In recent weeks the U.S. Justice Department has repeatedly questioned the integrity of elections in Michigan.

Justice officials noted that Michigan’s secretary of state could face criminal charges if non-U.S. citizens voted.

The Trump administration tried to obtain the state’s list of registered voters and election records from Wayne County. And Justice attorneys said they would send poll monitors to several Democratic-led Michigan cities, including Detroit.

They allege the Motor City might have violated election law in 2024, claiming there were long lines at polls and a lack of ballots.

Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey says legal monitors are always welcome at the polls, but the Justice Department’s latest accusations against the city are false.  

Detroit born and raised singer/songwriter Niko Noir lives and breathes music. 

As a graduate of Detroit School of Arts, Niko builds on those technical vocal skills to create her own sound. She released her first EP “Blame Niko” in 2021. In 2025, she released her first full album “Who Can Blame Niko.” In 2026, Niko has taken a leap of faith and has dived right into her career. She quit her full-time job to pursue her goals. 

Niko blends traditional R&B with hip hop and soul, as her vocals flow over the track with words she’s written from the heart. 

CONTAINER On The Metro is a WDET produced storytelling series that brings Detroit’s creative heartbeat to the airwaves. 

CONTAINER is a program created by The Love Building to showcase Detroit’s most promising creative talent across music, fashion, fine arts and food. Done in collaboration with WDET Public Radio with major support from the Gilbert Family Foundation.

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

On this week’s episode of Acoustic Café,  our in-studio guest, Kevin Morby, runs through some cool versions of songs from his latest album “Little Wide Open.” After 8 albums, Kevin has cemented a reputation as one of this era’s most literate songwriters.

Also on the show, archived performances from newcomer Amelia Day, Keb’ Mo’ and Grant Lee Phillips with an 80’s classic!

See the playlist below and listen to the episodes on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Acoustic Café Playlist for July 12, 2026

• “Million Dollar Intro” – Ani DiFranco
• “Radio Song” – Esperanza Spalding
• “Plans” – Brandon Flowers
• “less” – Olivia Rodrigo
• “Ride Lonesome” – Beck ft. Sierra Ferrell
• “Margie” – Amelia Day (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Box Of Rain” – Satya
• “Die Young” – Kevin Morby (Acoustic Cafe in-studio guest)
• “Javelin” – Kevin Morby (Acoustic Cafe in-studio guest)
• “Red” – Jesse Welles
• “Fussing And Fighting” – Keb’ Mo’
• “Keep It Simple” – Keb’ Mo’ (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Tastes Like You” – MT Jones
• “Michigan” – Infinity Song
• “Jersey Giant” – Evan Honer
• “Time” – Devon Gilfillian
• “Wave Of Mutilation” – Grant Lee Phillips (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “For What It’s Worth” – Old Crow Medicine Show
• “No Springtime” – Allison Russell
• “Developing My Pictures” – Willie Nelson
• “Carolina Rain” – Rhiannon Giddens
• “Little Wide Open” – Kevin Morby (Acoustic Cafe in-studio guest)
• “Dandelion” – Kevin Morby (Acoustic Cafe in-studio guest)

Listen to Acoustic Café with host Rob Reinhart every Sunday from 1-3 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

This week on Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music… we’ve got a lot of new music to catch up on after two weeks of special shows! New Detroit stuff from Apropos and Lilly Macphee, plus Kelela, Phoebe Bridgers and Alabama Shakes.

Also, we’ll spin some classic tunes from July albums celebrating anniversaries, including Parliament, R.E.M., Cameo and more!

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for July 11, 2026

HOUR ONE:

• “There’s Nobody There” – Jack White
• “nosedive” – Aubory Bugg
• “Maggie’s Farm” – Margo Price
• “Carolina Rain” – Rhiannon Giddens
• “10th Floor” – Apropos
• “New Shoes” – Paolo Nutini (released July 2006)
• “Itzsoweezee” – De La Soul (released July 1996)
• “Reason To Believe” – Tim Hardin (released July 1966)
• “If I Were A Carpenter” – Bob Seger
• “Knock Knock” – Swamp Dogg
• “Better” – Baby Rose
• “Hit Me In The Head” – The Rolling Stones
• “Street Of Dreams” – U2
• “Word Up” – Cameo (released July 1986)

HOUR TWO:

• “Point Nemo” – Melanie Charles
• “The Bridge” – Kelela
• “I Feel Hope Coming” – Alabama Shakes
• “This Sun Has Set” – Beabadoobee
• “When It’s Right” – Lilly Macphee
• “Eight Miles High” – The Byrds
• “Do That Stuff” – Parliament (released July 1976)
• “Fall On Me” – R.E.M. (released July 1986)
• “Lost Boys” – Phoebe Bridgers
• “Beyond The Brilliant Haze” – Everything Is Recorded
• “Javelin” – Kevin Morby (Acoustic Cafe preview)
• “Cool Cat” – Us3
• “Let Me Speak To Bobby” – Low Cut Connie
• “Super Bon Bon” – Soul Coughing (released July 1996)

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

Federal regulators say the autonomous vehicle company Waymo must stop its cars from blocking first responders. Waymo has been testing its vehicles in Detroit. The head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the agency found several cases of Waymo driver-less vehicles traveling into emergency scenes, blocking firefighters or failing to stop for flashing lights and flares. Federal regulators say they will meet with autonomous vehicle developers to devise ways to address the problem. A Waymo vehicle will stop, however, if it notices nefarious activity from kids riding in it. A Waymo car in California recently stopped in a parking lot and called police after two teens in its back seat allegedly began drinking alcohol and shooting water beads from a toy gun.

Additional headlines for Friday, July 10, 2026

Bar IX location coming soon?  

Detroit’s first women’s sports bar is crowdfunding to open a permanent space. Bar IX hosts pop-up watch parties for women’s sports. The bar has raised 65 percent of if its 125-thousand-dollar goal since the campaign kicked off on June 30. Organizers are giving away merchandise such as stickers, keychains, and t-shirts with donations. 

African World Festival

The African World Festival is this weekend at Hart Plaza. The festival celebrates culture and history with music, spoken word, food and a retail marketplace. The festival starts today and runs through Sunday. Visit Charles H Wright museum website at for more info and to buy tickets.

Lake St. Clair Metropark to receive updates

Lake St. Clair Metropark is getting 15 million dollars in improvements. The improvements include reopening the North Marina, expanding accessibility across the park, adding new trail connections and modernizing infrastructure. It’s the biggest investment in the park in decades. Renovations at the marina will fully reopen the marina with 78 boat slips for transient docking and bring accessible floating finger docks back to the North Marina basin. All renovations are expected to be completed by the end of summer 2027.

Detroit Riverfront tour

The Detroit Parks Coalition is hosting a free walking tour about the Detroit Riverfront tomorrow, July 11 from 10 a.m. to 11a.m. The tour will give an overview of the history of the riverfront as a well as more info on the newest Ralph C Wilson Centennial Park. Meet at the Dock, located near the Huron-Clinton Metroparks Water Garden across from the Plaza. Parking is available along Jefferson Ave, Rosa Parks, and in the nearby Bagley Mobility Hub and Assembly garages.

“In this episode”

• Key takeaways from the Democratic U.S. Senate debate.
• Analysis of the Republican gubernatorial debate.
• How did each debate show divides among party candidates?

Subscribe to MichMash on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Both the Democratic U.S. Senate debate and the Republican gubernatorial debate showed the divides among the party’s candidates. This week on MichMash, WDET’s Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Alethia Kasben and Zach Gorchow break down the major components of the race.

During the Republican gubernatorial debate, former Attorney General Mike Cox and businessman Perry Johnson called out the current frontrunner U.S. Rep. John James. In return James had some rebuttals for the two, one of which he may have created because of a MichMash episode.

On March 20th’s episode of MichMash, businessman Perry Johnson said
Johnson touted repealing the income tax will save every family $4,747. On the episode he mentioned part of his calculous was using Google or Chat GPT to figure out the median income in Michigan.

Kasben said James brought those numbers into question. “James called Johnson’s income tax plan magic numbers. That was an interesting attack from James on Johnson’s main policy point for his campaign.”

In the U.S. Senate debate, the remaining two candidates Abdul El-Sayed and Haley Stevens showed their different styles, presenting two different looks of a Democratic candidate. Gorchow pointed out both candidates might still have different challenges when facing their Republican opponent. “I think they both definitely have their own challenges, but I think based on the environment, I would give the Dems the advantage going into November regardless of if it’s El-Sayed or Stevens.”

The Michigan primary elections are on August 4.

More from WDET:

• Detroit Evening Report: Congressman John James calls for smoke control in Gordie Howe Bridge deal
• The Metro: What Michigan’s Senate race reveals about the state — and future — of the Democratic Party
• McMorrow drops bid for US Senate

Learning has become harder for many students as fewer people are reading due to the distractions of new technologies. While artificial intelligence spreads information quickly, it doesn’t necessarily offer the depth of traditional teaching.

So, how does one teach deep learning when most Michigan fourth graders aren’t reading proficiently?

Erik Meerschaert is a special education teacher at Lake Orion High School. He also just became the 2026-2027 Michigan Teacher of the Year, and he’s the state’s candidate for the National Teacher of the Year award for 2027. 

Meerschaert says students learn better when they feel like they have a strong connection with their teacher. 

“Every great educator I’ve ever met starts with that relationship piece,” he says. “Being able to build that relationship with my students — getting to know their likes, their dislikes — helps create that welcoming, friendly environment. When a student is in that kind of environment, they feel ready to take risks. They feel more at ease.” 

Erik Meerschaert joined host Robyn Vincent on The Metro to discuss why he loves his job, and how that joy helps construct bonds with his students that aid them in the learning process.

Hear the full conversation using the media player above.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand. Never miss an episode — subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or NPR or wherever you get your podcasts.

Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey is pushing back against the Trump administration’s decision to send Justice Department operatives to monitor the August primary election. The DOJ says it will be watching the voting in Detroit, Lansing, and East Lansing, which are Democratic strongholds. Trump has falsely claimed that fraud in Detroit cost him the 2020 election. Justice officials say they’re worried about compliance with election law and long lines at polling places. Winfrey says no such delays happened in 2024 because the state had adopted early voting.

-Reporting by Pat Batcheller

Additional headlines for Thursday, July 9, 2026

Growing Cyclosporiasis cases

The state health department says an outbreak of a parasitic infection has grown to almost 1 thousand cases. Cyclosporiasis causes severe diarrhea and other symptoms. Investigators have not found the cause of the outbreak, but people usually get it by eating contaminated fresh produce.

Health experts advise washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly and seeking medical attention if symptoms persist. They can last for weeks without treatment.

Money for new mothers

Republican House Speaker Matt Hall says he doesn’t want a state program that pays new mothers to get the 20 million dollars it is expecting from the new state budget. R-X Kids gives women 15 hundred dollars during pregnancy and 500 dollars a month for the first six months of a newborn’s life. Studies show it has reduced infant mortality in Flint, where it began. Republican Speaker Matt Hall says more traditional social safety net programs with tougher eligibility requirements should get the money.

“I’m hopeful that we’ll have a WIC program, that our child protective services will be well funded, that the cash assistance program will be well funded.”

R-X kids serves all eligible mothers in designated coverage areas regardless of individual family need.

Reporting by Michigan Public Radio Network’s Colin Jackson

Rental housing gridlock

Efforts to reform Detroit’s rental housing remain stalled… and advocates blame the city’s largest court for some of the gridlock. A lawsuit by the Detroit Tenants Union accuses 36th District Court’s Chief Judge of failing his legal duty by allowing landlords without a certificate of compliance to continue collecting rent.

Right now, only 14 percent of Detroit landlords are compliant with city safety inspections. Donovan McCarty represents the union.

“If landlords can keep going in to collect rent that’s not lawfully collected, then they have no incentive to actually come into compliance, and that I4 percent number will not grow to where we need it to be.”

The 36th District Court didn’t reply to a request for comment.

You can hear the full conversation at WDET.org or on The Metro podcast.

Grow Detroit Young Talent

City officials kicked off the 12th annual Grow Detroit’s Young Talent
Summer Employment Program Wednesday.

The program will provide over eight thousand summer jobs for kids in the city. It’s Mary Sheffield’s first year leading the effort as Mayor. Over 90 thousand positions have been extended to Detroit’s young people since the program began in 2014.

Jazz takes center stage featuring Nicholas Payton & Butcher Brown, Jeff Parker, and Ethiopian pianist Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru. We also mix in new music from Tyler Ballgame alongside favorites from Nick Drake, Jungle, Fela Kuti, Aretha Franklin, and more. 

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above. 

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for July 9, 2026 

• “Mountain Top” – RIO KOSTA 

• “House in LA” – Jungle 

• “Pursuance” – Nicholas Payton & Butcher Brown 

• “All Blues” – Nicholas Payton & Butcher Brown 

• “Gentleman” – Fela Kuti 

• “Satisfaction (I Can’t Get No)” – Otis Redding 

• “Lazy Bones” – WITCH 

• “Bra” – Cymande 

• “I Believe In Love” – Tyler Ballgame 

• “Somebody Made for Me” – Emitt Rhodes 

• “This Will Be Our Year” – The Zombies 

• “Draggin’” – Hannah Cohen 

• “Going to California” – Led Zeppelin 

• “Goodbye Mr. Blue” – Father John Misty 

• “Words” – Big Thief 

• “Knife” – Grizzly Bear 

• “In a Dream” – Misha Panfilov Sound Combo 

• “Our House (Demo)” – Graham Nash 

• “Sycamore” – Bill Callahan 

• “Chinese Translation” – M. Ward 

• “Pink Moon” – Nick Drake 

• “Mule” – Kenny Burrell 

• “Crazy He Calls Me” – Aretha Franklin 

• “Off Om” – Jeff Parker 

• “..THUS IS WHY ( I DON’T SPRING 4 LOVE )” – Saya Gray 

• “This Is How We Walk on the Moon (feat. Tirzah)” – Speakers Corner Quartet 

• “Shadows From Nowhere” – Blue Gas 

• “Storm” – Rare Silk 

• “The Homeless Wanderer” – Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru 

• “Open the Door” – Betty Carter 

• “What You Are” – Pete Brandt’s Method 

• “I Think I’m in Love” – Spiritualized 

• “Al Sharp” – The Beta Band 

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org. 

There is a quiet that settles into a house when the power has been out for three days. The hum you never noticed is gone. The refrigerator has given up. If someone in the house depends on a machine to sleep, or a medication that has to stay cold, the quiet starts to feel like something else.

That was the mood in many homes in southeast Michigan over the Fourth of July weekend. Storms came through on Friday night with winds over 60 miles an hour.

By that night, more than 450,000 utility customers statewide were in the dark — most of them DTE customers. For some, the power did not come back for five days.

As the lights returned, so too did an argument about what people are owed when the grid fails, and about who, exactly, is supposed to answer for it.

Representative Alabas Farhat is among the people pushing for answers to those questions. He represents Dearborn and part of Detroit — some of the hardest-hit neighborhoods — and he is calling for state hearings into how the utilities responded, along with bigger compensation for residents than the state’s $42-a-day outage credit.

DTE has defended its response. In a statement to WDET, the company said the storms caused the most damage it has seen in years — knocking out power to nearly 400,000 of its customers — and that its “sole focus is on restoring power for our customers as quickly and safely as possible.”

At a press conference this week, CEO Joi Harris said the company got only about 90 minutes’ warning before the storm hit, and officials said most of the damage came from large trees outside the utility’s easements, with replacement crews coming from as far as Texas and Canada.

Harris also acknowledged the limits of the credit: “We know that $42 doesn’t cut it.”

Farhat joined host Robyn Vincent on The Metro to discuss what he heard from constituents who spent days in the dark, why he believes the current credit falls short, and what it would take to hold Michigan’s utilities to a higher standard.

Hear the full conversation using the media player above.

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

Whether your looking to experience culture and cuisine from around the world, turn back the clock with an immersive historical activity, or just enjoy the outdoors – this week’s Metro Events Guide has you covered.

Upcoming events (July 9-12)

Freedom Plane National Tour: Documents That Forged a Nation

Henry Ford Museum
 July 9- July 26
Free

The Freedom Plane National Tour gives visitors the opportunity to view original documents that played a key role in the founding of America. The Henry Ford is one of eight institutions in the country hosting the traveling exhibit in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. The exhibit is free and museum admission is not required. 

Historic Base Ball

Greenfield Village – Walnut Grove
July 11 | 1:30 p.m.
$39

Turn back the clock and experience the origins of America’s pastime from a time when the rules were different and the game was known as “base ball.” Cheer on the action as players take the field with uniforms, equipment and rules from 1867.

Movie Nights in the D – Cars

Campus Martius Park
July 10 | 6 p.m.
Free

Grab your blankets and lawn chairs and enjoy Cars on the big screen at Campus Martius Park.  Arrive early by 6pm for activities and a chance to win prizes before the movie begins at 7pm. This event is free and is part of an ongoing summer movie series  at Campus Martius Park.

Detroit Kite Festival

Belle Isle State Park
July 10 | 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Free (with paid entry to the island)

The Detroit Kite Festival returns to Belle Isle State Park for its eighth year. Attend for a day of kite flying, kite making, bubble therapy, food and drinks available for purchase on-site and more. This event is free after paying for entry to the island.

African World Festival

Hart Plaza
July 10-12
$17.85

Each year, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History celebrates African Diaspora culture with three days of music, food and more. At the event guests can enjoy over 100 food and retail vendors from around the world, all in a family-friendly environment.

While Detroit law says a landlord cannot rent a home until it’s been deemed livable by city inspectors, 86% of Detroit’s landlords are operating illegally as they have failed to secure Certificates of Compliance for their properties.

Last week, the Detroit Tenants Union, with support from several legal groups in the city, filed a lawsuit, alleging the 36th District Court chief judge has “failed to perform a clear and legal duty” because the court’s rulings contradict city law, effectively leaving residents vulnerable rather than upholding the statutes protecting them.

Professor Donovan McCarty is the director of Michigan State University College of Law’s Housing Justice Clinic and counsel for the Detroit Tenants Union. He says the 36^th District court is not using the law properly to protect renters.

“If landlords can keep going in to collect rent that’s not lawfully collected, then they have no incentive to actually come into compliance, and that 14% number will not grow to where we need it to be,” says McCarty.

He joined The Metro’s Robyn Vincent to discuss why he believes the court is falling short, and how it needs to be held accountable.  

The 36th District Court did not respond to The Metro’s request for comment.

Hear the full conversation using the media player above.

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

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

More stories from The Metro

Police say a 5-year-old boy was shot in the arm while riding his bicycle in front of his home in northwest Detroit. Investigators say a teenager fired several shots near Fargo-Oakfield Park when a stray bullet hit the boy.

Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield says the young victim will recover. She called the shooting senseless gun violence and said children deserve to feel safe in their neighborhoods. She says anyone with information about the shooter should call the police or CrimeStoppers. 

-Reporting by Pat Batcheller

Additional headlines for Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Federal monitors in Detroit?

The Justice Department plans to send election monitors to Detroit, Lansing and East Lansing for Michigan’s August primaries. Those are mostly Democratic cities. President Trump has falsely claimed that fraud in Detroit cost him the 2020 election.

Phil Mayor is the deputy legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan. He says the DOJ can, and has, used election monitors before. But he says Trump’s plan is troubling.  

“Given this administration’s election denialism and many of the other ways the administration has sought to discourage voting or spread false narratives, we’re certainly concerned. We’ll be watching the conduct of DOJ’s monitors carefully to ensure that they comply with the law, that they don’t interact with or harass voters.”

The chairman of the Michigan Republican Party—and a 2020 election denier—suggested this could be a trial run for placing federal agents at the polls in November. 

Faith leaders in the state are calling on legislators to pass a Michigan Voting Rights Act to fight against discrimination and protect access at the polls. 

-Reporting by Rick Pluta and Sascha Raiyn

Faith leader training

A new training is available for people who’d like to be Poll Chaplains or Peacekeepers at polling locations. 

Poll Chaplains are faith leaders who wear clerical attire at election sites and peacekeepers are religious community leaders. The training teaches both how to maintain peace and de-escalate potential conflict at polling locations to encourage voter participation.  

Faiths United to Save Democracy is a nonpartisan, multifaith and multiracial voter protection campaign.  

The training will be held on Zoom on Monday July 13 from 7-8:30 p.m. Additional training will be offered on September 28 and October 15. People will receive official credentials upon completion of training.  

People can register at turnoutsunday.com. 

Fresh food truck

Wayne County has launched a food truck to increase access to affordable, healthy food options for residents. The Well Wayne Fresh Truck Mobile Market is a “farmers market on wheels.”  

It’s an effort to feed people who are facing food insecurity. That’s 1 in 5 people in the county. 

The food truck is also a way to reduce barriers to accessing food due to limited transportation and food prices. The food truck is sponsored by a multi-million-dollar investment to address social determinants of health through community work. The mobile food truck accepts SNAP, EBT, Double Up Food Bucks, cash, and credit or debit cards. It will operate across several cities including in Highland Park, Hamtramck and Inkster. Routes will be updated quarterly and based on community feedback.    

Grow Talent program starts

Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield kicks off the city’s summer jobs program for young people today. Grow Detroit’s Young Talent provides paid positions for about 8,000 teens and young adults. This year the city is adding two weeks of training for each participant in which they’ll learn about professionalism, conflict resolution and other skills.  

-Reporting by Pat Batcheller 

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

Federal judges across the country have been getting pizzas delivered to their homes that they never ordered. It is an intimidation tactic — a way of saying, “We know where you live.” This is happening after judges rule against the Trump administration. Some have also received hundreds of threatening voicemails after doing so. 

These threats are on the rise, and a coalition of judges says they climb each time the Trump administration attacks a ruling.

So this week, something unusual is happening. A group of judges — appointed and elected by both parties — got on a bus. The Justice in Motion tour crossed Pennsylvania and Ohio and are reaching Michigan this week, stopping at the Grosse Pointe Library at 11:30 a.m. on Friday. At these stops, they are doing the one thing their profession trains them not to do: speak out, in public, together, about what is happening to the courts.

Victoria Roberts is among the former judges breaking that silence. She spent 25 years on the federal bench in Michigan’s Eastern District — and she got there as a trailblazer, the first African American woman to lead the State Bar of Michigan. She joined Robyn Vincent on The Metro to pull back the curtain on the judicial system, how decisions are made, and whether this moment feels different.

Hear the full conversation using the media player above.

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

More stories from The Metro

Dearborn was named a Tree City USA for the 39th year.

Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud says its a pride point for the city. “We’re trying to take it an extra step, ensuring that we offer all of our residents a free tree in their easements, and even if they’d like a free treatment for their personal property,” he says.

Benefits

Hammoud says the trees help with flood mitigation in the city.

“The more trees you put in the ground, the more water it can absorb, helping prevent that water from entering your water and sewer system, which helps increase your capacity,” he says.

City reprenstatives have been planting about 1,000 trees a year, he says.

What goes up…

Hammoud says road construction and storms can sometimes lead to some trees coming down.

“Sometimes a tree will be removed if you have major road construction, and you do chop off some of the root system, and then you’d no longer have a tree that can be there safely, where a windstorm, especially if there’s many leaves in the tree, can get picked up along with that windstorm,” he shares.

He says there are efforts to educate residents about the benefit of planting and saving trees. The city has also caught up on a backlog of taking down dead and deceased trees from 1,200-1,300 to about 100 trees. 

Setting trees up for success

The city mostly plants trees that are 3-4 years old, and works with the Crimboli Nursery & Landscapes to get their trees.

Every tree comes with a 1-2 year warranty, but residents are asked to water the trees.

“If the wooden stakes are still on the tree that are helping keeping it up, that means the tree has a warranty for those first two years, ensuring that can kind of grow out of its newborn phase,” he says.

Dearborn residents can request a free tree in their easement by visiting dearborn.gov/trees. 

This story is a part of WDET’s ongoing series, the Detroit Tree Canopy Project.

Leaders from multiple faith communities in metro Detroit are calling on state legislators to pass a Michigan Voting Rights Act after the justice department announced plans to send election monitors to three Michigan cities. 

Clergy gathered at Central United Methodist in Detroit and at locations in Grand Rapids and Lansing to show opposition to Trump administration policies speakers say are designed to threaten communities across the country. 

Hazel Gomez of Dream of Detroit says faith leaders will and must defend voting rights. “We will organize, we will train, and we’re going to de-escalate. And in the primaries in August and in the general election in November, our goal as clergy of all faith traditions is to stand at the polls, to accompany, and to watch over our beloved communities.”

Wendell Anthony of Fellowship Chapel in Detroit – and president of the Detroit NAACP is also calling on lawyers to join the front lines, saying “We’re not afraid to sue somebody.”  

Additional headlines for Tuesday, July 7, 2026

Bill to guarantee children with legal representation passes state legislature

A bill that would guarantee children access to legal representation in delinquency cases is headed to Governor Whitmer’s desk. The legislation would require the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission to create a system similar to the one used by adults facing criminal charges who may not be able to afford an attorney. 

If passed, the indigent defense commission would be required to have at least one attorney experienced in juvenile justice to help set the standards. The bill cleared the legislature last week with bipartisan support. 

-Reporting by MPRN’s Rick Pluta

National Wheelchair Games

The National Wheelchair Games are coming to Detroit this week. It is the largest annual wheelchair sports event for veterans in the world. Athletes compete in more than 20 events including basketball, swimming, track and field and boccia.

The 45^th National Wheelchair Games will be hosted by several venues and based at Hunting Place. The Opening Ceremony is July 9 with competition running through the 14.

Detroit Kite Festival

The 8^th Annual Detroit Kite Festival is Sunday on the Belle Isle Cricket Field across from the James Scott Memorial Fountain. Festivities kick off at 10 a.m. and run until 6 p.m. Plans include food, music and kites, of course. Kites are available for purchase. Learn more at detroitkitefestival.org. 

Public reading of Declaration of Independence at Greenfield Village

Sites across the country will commemorate the 250^th anniversary of the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence with a simultaneous reading of the document Wednesday. Greenfield Village is one of those sites and invites the community to join the event for free.

Visitors will also hear live music, see historic vignettes and learn about Centennial games on the Village Green. The event begins at 5 p.m. The reading – synchronized with other readings across the state begins at 6 p.m.

No tickets, reservations or parking passes are required.

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

Malta is a country in the Mediterranean that is nearly the size of Detroit. Immigrants first came to the metro area more than a century ago for factory jobs. With the Catholic Church serving as a critical community connection, Maltese families stayed in the region.

With an estimated population of 13,000, Southeast Michigan boasts the nation’s highest concentration of Maltese Americans. 

Local clubs and gathering spaces remain, including the Maltese American Community Club of Dearborn and Maltese-American Benevolent Society.

Despite a rich history in metro Detroit, the challenge of preserving Maltese identity and carrying on traditions like food and language gets more difficult every year.

Joesph Lubig is a professor at Northern Michigan University, and he wrote the book “Maltese in Michigan.”

He joined The Metro to discuss what attracted immigrants to the region, why the Maltese language is important and how so many Maltese immigrants find a home in metro Detroit.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

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

More stories from The Metro

If you live in metro Detroit, the last week probably tested your patience — and maybe your fridge.

First, the heat. As temperatures rose past 100, the grid strained, and a substation in Warren failed. Thousands lost power, some for many hours.

Then, just as that passed, the storms came. Friday night, winds tore through the region and dropped 80-foot trees onto power lines — and at the peak, hundreds of thousands of homes went dark. Some homes stayed dark for days.

And here’s the thing: that’s the grid we already have, straining under an ordinary Michigan summer.

Now Michigan is preparing to add something extraordinary — data centers built to power artificial intelligence, each one hungry for as much electricity as a small city. And the decisions about who pays for that, and how, are being made right now, mostly out of public view.

Nicholas Schroeck, dean of the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, thinks a lot about who answers to the public when big energy decisions get made. He joined Robyn Vincent to talk about what the data center boom means for Michigan’s grid, your electric bill, and whether the public has any real say.

Hear the full conversation using the media player above.

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

More stories from The Metro