City Council President Mary Sheffield is throwing her name into next year’s Detroit mayoral race. She formally announced her candidacy Tuesday night with a roughly hour-and-a-half long event at a union hall in Corktown.

Beyond continuing Detroit’s business growth, Sheffield says improving neighborhoods would be one of her focuses if elected mayor. She feels qualified to tackle issues that matter to communities, after spending the last decade representing the 5th District on city council.

“The affordable housing that I’ve done, the Responsible Contracting (Ordinance), the Neighborhood Improvement Fund are all initiatives that I was passionate about and I was able to approve,” Sheffield said.

While Sheffield is proud of her time as council president, she says she wants to create her own legacy separate from Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. He recently announced he’ll step aside after his current term ends to run for governor of Michigan.

Sheffield, who has been a member of city council since 2014, says she knows her legacy in politics is linked with the current mayor. While she’s proud of what they’ve accomplished working together, Sheffield noted that they do share differences.

“We’ve not always agreed on everything,” she said. “I think that is what you’ll begin to see as I move forward, some of the things that I’m more passionate about that he may not have been.”

Sheffield says property tax reform and affordable housing are two of the key issues she’d tackle if Detroit voters elect her next year.

Other headlines for Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024:

• Detroit’s three casinos are reporting substantially improved profits for the month of November compared to the same month in 2023.
• The Detroit Lions’ 34-31 comeback victory over Green Bay last Thursday night averaged 17.29 million viewers, making it the most-streamed NFL regular-season game in history.
• Famed African American poet Nikki Giovanni has died. Giovanni became a leader of the Black Arts Movement in the 1960s and ’70s, advocating for civil rights and self-determination. Her work challenged social, political and cultural boundaries.
• Detroiters should prepare for the return of winter weather this week. Light snow showers will start this evening, and the city could see up to an inch of accumulation by Thursday morning.

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

The Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney is investigating the cases of 34 Detroit police officers who were working without active law enforcement licenses.

The Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) reported in November that the Detroit Police Department violated state law by hiring several officers without activating their law enforcement licenses. The department placed the officers involved on administrative duty until their licenses are reinstated.

MCOLES Executive Director Tim Bourgeoise said Detroit Police have failed to request reactivations for some of their returning officers between 2019 and 2024. He noted that the number of officers whose licenses weren’t renewed is low, relative to the 2,500 officers working for DPD, but emphasized the importance of maintaining law enforcement regulations across the board.

“It’s concerning anytime any individual officer is working and is not properly licensed, because state law requires an individual to have an active law enforcement license,” he said.

Licenses for active officers are deactivated every time they change jobs, and must be reactivated for their new agencies. It’s illegal to work in the field otherwise. The rules require agencies to audit their rosters every January.

Darryl Woods, chair of the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners, says the error was due to a lapse in communication between DPD and the law enforcement commission, calling it an “administrative snafu.”

He said the department is making structural changes to prevent those mistakes in the future, primarily by streamlining hiring responsibilities to the human resources department.

“There were some miscommunications that occurred that led the department to understand that these officers were good to go,” Woods said. “I don’t want to get into the blame game…but you know MCOLES needs to make sure that their stuff is strengthened as well.”

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy is examining the case in Detroit. Earlier this year, a deputy in Branch County was found working without an active license. That led to 57 civil infractions and three felonies being dismissed.

Branch County Prosecutor Zachary Stampien said there are specific tasks that are illegal for officers to perform without an active license, such as enforcing motor vehicle laws.

“All speeding tickets issued by him were technically issued without authority and void,” Stampien said. “You know, if there was a traffic stop that led to the discovery of drugs, that traffic stop would not have been legitimate, because a normal citizen cannot effectuate a traffic stop for speeding.”

Stampien added that search warrants carried out by the deputy were nullified as well.

“The search warrant said very plainly on the beginning of it, ‘I’m a peace officer of the State of Michigan. This is my training and experience.’ But because none of that was actually true, that would have been problematic if we pushed forward with the cases.”

In the Branch County case, citizens were allowed to claim refunds for any fines they paid. The same thing could happen in Detroit, Stampien says, but the process would likely be more complicated because of the higher number of cases involved.

Still, Stampien said an officer being unlicensed doesn’t necessarily invalidate all cases they worked on involving different crimes like shoplifting or homicide.

“It would really depend on the facts and circumstances of their investigation, and that’s what Ms. Worthy will have to really look at is, what does the lack of legal authority do for their investigation? Does it make their investigation illegal, or is it just a fact that we have to work around? And I think that’s what you’ll have to look at in each case.”

Worthy said she needs to collect more information before deciding how to proceed.

Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield is expected to announce her political future at a union hall in Corktown Tuesday night.

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She has formed an exploratory committee — the first step most candidates take before declaring their intentions to run for mayor. It allows them to raise money and hire staff.

Four other potential candidates are exploring a run for mayor, including former Detroit City Council President Saunteel Jenkins, Detroit Councilman Fred Durhal III, State House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit), and businessman Joel Hashiim.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced his plans to run for governor as an independent last week — just a few weeks after his announcement that he won’t be seeking reelection as mayor of Detroit.

The Detroit mayoral election will take place Nov. 4, 2025.

Other headlines for Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024:

• Some Detroit homeowners should expect an updated winter tax bill in the mail this week, after more than 100,000 property tax bills sent to homes with a Principal Residence Exemption were incorrect because they didn’t reflect the exemption from a recent voter approved school operating millage. 
• After two years of closure for renovations, the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory on Belle Isle has reopened to the public. 
• The Accounting Aid Society is looking for volunteers for the 2025 tax season. No experience required. 
• Kemeny Recreation Center is hosting a training session on Saturday, Dec. 14, for those interested in learning about autism. The training will take place from 11 a.m.-noon at Kemeny,  2260 S Fort St., Detroit. For more information, call 313-628-2819.

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

Churches are so prevalent in the Motor City because they were an essential part of Detroit’s growth.

They have served as resource hubs in communities like Detroit for a long time. Black churches are places where Black residents gather for religious, social, and political reasons and their leaders are at times seen as the leaders in the community. But there’s growing research that suggests church is not as essential as it once was and that younger generations aren’t attending services like they once did. 

Three experts on the subject joined The Metro on Monday to discuss the history of Black churches in communities like Detroit, their impact on Black communities, and the reasons younger generations are moving away.

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

Dr. Jason Shelton, professor of Sociology and director of the Center for African American Studies at the University of Texas at Arlington, spoke about the diversity of traditions within African American protestantism and the tendency for white academic institutions to flatten this diversity.

“I knew as a kid from California that when I went to Church of God in Christ worship services, or if I went to an AME Church, or if I went to a Baptist church as a kid, I could sit in those churches, and I knew that they were very different,” Shelton said. “But as I got older and I became a professor, you realize, wait a minute, they lump us all together in one tradition.”

Rev. Lawrence W. Rodgers, senior pastor at Second Baptist Church of Detroit, spoke about Second Baptist’s history as a stop on the Underground Railroad and place of housing for Black migrant workers. He also connected the decline in church attendance to a decline in collectivist thinking.

“When there is a wedding, people will show up. When there’s a crisis, folks will show up,” Rodgers said. “In the individualistic culture, that makes sense. It’s not about me being there for we. It’s about you being there for me.”

Dr. Deborah Smith Pollard, host of “Sunday Morning Inspiration” on Mix 92.3 and professor emeritus of English Literature at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, discussed the importance of gospel music and Detroit’s impact on the genre through artists like The Clark Sisters, Aretha Franklin, and Commissioned.

“When you see a book about contemporary gospel music, 90% of it is about Detroit gospel,” Pollard said.

In the second hour of The Metro, we asked listeners:

“What role does church or religion play in your life? Why did you join? What was the reason?”

Caller Billy from Lathrup Village discussed the impact of the end of the Civil Rights movement on church attendance among young people.

“What I saw right at the end of the Civil Rights Movement, even though it didn’t really end, was we saw a lot of Black churches opting out of civil rights marches forming and collecting a check from the federal government where they could not participate in any civil rights or any movements,” Billy said. “And you can almost draw a direct line to young people being disinterested in the church because they felt that.”

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

More headlines from The Metro on Dec. 9, 2024:

• Dr. Maulana Karenga created Kwanzaa in 1966 as a way to unite the Black community following the Watts Rebellion. Yolanda Jack, manager of community engagement for The Charles H. Wright Museum, joined the show to talk about the holiday and the museum’s upcoming week-long celebration.
• Throughout Israel’s military campaign in Gaza this past year, much of the region’s vital infrastructure has been destroyed — with more than half of Gaza’s hospitals completely out of service due to Israeli bombardments. Dr. Adam Fahs, member of the local group Doctors Against Genocide, joined the show to discuss his time in Gaza as a doctor and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
• The nonprofit COTS Detroit is gearing up for its annual “Santa Shop” toy drive for families experiencing homelessness during the holidays. COTS Chief Development Officer Aisha Morrell Ferguson joined The Metro to talk about the upcoming event.

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

Detroit officials announced this week that all six Community Violence Intervention (CVI) zones in the city reported significant reductions in violent crime — all exceeding the average citywide reduction rates and some, by significant margins.

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Detroit saw a citywide average drop in shootings and homicides of 35% from August through October compared to the prior two years, according to the city. During that same time frame, violent crime inside the city’s six CVI zones plummeted to rates ranging from 37% to 83%.

This is the first time this happened since the launch of the ShotStoppers CVI initiative in July 2023.

The $10 million program, financed through the American Rescue Plan Act, provides quarterly funding to each CVI group to implement violence prevention strategies in their respective communities. The six CVI groups include New Era, Detroit 300, Force Detroit, Wayne Metro/Denby Alliance, Detroit People’s Community and Detroit Friends and Family.

Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison said that he expects the city’s 2024 crime data to “shatter” last year’s results — which showed a 57-year low in the number of homicides. The city has expanded the program through the summer of 2025 due to the program’s success.

Other headlines for Friday, Dec. 6, 2024:

• The city of Detroit is reminding residents that there are warming centers and other resources available to help protect people from the cold and help with housing security and other needs.
• The artist known as Supercoolwicked is performing her new show, “Negro, Spiritual” at 8 p.m. on Friday at the University of Michigan Museum of Art. Her work examines the human condition, spirituality and freedom through an experimental musical. If you miss Friday’s show, the show will be released via’s Supercoolwicked’s social platforms at a later date.
• Noel Night festivities are taking over Midtown on Saturday, with businesses and organizations throughout the city’s cultural district planning to welcome thousands of visitors throughout the day. If you plan on joining the fun, make sure to stop by WDET Studios for a tour of the station, a warm cup of coffee or hot chocolate and more! For a full schedule of events, visit  noelnight.org/schedule.

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

This week, we’ve got holiday markets for every niche, including ceramics, beauty products, books and more.

Plus, a chance to mingle with your favorite WDET hosts! Read on to learn more.

Warm up with WDET

Stop by the WDET station in Midtown Detroit to warm up this weekend during Noel Night! Our doors will be open on Saturday, Dec. 7 from 3-9 p.m., and we’ll have hot chocolate, studio tours, meet & greets with our hosts and opportunities to shop vintage WDET merch at discounted prices. Plus, new this year, we’ll have Detroit trivia hosted by Ryan Patrick Hooper and Amanda LeClaire! For more information, visit our events page. See you there!

Holiday markets

Check out the 47th Annual Potters Market in Southfield between Thursday, Dec. 5 and Sunday, Dec. 8. Shop from over 30,000 unique ceramic pieces made by local artists, including mugs, jewelry, garden art and more, for as low as $5. All proceeds made this year will benefit Leader Dogs for the Blind. Parking and admission are free, and guests are asked not to bring strollers into the market. For more information, visit thepottersmarket.com. 

Then, head to Shain Park in Downtown Birmingham for their annual Winter Markt from Friday, Dec. 6 through Sunday, Dec. 8. There will be displays from local artists and vendors, European cuisine, holiday lights, ice sculptures, live entertainment, complimentary carriage rides and more. There will also be a children’s activity area and warming stations so all visitors feel comfortable. For more information, visit allinbirmingham.com.

Eastern Market is also having a Holiday Market this weekend on Sunday, Dec. 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., featuring Michigan-made gift options including clothing, art, jewelry, beauty products and more. Plus, stop by Shed 5 for free holiday portrait sessions by Social N’ the City Events between noon and 2 p.m. There will also be Christmas tree vendors in the parking lot outside Sheds 5 and 6. For more information, visit easternmarket.org.

And for the book lovers out there, Detroit Book City is hosting their 5th Annual Holiday Book Festival on Saturday, Dec. 7 at the Ernest T. Ford Recreation Center in Highland Park. From noon to 5 p.m., visitors can meet and shop from over 40 local Black indie authors. There will also be Santa selfies, an ugly sweater contest, Kwanzaa decorations and a food truck. This event is free and open to the public, and the first 100 arrivals will receive a free holiday swag bag. For more information, visit eventbrite.com.

Holiday classics

On Saturday, Dec. 7, the historic Redford Theatre is screening two Christmas classics: ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol’ (1992) at 2 p.m. and ‘Home Alone’ (1990) at 8 p.m. Tickets for each are $7 for adults or $5 for seniors and kids. For more information, visit redfordtheatre.com.

Live performances

Complexions Contemporary Ballet makes their Detroit Opera House debut this weekend with a 30th Anniversary performance. Featuring live music from the Detroit Opera Orchestra, the first act features Beethoven, Vivaldi and Helbig, a vocal performance of Ave Maria, plus a spoken word poem by Aaron Dworkin set to the music of Michael Abels. The second act features the music of U2, drawing on the grit and honesty of their iconic songs stripped down to their acoustic best. Performances take place on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 8 at 2:30 p.m. For more information, visit detroitopera.org.

Community exhibits

The 16th Annual Community Group Art Exhibition opens at the DIA on Friday, Dec. 6 and will be on display in the museum’s Learning Center until Jan. 5, 2025. The exhibition will feature over 100 projects made in partnership with human services agencies in the Detroit area over the past year, including paintings, prints, sculptures and more. This year’s participating groups are ACCESS Hope House, CARE of Southeastern Michigan, Detroit Recovery Project, Hannan Center, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Mariners Inn, Macomb County Community Mental Health, Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency and Soul Studio, a division of Friendship Circle. For more information, visit dia.org.

Tonight on The Detroit Evening Report, we cover a bill package moving forward in the state legislature that would protect Indigenous students’ rights to wear tribal regalia to graduation ceremonies; the upcoming deadline to apply for Detroit Neighborhood Beautification grants and more.

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

Anti-discrimination legislation for indigenous students moves forward

State legislation that will allow indigenous students to wear traditional tribal regalia to graduation ceremonies is moving forward. At least 12 other states have passed similar laws to allow indigenous people to honor their traditions at public events. Tribals members say the move will help build trust with schools in their communities. Regalia and objects that would be protected under the new law would be any items that hold tribal ancestral or ceremonial significance for Native American people, such as headdresses, masks, feathers, or beadwork.  The House Higher Education Committee approved the bills to go to vote. 

 New report offers latest data on Arab American community

A new report released by the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey is being called the most comprehensive data on Arab Muslim and Chaldean Americans across the country. It’s called the “Portrait of Arab Americans” and estimates there are between 3 and 5 million Arab Americans nationwide. Historically, the community has been undercounted because Arabs have been legally categorized as white in government data such as the census. To view the report or for more information visit arabnarratives.org.

Application window open for Detroit Neighborhood Beautification grants

The deadline to apply for a grant through Detroit’s Neighborhood Beautification Program is Dec. 13. Block clubs, neighborhood associations, nonprofit organizations and faith-based groups can apply for grants ranging from $500 to $15,000. Grants can be used for community gardens, public space improvements, and clean up activities. This is the fifth and final round of the beautification program. The city is looking to award up to 96 organizations a total of $1.4 million. Visit the city of Detroit’s website for more information.

We The People, Detroit vs. Everybody launch ‘Water for Everybody’ campaign

Detroit vs Everybody and We the People of Detroit will celebrate Human Rights Day with the launch of the “Water for Everybody” campaign. The campaign aims to raise awareness about water justice and advocacy for equitable water policies. The event will feature community leaders, influencers, and policymakers taking the Water Affordability Pledge to spotlight water access as a basic human need. The event will be at the Detroit Vs Everybody Store on 44 W Columbia Street in Detroit on Tuesday, December 10th from 4:00pm to 7:00 pm. 

Highland Park tree lighting

Highland Park is hosting its City Tree Lighting and A Christmas in the Park event from 3-6 p.m. this Saturday, Dec. 7, with the lighting ceremony beginning at 6 p.m. The event will feature music, crafts and treats and take place at Massachusetts Park, 12170 Woodward Ave., Highland Park. To volunteer or sponsor, contact Sydney Spight at 248-228-6369.  

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

Tonight on The Detroit Evening Report, we cover Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan’s announcement that he will run for governor of Michigan in 2026; the highly anticipated reopening of the Belle Isle Conservatory in Detroit and more.

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

Duggan to run for Michigan governor seat

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced today that he’s running to become the next governor of Michigan. The longtime Democrat released a video statement Wednesday morning stating his intentions to run as an independent. In the video, he shared his motivations behind the approach to his political decision. 

“…by starting a campaign for governor, by having a conversation about whether its time for a whole new approach.  A governor who’s an independent.  What would happen if we upended the system and gave Michigan voters a new choice?  A governor who didn’t run as a candidate of either party?” he said.

Duggan also touted his successes as Detroit’s mayor in the video, citing the lowest homicide rate in decades and the fact that the city’s population is growing for the first time in more than 60 years. 

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is term-limited and cannot run for another four years in office.  Political analysts say Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson could be a possible front runner for the Democratic nomination for governor. 2022 Republican gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon may consider another run for the office. 

Belle Isle Conservatory reopens 

The Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory on Belle Isle officially reopened on Wednesday after two years of extensive renovations. The 120-year-old building, designed by famed Detroit architect Albert Kahn, underwent a $10 million repair project that included the replacement of more than 1,500 panes of glass.

Other upgrades included:

• Abatement of asbestos and lead paint, repair of steel trusses, installation of new upper and lower catwalks, upgrade of the irrigation system and restoration of exterior limestone panels in the dome
• New concrete floor and planter walls in the showroom
• New roof, ceiling, ceiling fans, glass and exterior limestone panels in the vestibule
• New glass in the cactus and tropical house from the gutters up
• Sidewalk repairs and new concrete for the Lake Tacoma overlook in the gardens

The conservatory showcases a wide variety of plants from around the world. Beginning today, the beloved Detroit landmark will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

Related: What is the history behind the Belle Isle Boathouse?

Mary Sheffield to announce political future

Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield issued a news release Wednesday saying she’ll make an announcement about her political future at an event planned for next Tuesday, Dec. 10.

Sheffield will be joined by supporters and community members at the IBEW Local 58 Union Hall in Detroit from 6-8 p.m. Highlights will include a performance by the Detroit Youth Choir and remarks from local stakeholders.

Community input sought on local flood remediation efforts

The Great Lakes Water Authority is holding a number of public meetings around the region to talk about flooding.  The sessions, held in conjunction with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, will inform residents about projects to ease flooding and get their feedback about plans that are being developed. 

Wednesday’s meeting will take place from 3-7 p.m. in the atrium at the Dearborn Administrative Offices on Michigan Avenue in Dearborn. Other meetings will be held in Waterford, Sterling Heights and Grosse Pointe later this month. 

Lions to face Packers 

The Detroit Lions are preparing for a Thursday game against the Green Bay Packers.  The Lions are tied for the best record in the NFL with 11 wins and just one loss.  But the team can’t rest on its laurels.  Several others are vying for position in next month’s playoffs. Division rival Green Bay is one of those teams, with a record of nine wins and three losses. 

Kick off on Thursday is at 8:15 p.m. at Ford Field. The game will be televised on Amazon Prime and Fox 2 Detroit. And if you’re headed over to Ford Field to tailgate, bundle up. Temperatures will drop into the lower 20s for game time. 

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

DETROIT (AP) — Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, a longtime Democrat, says he will run for Michigan governor as an independent in 2026.

“It’s clear to me that there are a lot of people in this country who are tired of both parties and tired of the system,” Duggan said in an interview Tuesday. “And so I want to offer people a choice.”

Duggan, 66, is credited by many for leading Detroit after it emerged from bankruptcy to become a thriving, more vibrant city. He formally announced his intentions in a video released Wednesday morning but discussed his future before that with The Associated Press. He hopes to succeed popular Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is term-limited under Michigan law.

The mayor’s decision comes in the midst of a reckoning for Democrats in Michigan, one of a handful of swing states that helped propel former President Donald Trump to victory in November. The Democratic Party, which only two years previously had claimed a majority in both houses of the Legislature for the first time in decades, suffered setbacks at the ballot box that left state Democrats scrambling for explanations and a path forward.

Still, few would have anticipated the mayor of the state’s largest city and biggest Democratic stronghold abandoning his party altogether.

Duggan said he felt he could govern more effectively as an independent.

“You have a (state) legislature that’s almost evenly divided that makes the stakes of each issue become magnified,” he said. “It has gotten harder and harder to address things as the partisan climate has gotten more toxic.”

Duggan also could be looking to avoid what is shaping up as a crowded Democratic primary field. Among the potential contenders are Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist III and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who relocated to Michigan in 2022, has also sparked speculation about a potential Democratic gubernatorial bid. When asked by the AP on Nov. 3 about a potential candidacy, Buttigieg left the door open, stating, “Right now, it’s hard to see past Election Day. After that, I’ll figure out how to make myself useful. But what I know is I really care about what happens in this state.”

On the Republican side, prospective candidates include Michigan Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt, former state Attorney General Mike Cox, former state Rep. Tom Leonard and U.S. Rep. John James. Tudor Dixon, the Republican gubernatorial nominee in 2022, is also considering another run.

Duggan said he thinks he can appeal to both Democrats and Republicans.

“I expect to pull votes away from both allowing me to win,” he said. “That’s the only scenario that I’ve thought about.”

A Duggan run as an independent, while it further fractures a state Democratic Party still reeling from Trump’s win in November, could win over voters looking outside the party for answers.

There is precedent. Then-U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema from Arizona made the move in 2022 to independent. West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin did the same last spring.

Several states have elected independent governors since 1990, Duggan noted, including Angus King in Maine, now a U.S. senator.

“The pattern you’ve seen over and over is when the Democratic Party moved too far left or the Republican Party moved too far right you had a candidate step in and say I want to represent the whole state,” Duggan said. “This isn’t something that hasn’t happened before. We’ve studied all of those races.”

But an independent has never served as Michigan governor and third-party candidates typically don’t fare well in elections for the state’s top seat. Libertarian Party candidate Mary Buzuma received a scant 0.9% of the vote in 2022.

“If you think the two-party system is serving you well, you can vote for your Republican or Democratic candidate,” Duggan said. “But if you think the only way we can really change the quality of life in Michigan is a different way, I’m going to give people the alternative, an independent who is going to go to Lansing and work with responsible leadership in both parties.”

Last month, Duggan announced that the coming year would be his last as Detroit’s mayor. His current term ends in January 2026. Duggan said he then plans to ”go to communities across the state that have been forgotten and sit in neighborhood restaurants and farmhouses and city centers and listen to people.”

“And I’m going to start by doing that and not take the approach that some people are unimportant,” he added. “I’m not going to write anybody off.”

Duggan spent about eight years as chief executive of the Detroit Medical Center. He served three years as Wayne County prosecutor and 14 years as deputy county executive.

He was the top vote-getter in Detroit’s 2013 mayoral primary despite running a write-in campaign due to a ballot challenge. Duggan, who is white, was elected in November 2013 to lead mostly Black Detroit which that summer was taken into the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history by a state-appointed manager.

Long-term debt of $18 billion or more and hundreds of millions of dollars in annual budget deficits left Detroit broke and nearly broken. Crime was high and neighborhood blight was rampant. Unemployment and poverty rates were among the nation’s highest.

Taking office in January 2014, Duggan ran the city but initially had no control over spending. By that December, Detroit had emerged from bankruptcy with about $7 billion in debt erased or restructured.

Over the past decade, Detroit routinely has had balanced city budgets and surpluses. Violent crime is down and neighborhoods mostly are cleaner. Detroit’s population even increased slightly in 2023. It was the first uptick since the 1950s when 1.8 million people called the city home.

“I feel like I did what I set out to do,” Duggan told the AP last month. “I was born here. I grew up here. I watched the decline and I felt like I could help. Today, we’re in a very different place in the city.”

Reporting by Corey Williams, Associated Press. Associated Press reporter Joey Cappelletti contributed to this story.

State House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit) has formed an exploratory committee to run for mayor of Detroit next year.

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

He joins a growing list of declared or potential candidates that also includes City Council President Mary Sheffield, Councilman Fred Durhal III, and former councilwoman Saunteel Jenkins.

Tate was reelected to the House last month, but will turn the speaker’s gavel over to Republican Matt Hall in January. Mayor Mike Duggan announced last month that he will not seek a fourth term. An announcement on his possible political future is expected in the near future. 

“We are going to see [other] talent emerge, and I don’t have a favorite candidate. I don’t have somebody that I picked out. I’m going to be like the other Detroiters,” Duggan said in a live streamed announcement last month. “I’m going to watch these candidates emerge and see who the right leader is. Somebody who will continue to bring us together.”

Detroit’s mayoral election is scheduled for November 2025.

Other headlines for Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024:

• Some Michigan lawmakers are trying to get a bill package aimed at water affordability passed before the end of the year.
• State lawmakers have just a few weeks if they want to stop or change a law that will increase the minimum wage for tipped workers.
• The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) released a comprehensive plan to reduce new HIV infections in the state by 90% by 2030, and advance health equity.

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

A new book released last month highlights various celebrities and their unique connects with the city of Detroit.

Titled “Motor City Famous: Celebrity Homes, Graves, and Little-known Locales,” the book from author Steve Platto features 113 lesser-known notable people with Detroit connections, from Lucille Ball and Robin Williams to Christie Brinkley and John Hughes.

Platto told WDET he had always had an interest in genealogy, history and celebrities. What started as a research project on his family history soon turned into a sort of scavenger hunt for celebrity connections to the city of Detroit.

“I was watching this Robin Williams documentary called ‘Come Inside My Mind,’ and in it, it had mentioned that he had gone to [Detroit] Country Day,” he said.

After some digging around online, Platto came across the Bloomfield Historical Society, which listed a 40-room mansion on the corner of Opdyke and Woodward in Bloomfield Hills. It was originally owned by a man named Theodore McManus, and after a few sales, was purchased by Robin Williams’ family.

Platto found out that unfortunately the home burned down some time in the ’80s, so he couldn’t visit, but some piece of the home remained.

”If you were to go there, there’s a stone wall that goes all around that corner of Opdyke and Woodward, and that was the original stone wall that surrounded the house when it was first built,” he said.

Platto posted this information on his Facebook page and garnered a bunch of interest. So, he went looking for more celebrities. Fans of his posts suggested he turn his findings into a book. And so, he did.

“It just kind of snowballed, and before I knew it, I had like…113 different people that came out of Detroit.”

The book includes well-known connections like Eminem, Stevie Wonder, and Tim Allen. But also some more obscure connections, like Jack Kerouac.

Platto said he wanted the book to be more than just a list of names and addresses.

“I wanted to actually track down what that tie was, where that house was, what the address was, any little back story that had to do with the tie to Detroit. So kind of putting on the Sherlock Holmes hat and finding out all these different things was really kind of the fun part of it,” he said.

Not every discovery made it into the book, however.

“There was a couple, actually, that I found out about after the manuscript was turned in,” Platto said. “I found out Snoop Dogg lived here for a couple of years in 1986 and 1987 and he worked the breakfast shift over at the McDonald’s over on Greenfield and Eight Mile.”

Platto will be signing books at Dearborn Music from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7.

Use the media player above to hear the full interview. 

The city of Detroit is already donned in holiday drip following the tree lighting last month. This Saturday, holiday cheer will cascade throughout Midtown as the city’s cultural district celebrates its 50th annual Noel Night. 

Produced by the nonprofit Midtown Detroit, Inc., more than 100 participating businesses and vendors will offer Noel Night activities and entertainment including live music performances, holiday shopping with special deals, arts and crafts, Christmas carols and more.

WDET — celebrating its 75th anniversary this year — is a media partner for Noel Night and will be offering tours of the station, opportunities to meet hosts, warm refreshments and more from 3 to 10 p.m. Several Wayne State University schools, colleges and divisions will be hosting Noel Night activities across campus as well. 

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Maureen Stapleton, interim director of Midtown Detroit Inc., joined The Metro on Monday along with Source Booksellers owner Janet Jones to talk about what participating businesses and organizations have in store for the event’s 50th year.

Stapleton noted that Midtown Detroit is the perfect place to showcase the city’s diverse holiday traditions and culture.

“What makes me most proud is the cultural diversity of the activities of the day,” she said. “We have cultural institutions that are some of the finest in the country that are on display.”

Stapleton also pointed out that, despite being called Noel Night, many activities will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday morning. For a full schedule of events and activities, visit midtowndetroitinc.org/schedule.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

More from The Metro on Dec. 2, 2024:

• With Thanksgiving now in the rearview, the holiday season is in full force. Over the weekend at Eastern Market, crowds of shoppers were loading their bags with gifts and filling their pickup trucks with Christmas trees. But Christmas is far from the only religious and spiritual holiday celebrated in the month of December. Aaron Gale, an associate professor and scholar of religious studies at West Virginia University, joined the show to discuss the vastly different ways people of different faiths celebrate the season. 
• For many, food is more than something to excite your taste buds; it’s a container for culinary traditions, helping continue the heritage of the people who created it. In the new documentary, “Detroit: The City of Chefs,” chef, producer and award-winning director Keith Famie highlights what makes Detroit’s food scene so rich and what food can do to continue old rituals and inspire new stories. Famie joined The Metro to discuss the film.
• The holidays are a time where we hear a lot about gratitude, joy and spending time with family. But it can also be a stressful or sad time for many people, emphasizing lost loved ones or estranged relationships. To discuss the importance of mental health awareness during the holiday season, clinical psychologist Dr. Cindy Morgan joined the show. Natasha T Miller, a Michigan poet and former co-host of the Science of Grief podcast from WDET and the MSU Museum, also joined the show.

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