.58, up about 33 cents from the day before and 71 cents higher than last week. A year ago, the average price was $3.23.

These surges are connected to the U.S.-Israel war with Iran and disruptions involving the Strait of Hormuz, halting multiple shipments of oil.

Some experts say prices should stabilize after today.

Detroit teams face pivotal weekend across basketball, baseball and soccer

Pistons force Game 6

The Detroit Pistons avoided elimination Wednesday night, beating the Orlando Magic 116-109.

Now the hometown heroes travel to Orlando for a must-win Game 6 if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive.

The showdown is set for Friday, May 1. Tipoff is at 7 p.m.

Tigers look to climb AL Central standings

The Detroit Tigers face off against the Texas Rangers this weekend.

As the second-place team in the American League Central, they could find themselves in the top spot in the division with a successful weekend.

All three games will be played at Comerica Park.

Detroit City FC returns to Keyworth

Detroit City FC faces Louisville City FC at Keyworth Stadium.

The match is set for May 2 at 6 p.m.

Detroit Vinylfest returns for second year

The second annual Detroit Vinylfest returns this weekend, featuring records, CDs, tapes and more.

The event, presented by the Detroit Bookfest team, will feature more than 70 vendors selling vinyl records, cassette tapes and other music collectibles.

Vendors will also offer music-related posters, T-shirts and other memorabilia for collectors and music fans.

Some musicians will host autograph signings, and DJs will be spinning vinyl throughout the event.

For more information, visit detroitbookfest.com.

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The City of Detroit’s District 6 is hosting a meeting Wednesday about its lighting expansion program. This comes after Mayor Mary Sheffield signed an executive order to improve lighting in city neighborhoods.

The city says the Public Lighting Authority will install thousands of lights to improve public safety. The City of Detroit and the PLA are hosting community meetings to get feedback from residents. A community engagement plan and schedule will be developed and presented for approval by the City Council. 

This week’s meeting will be April 29 from 6-8 p.m at the Clemente Recreation Center located at 2631 Bagley Street. 

Additional headlines for Monday, April 17, 2026

Dearborn Heights safety workshops

The city of Dearborn Heights is also hosting workshops about safety in the city. The goal is to gather input from the community about road safety and safety trends. The city also wants to learn more about high-risk areas in order to develop safety improvements. 

Community meetings will take place tonight, April 27 from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Richard Young Rec. Center 5400 McKinley St. The next one is Wednesday, April 29 from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Canfield Community Center 1801 N. Beech Daly Rd. 

People can take a survey online to share their input. Visit dearbornheightsmi.gov to learn more. 

Warren hosts Asian American and Pacific Islander Celebration

The City of Warren is hosting its third annual Asian American and Pacific Islander Celebration.

Ayasha Bahar is the Administrative Coordinator for Warren Mayor Lori Stone. 

She says the third annual event was created to showcase Asian cultures in Warren, which make up about 13% of the city’s population. “[That’s] is a significant amount… Warren really stands out as having one of the larger Asian communities in Michigan, and it’s, it’s been on the rise and growing over time.” 

Bahar says the celebration will feature henna artists and performances from different cultures including Filipino, Thai, Laos, Vietnamese, Bangladeshi, Indian and Chinese. She says its a way for people to learn about different cultures and come together. 

The celebration takes place at the Warren Community Center on Saturday, May 2 from 1-4 p.m. That’s 5460 Arden Ave., Warren, MI 48092. 

Hamtramck Health Hike

The Hamtramck Drug Free Community Coalition is hosting its 17th annual 5k run. The Hamtramck Health Hike will be led by Hamtramck Fire Marshall Michael Young. It starts off at Zussman Park in front of the Hamtramck City Hall.

The free event will also provide giveaways to the first 400 people who register.  The event takes place between 9:30 a.m. and noon on May 16. 

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Large groups of teenagers have been gathering in downtown Detroit organized on TikTok and Snapchat. It’s part of a national trend being called “teen takeovers.” Most of the kids were just hanging out. But some of these gatherings turned chaotic. There have been brawls, vandalism, and an attempted robbery on Woodward. On April 11, a gun was fired, though no one was hurt.

Two of the 16-year-olds who organized the first gathering sat next to Mayor Mary Sheffield at a press conference last week. Daveion Page said he did it because he was bored. Danasha’ Tidwell said the violence that followed was “harmful and very unacceptable.”

Where can Detroit kids go to be safe and have fun? And, what’s the responsibility of a city to help grow and develop young people? 

Jerjuan Howard is the first director of Detroit’s new Office of Youth Affairs. He’s also an Army veteran, founder of the Umoja Debate League, and the owner of a new bookstore on Puritan Avenue. He spoke with The Metro‘s Robyn Vincent.

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

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More stories from The Metro

A 48-year-old Hamtramck man has been arraigned and charged with kidnapping and assaulting a 16-year-old Hamtramck student on Monday. CBS News reports Donald James Joseph Arthur Fields is being held without bond at the Wayne County Jail. 

The student was kidnapped at gunpoint from a bus stop and forced into a white van. Other students were able to track her location through her social media and alert police. The teen also managed to call the police herself.  

The kidnapper took the student to a local gas station, where the student mouthed “help” to the attendant who intervened and walked the kidnapper outside. Police arrested Fields within 30 minutes of the kidnapping. 

Hamtramck Police Chief Hussein Farhat says this was an isolated incident. A probable cause conference is slated for Fields on April 30. 

Additional headlines for Thursday, April 16

Attorney General Dana Nessel files against Consumers Energy

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel filed testimony against the state’s largest energy provider.

Nessel urged the Michigan Public Service Commission to cut 61% of a $240 million request from Consumers Energy for another rate hike. This comes after the commission already approved a $157 million rate hike for Consumers Energy in December.

Nessel says Consumers Energy allegedly inflated their costs and customers ultimately take a hit. If approved, customers would save $146 million in future costs.  

Consumers Energy provides electricity and natural gas to about 2 million people in Michigan.  

Coalition for Property Tax Justice says overassesments continue in Detroit

The Coalition for Property Tax Justice continues to fight with the City of Detroit over its property assessments. Overassessments by the city have led to thousands of foreclosures. 

Coalition founder Professor Bernadette Atuahene says a recent study shows overassessments of lower-priced homes are still happening. 

“A report released this year shows that 50% of the homes worth 70,000 and under are still being assessed in violation of the Michigan State Constitution, which quite clearly says no property should be assessed at more than 50% of its market value.” 

City Assessor Alvin Hornh tells WDET his office has adjusted its Economic Condition Factors to get a better idea of what is happening in a particular neighborhood. 

A recent report by the International Association of Assessing Officers showed the city complied with state law. 

– Reporting Russ McNamara   

U-M president elect diagnosed with cancer

The University of Michigan Regents announced U of M president-elect Kent Syverud has brain cancer and will not be able to serve as the school’s next president. 

Syverud issued a written statement saying in part that he is “ready to meet this challenge.” 

Syverud was selected as U of M’s next president in January. He was scheduled to start next month. Board Chairman Mark Bernstein says the university will begin a new presidential search soon. He says Domenico Grasso will continue to serve as the university’s interim president as the school searches for a new leader. 

– MPRN   

Flood watch 

A flood watch is in effect for much of southeastern Michigan until midnight.

Kyle Klein is a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s White Lake office. He says the risk of flooding comes after several days of above-average rainfall, leaving the ground heavily saturated. 

“Most of the area in the past 10 days has seen between 1.5 – 4.5 in of rain. And then we’ve picked up anywhere from an inch to basically 2.5 inches in places.”  

Klein says while storms aren’t expected to be as heavy as the round that passed through the region Tuesday night, they may still bring additional inches of rainfall. That could result in water backing up onto roads and into basements. 

– Reporting by Alex McLenon

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Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield recently appointed Ali Abazeed as the city’s new Chief Public Health Officer, saying he would be a part of creating a “health in all policies” approach to government.

“We’re really excited to get up and going and also to continue the good work that the department has done over the years, but also to upgrade the software of what public health can look like in the city of Detroit,” he shares. 

Abazeed previously created and led the city of Dearborn’s health department. He also worked as a public health advisor at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

Past policies shape today’s health issues

He says health is impacted by housing quality and environment. He hopes to work with the department’s staff of 280 people to create better health outcomes for Detroiters.

“The challenges that Detroit faces from a health perspective, those aren’t inevitable…  they’re created by decades, if not centuries of decisions made by man, policies that have been excluding people from opportunities,” he says.

Abazeed says the city focuses on a harm reduction approach by working with all city departments to connect the dots for people who live in the city. He says part of that will include having more health department officials out in the city.

“90% of your life expectancy happens in the communities where you live, learn, work, worship, play…  then it requires us to take that 90% collaborative approach across everything that we do at the city,” he says. 

Abazeed says Detroiters face health burdens like asthma, which he says require a multifaceted response. 

He says everyone is entitled to good health. 

“Understanding who has been disqualified, who has been sort of pushed to the side, and whether that’s… in Washington or Dearborn and now in Detroit, I think the work is relatively the same, even if it does take on a little bit of a different scale,” he says.