The UAW strike has gotten much bigger. Plus, several family-friendly activities are available around Detroit this weekend. Those stories and more on today’s Detroit Evening Report.

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Marathon Petroleum’s Detroit refinery workers, represented by the Teamsters, have ratified a seven-year collective bargaining agreement, concluding a three-month strike that began on Sept. 4. 

The strike was initiated over pay and safety concerns following the expiration of their previous contract in January, reintegrating the striking employees into refinery operations. 

The Detroit refinery has a capacity of 140,000 barrels per day and is one of Marathon’s 13 refineries nationwide.  

Other headlines for Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024:

• The Environmental Protection Agency has allocated $20 million to over 15 Detroit churches and other religious organizations. The funding aims to help environmental projects focused on reducing pollution and preparing for extreme weather emergencies in local neighborhoods. The projects are part of the churches’ initiatives of environmental stewardship in the city.
• The Dearborn Ice Skating Center is offering a Skate with Santa event this weekend. Attendees can skate to Christmas music and take selfies with the big guy and other holiday characters. Tickets are $10 and available at the center’s website.  
• The Detroit Public Library is offering a free Kids Wrapping Station at its Lincoln Branch on Thursday, Dec. 19. Kids can bring gifts they’d like to wrap and use the library’s wrapping paper, tags, tape and scissors to wrap them in style. The Kids Wrapping Station will be open from 4-5:40 p.m. The Lincoln Branch is located at 1221 East Seven Mile Road. 
• The DPL Knapp Branch is hosting a “Repair Café” on Saturday, Dec. 21. People can bring items in need of repair and get help fixing them and even learn how to make repairs themselves. The event is volunteer-dependent. Anyone with skills they’d like to donate to the cause is invited to join the event. Volunteers are also welcome to bring in items they would like someone to repair. The Repair Café is open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is held on the third Saturday of each month. Those who register on Eventbrite will be notified if plans change. The Knapp Branch is located at 13330 Conant.

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