Detroit’s Department of Transportation is installing new boarding platforms on East Jefferson for bus riders.  

It’s part of a pilot program to enhance safety and efficiency for bus passengers. 21 new elevated platforms will extend from the curb across bike and parking lanes to provide faster boarding for passengers.  

Buses will stay in the right lane to pick up riders instead of pulling to the curb and moving in and out of traffic. 

 The platforms will have ramps on each side to allow for bikers to seamlessly pass over the platforms without leaving the bike lane. 

 New shelters will be placed at each of the platform locations. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of next month. 

Additional headlines from Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025

Section of Southwest Detroit nominated for historic designation 

The Detroit City Council Historic Designation Advisory Board is nominating a section of the Bagley and West Vernor highway commercial district for a listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

The designation would honor Southwest Detroit’s century old legacy of Latin American culture.

The Board will present the nomination at its public monthly board meeting on September 11th at 4 p.m. Attendees will be able to comment on the proposed historic district designation, ask questions about the process, and learn more about the benefits of a National Register historic district.

The meeting will be held at the Mexicantown Community Development Corporation offices at 2853 Bagley. 

Labor Day events in metro Detroit

Labor Day Weekend is here and there are several events happening across the Metro Detroit Area. 

• The Michigan State Fair at the Suburban Collection Showcase in Novi Starts today. The fair will feature a farmer’s market, carnival rides, livestock exhibits and competitions, a beer festival and more. 

• The Detroit Jazz Festival kicks off tomorrow, Friday, August 29 with a special performance by the 2025 Artist-in Residence Jason Moran. 

• Royal Oak’s Arts, Beats, and Eats returns. The four-day festival will feature over 200 performers, dozens of food vendors, and artists showcasing and selling their work. 

• Eastern Market is hosting the Detroit Sandwich Party on Sunday. The one-day festival for sandwich enthusiasts will feature many small format sandwiches for purchase along with beer, wine and other non-alcoholic beverages from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Campgrounds almost fully booked for this weekend

Michigan’s state park campgrounds are almost fully reserved this Labor Day weekend. Last minute campers can check the Michigan Department of Natural Resources digital dashboard map which tracks the booking status of state parks.

State forest campgrounds offer camping on a first-come, first-serve basis, meaning campsites can’t be reserved. 

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

In November, Detroit residents will vote for the next mayor and fill seats on the city council. It will be the first change in the city’s mayoral leadership since 2013, when Mike Duggan was elected as a write-in candidate.

There has been positive momentum in Detroit since that time. City services have improved, new development continues to pop up in the downtown and midtown areas, homicides are down and the city’s population is increasing. But despite that, a key issue in our politics lingers.

Only a fraction of Detroit residents show up to vote. 

According an analysis by the Detroit Free Press, voting in municipal elections has dropped over the last 20 years while turnout in presidential and gubernatorial elections remains steady.

Free Press editorial page editor, Nancy Kaffer, joined the show to discuss their findings and share why residents in low turnout areas aren’t voting.

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

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

More stories from The Metro

In America, the average age of a homebuyer is 56. In Michigan, a variety of sources say that it’s closer to 40. But that’s still incredibly high when compared to the average age of homebuyers just a few decades ago.

The reason that people are buying homes later in life is because home prices have been rising exponentially. Many don’t have the money to buy homes, even when they want to. Affordable housing just isn’t around. 

But there is political support behind changing this trend. 

Just two days ago, Governor Gretchen Whitmer applauded the state’s housing agency for helping to build 75,000 new housing units over the last four years. And two weeks ago, a different organization proposed a plan to speed up home building and home repairs in the state. 

The Michigan Municipal League wants the state to spend $800 million over five years on affordable housing projects. 

Dan Gilmartin of the Michigan Municipal League spoke with Robyn Vincent about how the state should be expanding its investment in housing construction and rehabilitation.

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

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

More stories from The Metro

The new school year is here. Teachers are meeting fresh faces, setting up their classrooms, and laying out lesson plans.

But the reality? Michigan doesn’t have enough teachers. Prep hours are disappearing. Class sizes are growing. Burnout is rising. And more teachers are walking away, some to retire, others to leave the profession altogether.

All of this comes at a tough moment for students. The latest state test scores released this week show that  say kids are still struggling, especially in reading. Only four in ten third-graders hit proficiency on the M-STEP this spring. 

There is some good news, though. Middle schoolers, especially eighth-graders, posted gains in reading. But overall, proficiency in both reading and math is still below pre-pandemic levels.

Teachers in Michigan make less on average than in many other states with an average starting salary of around $38,000.

Still, there are signs of resilience. According to a 2025 report from Education Policy Innovation Collaborative at Michigan State University (EPIC), Michigan’s teaching workforce is slowly climbing back from the losses of the COVID years.

Tara Kilbride is a co-author of that report and the Associate Director of the Education Policy Innovation Collaborative at Michigan State University. She joined the show to help make sense of Michigan’s teacher workforce.

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

On August 28th, 1963, nearly 250,000 people from around the country marched to the Mall in Washington D.C, to hear remarks from civil rights activists.  The climax of the event was Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior’s “I Have A Dream” speech. 

Detroit was well-represented at the March – with hundreds of area residents attending the event.  Among them was the Reverend Nicholas Hood, Senior – then pastor of Plymouth United Congregational Church.  Back in 2013, he shared his memories of the day with WDET’s Jerome Vaughn. 

Hood said the day was electric. 

“It was the most amazing experience.  As far as you could see, there were buses loaded with people from all over the country, coming into Washington DC.  It was just unbelievable.” 

Hood said it was a joyous day, but no one knew what to expect.  Civil rights leaders reviewed their speeches, writing and re-writing remarks.  But Hood said there was just one speech that people remembered. 

“Well, I’m telling you, he just mesmerized the audience.  He electrified the audience. And when he got to the ‘I have a dream’ portion, there was a rhythm to it.  And when he got into the rhythm, people all throughout the mall got into the rhythm with him. ‘I have a dream.  I have a dream.’  And he was saying something.”  

Hood said hearing Dr. King’s speech was a spiritual experience.  He said it was a day where Blacks felt like human beings.  This was during the struggle for Civil Rights, where Blacks were beaten and even killed in Southern states for speaking out against injustice. “It was a day when we were given a moment of relief from the daily burden of racial segregation.” 

The Reverend Nicholas Hood, Senior attended the March on Washington in August 1963.  He worked with Doctor King and other civil rights leaders in the 1950’s when he lived in New Orleans.  Hood said he had no idea the march would be a historic event. 

The debate over a new oil tunnel for Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline landed at Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s doorstep this week.

On Tuesday, tribal members and environmental advocates delivered letters and handwritten comments to the George W. Romney Building in Lansing. The notes urged Whitmer and EGLE Director Phil Roos to reject the proposal beneath the environmentally sensitive Straits of Mackinac.

This followed a virtual briefing that activists held with EGLE staff that was punctuated by a display of thousands of folded paper fish, a nod to the Great Lakes’ fragile ecosystem.

Enbridge Energy says a concrete-lined tunnel deep beneath the lakebed would minimize spill risks and ensure energy reliability. 

“Enbridge is working with state and federal agencies to study and develop plans that will minimize and mitigate impacts to the natural environment, natural resources, cultural heritage and community priorities,” wrote Enbridge’s Ryan Duffy in a recent statement emailed to WDET.

Duffy said Enbridge “will build the Great Lakes Tunnel safely, in conformity with thorough safety and environmental reviews by permitting agencies.”

Opponents say the plan threatens wetlands, locks Michigan into fossil fuel reliance for decades, increases carbon emissions, and infringes on tribal treaty-protected waters.

Sean McBrearty of Oil and Water Don’t Mix joined Robyn Vincent on The Metro to discuss the coalition’s specific request and the evidence behind its concerns.

Share your thoughts on Line 5 

EGLE’s public comment period for the permits tied to wetlands and bottomlands closes this Friday, August 29. Here’s how to add your voice:

• Submit comments online via EGLE’s MiEnviro Portal – search application HQ3‑8BYB‑N9DT1.
• Email comments to: EGLE‑Enbridge‑Public‑Comments@Michigan.gov
  

Editor’s Note: Enbridge is a financial supporter of WDET. Our newsroom observes a clear boundary between funders and editorial content, and we do not serve the agendas of those who support us.

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

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

More stories from The Metro

It’s Labor Day Weekend, which means tons of annual festivals in Detroit. Plus, some unique celebrations for punks and sandwich enthusiasts. Read on to learn more.

Upcoming events

“What’s So Funny About Detroit?” Comedy Showcase

  The Old Miami in Detroit

  Thursday, Aug. 28

  $25 online, $30 at the door

The final WDET comedy showcase of the summer, hosted by In The Groove’s Ryan Patrick Hooper. This month’s headliner is Nicole Melnyk with special guests Alaina Bamfield, Madison Thomas, Andy Peters, Reeves Ledbetter, Pat Sievert, Brooke Van Poppelen and Joe Aasim. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. Guests must be 21+.

Michigan State Fair

  The Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi

  Thursday, Aug. 28 through Monday, Sep. 1

  $10–$42

A family-friendly festival featuring carnival rides, livestock shows, talent competitions, beer tastings and more. General admission is $10, and some festival activities cost extra. The fair is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday through Monday.

46th Annual Detroit Jazz Festival

  Various locations in Detroit

  Friday, Aug. 29 through Monday, Sep. 1

  Free

The world’s largest free jazz festival, featuring dozens of performances by world-renowned musicians across several local venues. General admission is free, but VIP seating and other perks are available for $125–$600. Performances start at 6 p.m. on Friday and at noon on Saturday through Sunday.

Arts Beats & Eats

  Downtown Royal Oak

  Friday, Aug. 29 through Monday, Sep. 1

  $10–$68

An annual festival featuring live music, a juried art fair, carnival competitions and more. General admission ranges from $10–$12 depending on the day and time, and VIP tickets are available for an additional $68 online. The festival is open Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Monday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

45th Annual Hamtramck Labor Day Festival

  Joseph Campau Street in Hamtramck

  Saturday, Aug. 30 through Monday, Sep. 1

  Free

An annual Labor Day celebration featuring live music, carnival rides, canoe street racing and more. The Labor Day Parade takes place on Monday, Sep. 1, and the festival is open from noon to 10 p.m. each day.

Crew Fest

  Tangent Gallery in Detroit

  Saturday, Aug. 30

  $16

A new community-driven art and music festival celebrating the underground punk and alternative scenes. There will be live performances by local bands, art for sale by independent makers and refreshments from unique kitchens. The festival goes from 2–11 p.m.

Detroit Sandwich Party

  Eastern Market Shed 5 in Detroit

  Sunday, Aug. 31

  Free to attend, sandwich prices vary

The second annual event celebrating the great sandwich makers of our city. Guests can sample small-format sandwiches from dozens of local vendors, and drinks are available for purchase as well. The party goes from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

15th Annual Detroit Month of Design

  Various locations in metro Detroit

  Monday, Sep. 1 through Tuesday, Sep. 30

  $0–$100+

An annual celebration Detroit’s designers, featuring a wide range of exhibitions, installations, product launches, tours, hands-on workshops and discussions. This year’s calendar features work from over 500 creatives on display at 95 events throughout the metro area.

The national Democratic party is weighing proposals behind-the-scenes that could give Michigan a leading role in the 2028 presidential nominating process

The party is deciding which state will hold the first presidential primary election.

Iowa and New Hampshire had long been the initial states to host a Democratic primary or caucus. That changed in recent years.

Former President Biden pushed to set South Carolina as the first state to hold a Democratic primary in the last election cycle, though New Hampshire jumped ahead of it with an unsanctioned contest.

Now those states and Iowa are jockeying again for the pole primary position, along with Michigan and Nevada.

Michigan Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Dingell is part of a committee determining the 2028 primary order.

Dingell says the decision will impact the presidential candidates’ policy priorities.

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length

U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell: The state that goes first is the state that gets a lot of attention. The candidates spend a lot of time there. The press spends a lot of time there. The country knows what the issues are there. But, unfortunately, some of the states that have gone first do not reflect the diversity of the country. They don’t have solid organized labor groups that, quite frankly, people have thought of traditionally as Democratic-leaning, but are not always these days Candidates should have to talk directly to the people about the issues that are going to determine the election in November.

Quinn Klinefelter, WDET News: When you’re looking at it from that point of view, is Michigan a good choice to go first?

DD: I refuse to say that Michigan should go first. I don’t think any state should have a lock on going first. I think states like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, purple battleground states that determine the outcome of what happens in November, should be part of the early process. Candidates should have to talk about the issues that are gonna determine the outcome in November.

QK: When you look at states like Michigan that have a large population, some people worry that they are too big for candidates to connect on the ground with many individual voters. They think those states favor candidates who have a lot of money to buy commercials. Do you think that’s a legitimate criticism, not just of Michigan, but of any larger state?

DD: I think that candidates are gonna have to be on the ground in larger states as well as they’re gonna have to be in the smaller states. And these larger states actually are dealing with the kind of issues that determine the outcome in November. Candidates should have to appear there. Work there. Win there. And part of that is raising money. That’s part of winning, to be perfectly frank. But I also think it’s more important to have “retail” politics. Going to union halls, talking to working men and women, hearing what they think, getting into senior centers, getting into veteran’s halls. Many of these purple states have a whole lot of different stakeholders that need to be heard from. And the candidates need to be talking with them about how they feel about the issues.

QK: I’ve heard some Democrats raise concerns about certain states, including Michigan, where they fear the party could become divided right off the bat over the situation in Gaza. States where there might be a large Arab or Jewish population. States that saw the rise of the “Abandon Harris” or “Abandon Biden” movements in the last presidential election over their support for Israel. Do you think there’s any legitimacy to that criticism?

DD: First of all, I think that while we do have a significant Muslim population and a significant Jewish population in Michigan, this is an issue that matters around the country. And I think it is better to talk about those issues early than to be losing in November and talking about it for the first time. I think it’s very important they be part of the early discussion.

QK: You were saying in 2016, when people thought that Hillary Clinton had a pretty good lead over then-candidate Donald Trump, that you thought Trump was actually making many more inroads among working-class people than was shown in polling. You predicted he had a good shot at winning in Michigan and elsewhere. When you look at what Democrats need to do now, both in the primary process and going forward, period, do you think your party needs to strengthen those kinds of “working-class” connections more than they are currently?

DD: Yes. That’s why I think that they have to campaign in states where those groups matter and where the stakeholders matter. I knew Hillary was gonna lose before that November election because I was in those union halls. Too many candidates don’t walk into a union hall. They need to.

The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department says it has surpassed its goal for enrolling residents in its new Easy Pay program.  The department had projected 30,000 enrollees but instead drew more than 34,000 participants. 

The program is designed to help residents who have fallen behind in their water bill payments.   Detroiters can pay $10 to get into the program the first month and then in subsequent months pay their normal water bill and an extra $34.17 to eliminate any overdue balances.  Participation in the program is geared to keep residents from dealing with water service shutoffs. 

Detroiters can sign-up by calling 313-267-8000 or use the DWSD Customer Self-Service Portal. 

Additional headlines from Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025

County leaders ask state government to fix roads

The leaders of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties are asking for the state government to get its act together when it comes to fixing Michigan’s roads. 

Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter and Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel wrote a joint editorial to the Detroit Free Press saying the state needs to do more to improve roads. 

Legislators have not reached a deal for long-term road funding. The trio of executives calls for bi-partisan efforts to find money for roads before the current funding runs out. 

Evans, Coulter and Hackel say the economic health of the region depends on the area’s strong infrastructure. 

Dearborn Education Foundation adds member to board

The Dearborn Education Foundation has a new member.  The non-profit organization announced the addition of Mary Hammoud to the board in a news release.

Hammoud attended Dearborn public schools and Wayne State University.  She currently works as a pharmacy manager. 

The Dearborn Education Foundation’s mission is to fund programs and projects that benefit public school students in the city. 

Tomorrow marks anniversary of the March on Washington

Thursday, August 28 is the anniversary of the March on Washington. 

On August 28th, 1963, nearly 250,000 people from around the country marched to the Mall in Washington D.C. to hear remarks from civil rights activists.  The climax of the event was Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior’s “I Have A Dream” speech. 

Detroit was well-represented at the March – with hundreds of area residents attending the event.  Among them was the Reverend Nicholas Hood, Senior – then pastor of Plymouth United Congregational Church.  Back in 2013, he shared his memories of the day with me. 

“We endured all of the speeches leading up to Doctor King…and ‘what could he say?’  Well, I’m telling you, he just mesmerized the audience.  He electrified the audience,” said Hood.  “And when he got to the ‘I have a dream’ portion, there was a rhythm to it.  And when he got into the rhythm, people all throughout the mall got into the rhythm with him. ‘I have a dream.  I have a dream.’  And he was saying something.”

Reverend Hood worked with Doctor King and other civil rights leaders in the 1950’s when he lived in New Orleans.  Hood died in 2016. 

If there is something happening in your neighborhood that you think we should know about, drop us a line at DetroitEveningReport@wdet.org. You know how much we love hearing about Detroit.

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

The Detroit Jazz Fest sets itself apart by being the largest free jazz festival in the world.

It’s not easy or cheap for a cultural institution to be able to give it all away for free. Getting rid of any barrier of entry, however, ensures that this festival actually looks and feels like Detroit. That’s a big issue in a majority Black city that often struggles to represent itself via arts, culture and media.

The 2025 edition of the festival will feature major names performing like Keyon Harrold, Kenny Barron, Endea Owens, Chucho Valdes, Branford Marsalis, John Scofield and many more.

This year’s artist-in-residence is a big deal, too. That’s Jason Moran, an accomplished pianist, educator and composer who currently serves as the artistic director for jazz at the Kennedy Center. He’s racked up 18 solo releases via jazz stalwart labels like Blue Note.

During his residency with the fest, he’ll perform three varied sets over Labor Day weekend, including a tribute for Duke Ellington’s 125th birthday, an opening night set with techno pioneer Jeff Mills and Detroit poet Jessica Care Moore, and more. You can see the full schedule here.

Earlier this year, Jason Moran joined In The Groove to chat about the Detroit Jazz Festival, his influences (including the late great Detroit pianist Geri Allen) and more. 

Click the audio above to hear that full interview.

The Shifa Institute hosts Islamic psychoeducation workshops across community centers and college campuses as students return to school.

At a recent Institute for Muslim Mental Health networking event, Shifa founder Salman Pervez shared how this initiative is creating mental health safe spaces across the state. 

“It’s it started at MSU as a school chapter, and then now we’ve branched out into the community… we have chapters starting at Wayne State University and the University of Michigan and University of Detroit Mercy this fall,” he says. 

Shifa means healing in Arabic. 

Pervez says the group uses creative outlets to introduce students to wellness, “like Golden Age ideas of Islam, like astronomy or art or, or like, engagement with nature and sort of like being in awe of it.”

The workshops usually consist of professional speakers engaging people about mental health related topics in third spaces by “informing people, translating mental health research, and sharing it with college students in a way that’s relatable, applicable to them,” he says. 

“We found that that’s very effective in getting students to engage with this sort of work and into the field as well education,” says Pervez.

The group also works with campus Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), which provides free therapy to full-time students. 

Pervez says he works with college students to help them become aware of resources and even potentially go into psychology as a field. He says Gen Z is a lot more open to talk about mental health.

“I think it’s overall, it’s really nice that they’re they’re more casual about it, and that they want to do something about it,” he says. 

Can science and religion co-exist? Might they be able to do even more than that — can the two belief systems play off one another?

Brother Guy Consolmagno believes so. The man known as the Pope’s Astronomer works at the Vatican as both a scientist and a practicing Catholic. He makes it his mission to talk with people around the world about the ways that science and religion compliment each other.

Brother Guy grew up in Birmingham and went to University of Detroit Jesuit High School in Detroit, and he’s coming to Kensington Park in Milford on September 26th and 27th to give a talk on astronomy. 

Producer Sam Corey spoke with Brother Guy about what he does for the church, and why his faith empowers his science.

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

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

More stories from The Metro

As someone that spends a lot of time at concerts and festivals, I always preach the importance of thanking the people who do all the heavy lifting to make the event go off without a hitch.

That’s the bartenders, the security guards, the folks running the stages, keeping the sound sharp, making sure the grounds are clean and safe for patrons. And everybody else in between.

During this year’s Detroit Jazz Fest, take a moment to thank these people as you go out about your day.

So, what does it take to make four days of jazz go off without a hitch? And programmed as well as it is?

Behind the scenes of the Detroit Jazz Festival is artistic director Christopher Collins and his incredible team, who blend the next generation of performers with the legends of jazz each year. 

The 2025 edition of the festival is no different, with rising saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin alongside iconic Detroit bassist Marion Hayden and 83-year-old Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés.

I got the chance to chat with Christopher Collins ahead of this year’s Detroit Jazz Festival to talk about the programming and also the importance of keeping the event free and open to the public. Click the audio above to hear that full interview.

Reporting by Steve Karnowski and Mark Vancleave, Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A gunman opened fire with a rifle through the windows of a Catholic church and struck a group of children celebrating Mass during the first week of school, killing two and wounding 17 in an act of violence the police chief called “absolutely incomprehensible.”

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the shooter — armed with a rifle, shotgun and pistol — approached the side of the church and shot through the windows toward the children sitting in the pews during Mass at the Annunciation Catholic School.

O’Hara said the shooting suspect is dead and in his early 20s and does not have an extensive known criminal history. Officials are looking into his motive.

“This was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshipping. The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible,” said the police chief, who noted that a wooden plank was placed to barricade some of the side doors.

The children who died were 8 and 10, he said.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called the violence “horrific” in a social media post.

Children’s Minnesota, a pediatric trauma hospital, said in a statement five children were admitted for care. Hennepin Healthcare, which has Minnesota’s largest emergency department, said it also was caring for patients from the shooting.

Bill Bienemann, who lives a couple of blocks away and has long attended Mass at Annunciation Church, said he heard dozens of shots, perhaps as many as 50, over as long as four minutes.

“I was shocked. I said, ‘There’s no way that could be gunfire,’” he said. “There was so much of it. It was sporadic.”

Bienemann’s daughter, Alexandra, said she attended the school from kindergarten to 8th grade, finishing in 2014. After she heard of the shooting, she said she was shaking and crying, and her boss told her to take the day off.

“It breaks my heart, makes me sick to my stomach, knowing that there are people I know who are either injured or maybe even killed,” Alexandra Bienemann said. “It doesn’t make me feel safe at all in this community that I have been in for so long.”

The school was evacuated, and students’ families later were directed to a “reunification zone” at the school. Outside, amid a heavy uniformed law enforcement presence, were uniformed children in their dark green shirts or dresses. Many were trickling out of the school with adults, giving lingering hugs and wiping away tears.

Local, state, county and federal law enforcement officers and agents converged on the area, a leafy residential and commercial neighborhood about 5 miles (8 kilometers) south of downtown Minneapolis. On Truth Social, President Donald Trump said he was briefed on the “tragic shooting” and that the White House would continue to monitor it.

Dating to 1923, the pre-kindergarten through eighth grade school had an all-school Mass scheduled at 8:15 a.m. Wednesday morning, according to its website. Monday was the first day of school. Recent social media posts from the school show children smiling at a back-to-school event, holding up summer art projects, playing together and enjoying ice pops.

At a meeting of Democratic officials elsewhere in Minneapolis, Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin noted the shooting and “unknown amount of victims.”

The gunfire was the latest in a series of fatal shootings in the city in less than 24 hours. One person was killed and six others were hurt in a shooting Tuesday afternoon outside a high school in Minneapolis. Hours later, two people died in two other shootings in the city.

Wednesday’s school shooting also followed a spate of hoax calls about purported shootings on at least a dozen U.S. college campuses. The bogus warnings, sometimes featuring gunshot sounds in the background, prompted universities to issue texts to “run, hide, fight” and frightened students around the nation as the school year begins.

Associated Press writers Hannah Fingerhut in Des Moines, Iowa; Jennifer Peltz in New York; Jack Dura in Bismarck, North Dakota; and Sarah Brumfield in Cockeysville, Maryland; contributed to this report.

Findings from a new study by researches at the Pringle Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison find that invasive golden oyster mushrooms are reducing fungal diversity. The study, published in the journal Current Biology, found that the invasive mushroom is out-competing other fungi in fallen logs and dead trees.

Native to Asia and Russia, golden oysters have been found throughout Wisconsin and Michigan, including in Michigan’s upper peninsula.

Foraging and growing exotic mushrooms are popular ways to bring nutrition and flavor into your kitchen. Commercial growing operations are another way that mushrooms can spread from contained to wild environments.

Aishwarya Veerabahu is a PhD student in Botany at the Pringle Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and leads a community data-gathering project. She is encouraging citizen scientists to send samples of golden oyster mushrooms to the Pringle Lab in Wisconsin. Veerabahu joined The Metro to explain how the spread of the golden oyster mushroom is threatening biodiversity in Michigan.

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

It’s never been a competition, but if there were one for most endearing band in Michigan, it might be The City Lines! I say “endearing,” but I also mean charismatic in an unapologetically kind and wholesome and down-to-earth sort of way.

Oh, and they can also rip: this is a band that blends power-pop melodies with gritty punk rock distortion and propulsive tempos, laced with lyrics that can, yes, be inspiring and heartwarming, but also cut-in with serious social commentary, reflections on life, and poignant self-revelations.

The City Lines started from the poetry that singer/guitarist Pat Deneau was penning while sitting in the front seat of a fire truck during quiet periods of his day job at the Ann Arbor Fire Department. You can hear the whole story about how he and drummer Bob Zammit, developed this band over the last five years after Zammit relocated here from Seattle, and all the “work” they’ve been putting in as they’ve advanced through their 30’s and became fathers.

Along with a touching and eloquent summary of the inspiration for their album title, we shoutout the crucial addition of Detroit-based musician and songwriter Megan Marcoux. Marcoux  also performs/records with the band, Twin Deer, who’s currently fundraising for public radio with their merch!

“Prescribed Fires” is The City Lines’ 2nd full-length album, following up 2023’s “Analog Memories”. As you’ll hear in the episode, Deneau and I already have a solid rapport, and there are some easy laughs interwoven with substantive discussions around the lyrical inspirations of the album.

“Precribed Fires” is officially out on September 19. During our show, we listened to a brand new song, “Do It All,” and were treated to a live in-studio acoustic rendition of a deep cut from the album titled “Out Loud.”

Speaking of “Do It All,” the group has just released a music video to accompany the single.

This week’s episode was heavy on indie-rock and punk vibes, with premieres from long-time locals like Norcos y Horchata, who have a new album titled “The Precious Little Album” coming out. We paired that with an intense medley showcasing a new song from the Lansing-based Rot Knot from their self-titled album, along with one of two new singles from the brand-new Detroit group, Twin Freaks.

Also, we heard the lead single “Horses Were Orcas” from Jesse Shepherd-Bates‘ forthcoming solo album, “Extra Texture”, and we got a sneak-preview of the new album coming from avant-indie-punk group Tin Foil, from their new album Chicken Sandwich. The latter has an album release party at the Outer Limits Lounge this Saturday night.

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

MI Local Playlist for August 26, 2025

• “Halos” – Absofacto
• “Tenspeed (Shallows)” – Racing Mount Pleasant
• “All I Can Do” – Ricochet The Kid
• “Horses Were Orcas” – Jesse Shepherd-Bates
• “Here to Stay” – Electric Huldra
• “Frayed” – Rot Knot
• “I’m Cured” – Twin Freaks
• “Lake Ave. Traffic” – Norcos Y Horchata
• “Sadonka” – Tin Foil
• “50 Miles” – Perren
• “Do It All” – The City Lines
• “Out Loud” – The City Lines – live in WDET Studios
• “Blood and Smoke” – The City Lines  

Dan Gilbert’s Hudson’s tower was sold as a symbol of comeback for Detroit — a shiny promise of jobs, growth, and a Woodward Avenue reborn.

But behind the glass, there is a more complicated story. 

State officials approved over $600 million in tax breaks across several Bedrock projects, including Hudson’s. Locally, Gilbert also won a $60 million city tax abatement, with the Downtown Development Authority playing a key role in downtown financing.

But the returns are uncertain. A University of Michigan study projects the incentives could generate benefits through 2052. 

Critics say many promised jobs are simply relocations from GM’s headquarters and other Gilbert buildings, rather than net new opportunities for Detroiters.

Meanwhile, the flow of public money remains murky. 

To see if the subsidies are paying off, the Detroit Free Press is now suing the Michigan Department of Treasury to gain access to state records. Detroit Free Press reporter JC Reindel is helping lead the fight for information. He joined Robyn Vincent on The Metro to discuss how this story asks a deeper question about public subsidies and if they serve Detroiters or developers.

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

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

More stories from The Metro

The Michigan Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) declared Wayne State University as a hostile campus for free speech Monday, August 25. 

The announcement comes in response to how the institution handled a series of protests against Israel’s attacks on Palestinians in Gaza. 

CAIR Michigan Executive Director Dawud Walid accused Wayne State of systemically silencing the free speech rights of students.  

“Students should be able to freely raise their voices without fear of not just simply being doxed, but administrative and even law enforcement measures taking place against them while they are attending a university that they paid tuition for and a place that’s supposed to be a haven for liberal arts education.” 

Wayne State said in a statement it’s committed to supporting free speech, as long as conduct on campus does not violate any laws or disrupt university operations. 

Additional headlines

Tomorrow is the first World Lake Day

The United Nations General Assembly has dedicated August 27 to persevering, celebrating and sustaining lakes around the world.

The State of Michigan’s Office of Great Lakes, part of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, invites Michiganders to be stewards of lakes in the region. 

Suggested activities include learning about preservation, conservation, and restoration activities.

Michigan is part of the Great Lakes, which holds 21 percent of the world’s fresh surface water, servicing 40 million people in the U.S. and Canada with drinking water. Find resources on EGLE’s website or Facebook page to learn more.

Secretary of State’s “It’s Sooo Simple” campaign

The Secretary of State’s office announced the “It’s Sooo Simple” campaign to highlight ways to access mobile services.

Many of the department’s services can be accessed online, by mail or through self-service stations. Some of the stations are located in Michigan Secretary of State offices, Krogers and Meijers stores with nine language options. People can find an office by going to michigan.gov/sos online or calling 888-767-6424. 

Find a self service station by you.

City government Shadow Program applications close tomorrow

Applications close tomorrow August 27 for the City of Detroit’s Department of Neighborhoods Youth Affairs Team. The program is for Detroit residents 18-25 years old to explore the city government agencies.

Applicants must attend an orientation and be available for meetings, along with demonstrating a passion to become more civically engaged in Detroit. Participants will be paired with a city government employee to shadow their work.

Cisco Community Innovation Challenge

Cisco is hosting a 2025 Community Innovation Challenge to help promote social impact. Students can apply to design programs that uplift communities.

Students will pitch their ideas to a panel of judges for the chance to earn a $10,000 prize. Participants will be invited to attend a virtual Program Launch call in September if they win. 

If there is something happening in your neighborhood that you think we should know about, drop us a line at DetroitEveningReport@wdet.org.

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

Earlier this year, a University of Michigan student from China voted in November’s presidential election. He was part of a group of likely 16 noncitizens in Michigan who voted in that election.

That number accounts for a tiny fraction of the vote, less than .0003 percent. And those votes didn’t impact the 2024 November election results. 

But a number of people were upset by noncitizens voting. Last month, Republicans gathered to launch a ballot initiative to strengthen existing laws that ensure non-American citizens can’t vote in Michigan elections. To do that, their initiative would require voters to show photo identification to cast a ballot.

Many liberals, including Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, are against this measure. The voting official says, if passed, the initiative could suppress the vote. 

So what’s in this new measure? And, what case is Americans for Citizen Voting making to Michiganders to gather the hundreds of thousands of signatures needed to get on the 2026 ballot?

Producer Sam Corey spoke with Paul Jacob, Michigan chair of Americans for Citizen Voting.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or NPR 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