Tonight on The Detroit Evening Report, we cover the rise of Michigan influenza infections, efforts to improve the city’s homeless services and upcoming community events.

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Michigan flu levels hit 15-year high

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced Friday that two children in Michigan have died from the flu.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it’s been 15 years since influenza infections were this high in the state. Joe Coyle, the state’s epidemiologist, says it’s not clear why flu rates are so high this year.

“The flu virus is slightly different every year. The flu vaccine is slightly different every year. And the pattern and severity of influenza, in terms of how it impacts the population, is a little bit different from year to year,” Coyle said.

Coyle says vaccine effectiveness data from the CDC will provide more insight, but has not yet been released. There’ve been nearly 10,000 flu-related hospitalizations in Michigan since Nov. 30, 2024.

Duggan calls for review of city’s homeless services

Funeral services are set for two children who appear to have frozen to death in a Detroit parking structure last week. The tragic incident has shone a light on the city’s ability to help homeless families during extremely cold weather.

Officials say two-year-old A’millah Currie and nine-year-old Darnell Currie Jr. were staying with their mother in a van parked in the Hollywood Casino garage. The van lost heat and the mother took the children to a hospital after one stopped breathing.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan says the mother had reached out to homeless advocates months before, but officials did not follow up. Duggan has ordered a full review of Detroit’s homeless services, and wants the city to better publicize what shelters are available and have workers conduct on-site visits when minors are involved.

The city is helping coordinate the Currie children’s funerals, which are being paid for by donations.

NAACP publishes pro-DEI spending guide

The NAACP wants Black Americans to steer their buying power toward corporations that have not pulled back from diversity programs. The Associated Press reports that the nation’s oldest civil rights organization is listing which brands have stood by or reversed their DEI commitments. The list can be found in the NAACP’s Black Consumer Advisory.

Wayne State to hold event highlighting migration stories

Wayne State’s MENA employees are hosting an event to highlight the contributions made by Middle Eastern North African immigrants. The Employee Engagement Group event is called “Migration Stories: MENA Immigration to America, Past and Present.”

Panelists will discuss the trials, tribulations and achievements of MENA immigrants with a specific focus on their experiences and impact on Metro Detroit. Featured speakers represent the Center for Arab Narratives, the Arab American National Museum and the Center for Arab American Studies at U-M Dearborn.

The panel will be held on Thursday, Feb. 20 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Hilberry AB in the Student Center Building at 5221 Gullen Mall. The event is free and open to the public. Those interested can RSVP online at getinvolved.wayne.edu.

Ramadan Market to return this weekend

The Muslim Community of Western Suburbs (MCWS) in Canton will have its Ramadan Market this weekend. The market will include multiple vendors selling clothes, foods and other goods traditionally used during the month of Ramadan. Offerings include abayas, groceries imported from the Middle East, Ramadan decor, Islamic jewelry, Islamic books and more.

The event will also offer creative workshops throughout the day, including Ramadan storytime for children, cookie decorating, lantern building and designing your own iftar plate.

The Ramadan Market will be held on Feb. 22 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the MCWS Gymnasium at 40440 Palmer Rd. in Canton. Admission is free, but those interested are encouraged to RSVP on Eventbrite.

Skilled Trades Task Force to meet

The City of Detroit’s Skilled Trades Task Force will meet Wednesday, Feb. 19. Attendees can learn how to apply for tuition-free skilled trades apprenticeships in construction industries.

The event is from 4-6 p.m. at the Union Carpenters & Millwrights Skilled Training Center at 11687 American Street in Detroit. For more information, call 313-628-2363. 

WDET’s Bre’Anna Tinsley, Quinn Klinefelter, Pat Batcheller and Zahra Hassan contributed to this report.

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, Detroiters should get ready for an icy commute tomorrow morning. Plus, a local broadcast legend has died.

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

Winter Weather Advisory issued

Detroiters should prepare for a rough commute tomorrow morning — Thursday, Feb. 6. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for Detroit and areas west and south of the city from 10 p.m. tonight until 9 a.m. tomorrow.

Forecasters say light snow will hit the region tonight, then turn to freezing rain overnight. The city could see up to a 10th of an inch of ice, which will cover anything left outside. That includes cars, roadways, trees and power lines. The additional weight of ice could cause tree limbs to snap or electrical lines to come down.

Roads will be exceptionally slippery in the morning, especially those that have not been salted yet. Make sure to leave yourself plenty of extra time to get to work tomorrow morning. Reduce your driving speed and leave lots of extra space between you and the vehicle in front of you, because stopping distances increase dramatically on ice.

ACRL and NAACP to meet

The Arab-American Civil Rights League and the NAACP are holding a public meeting tomorrow, Feb. 6, to discuss recent challenges to their constituencies. The organizations have been dealing with the effects of executive orders signed by President Trump in recent days. Those orders have dealt with issues such as diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in the federal government, and increased enforcement of immigration laws. The event is scheduled to take place tomorrow night at 6 p.m. at the Northwest Activities Center. That’s at 18100 Meyers in Detroit.

Auto Show attendance dwindles

The Detroit Auto Show released its attendance figures today. The event attracted 275,000 people over its 11 days. That’s down significantly from pre-pandemic attendance figures. The last January auto show was in 2019, attracting more than 774,000 visitors.

The event has been postponed some years, and moved to warmer dates in other years since then. Organizers decided to return the show to January this year. They say this year’s event generated up to $370 million for the local economy. The annual charity preview event brought in $1.7 million for local nonprofits. 

Egg prices rise

The cost of eggs is rising around the country and Detroit is no exception. Millions of chickens have been killed by avian influenza — also known as bird flu — limiting egg production in the country. The problem has caused product shortages, raising prices. Here in Detroit, that trend is showing up in higher prices in many locations including, for some, McDonald’s breakfast items. 

Gas prices lower

Metro Detroit gas prices are down slightly this week. The average price of a gallon of self-serve unleaded is $3.14 per gallon. That’s down two cents from last week, but is three cents higher than a month ago. AAA says the national average gas price is $3.12 per gallon. 

Reporter Al Allen dead

We end today’s episode with a sad note. We just got word this morning that Fox 2 reporter Al Allen has died. He was 79 years old.

Allen began his Detroit television reporting at Fox 2 in 1984. He worked for the station for 30 years, retiring in 2013. Before that, he worked at several Detroit radio stations, telling residents the news they needed to know. Allen was inducted into the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame in 2021. 

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