Tonight on The Detroit Evening Report, we cover significant cuts the Trump administration has made at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 5 office in Chicago; a Valentine’s Day concert at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and more.

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EPA Region 5 office faces cuts

The Environment Protection Agency’s regional office in Chicago is facing significant cuts that could affect Michigan’s ability to respond to environmental threats, Planet Detroit reports. That includes pollution from hazardous waste facilities owned by U.S. Ecology, and leaking from their underground storage tanks. This news comes after about $81 million in environmental justice funding for projects in Michigan was delayed by President Donald Trump’s plan to freeze federal grants.

There are also concerns the agency will be affected by staffing shortages due to the deferred resignation offer by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — a nongovernmental task force led by Elon Musk. Union leaders are fearful that these changes may affect an EPA that is still recovering from losing staff during Trump’s first term as president.

Whitmer reports Operation Safe Neighborhoods successes

Michigan Go. Gretchen Whitmer and Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist announced Thursday that more than 800 illegal guns have been taken off the streets due to the Operation Safe Neighborhoods initiative. Since the operation began, law enforcement officials have conducted nearly 8,000 check-ins with felony offenders. During these sweeps law enforcement also recovered illegal drugs and ammunition. This statewide crackdown on guns is aimed at reducing gun violence by getting illegal firearms off the streets. The initiative is run under the Michigan Department of Corrections.

Project Clean Slate

The city of Detroit’s Project Clean Slate initiative is aimed at getting criminal records expunged for free. The goal is to help Detroiters with criminal records get beyond their past mistakes and the stigma associated with them. Legal services will be provided to assess a criminal record and determine how to expunge each record. For more information about this initiative go to detroitmi.gov.

Enjoy ‘Broadway Love Songs’ at the DSO

Today is Valentine’s Day and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra will present “Broadway Love Songs,” featuring classic show tunes from “The King and I,” “Cinderella,” “South Pacific,” “West Side Story” and more this weekend, Feb. 14-16. For more information about showtimes or to purchase tickets, visit dso.org.

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