On this episode of Detroit Evening Report Weekends, we listen to the third story in WDET reporter Nargis Rahman’s series Shustho.

The four-part series explores the barriers Bangladeshi women face in accessing high quality health care, and efforts to bridge those gaps.

In this story, we visit the Health Unit on Davison Avenue (HUDA) — the largest free health clinic in Wayne County — to learn about the services it provides to members of the community without health insurance.

Stay tuned to DER Weekends throughout the month of May to hear the entire four-part series.

Listen to the episode using the media player above.

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

The muted complexes and concrete towers that paint the image of America’s public housing tell a deeper story. It’s a story of segregation, of communities trying to survive along the margins, and of money and power shaping neighborhoods.

In Detroit — as in many places — it’s a layered story, one that involves neighborhoods like Black Bottom and Paradise Valley — majority Black middle-class communities that were razed in the late 1950s in the name of “urban renewal.” Many of the residents who were displaced were promised better housing in public projects, but those promises rarely came to fruition. 

But even in the most challenging times, many public housing residents have made the best of it, raising children, organizing neighbors, and demanding more. Now, a new museum in Chicago is illuminating those histories — not to romanticize them, but to confront them.

The National Public Housing Museum honors the people who made homes in a system stacked against them. It also asks: What should public housing in America look like today, and how can it be a place where people and families can thrive?

Lisa Yun Lee, executive director and chief curator at the museum, joined The Metro to help us answer these questions.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

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

Belle Isle’s James Scott Memorial Fountain will undergo an 18-month, $6 million renovation beginning this weekend. 

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

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is working quickly to use the remaining American Rescue Plan Act funding allocated to the park to replace the bowl of the fountain. 

DNR spokesperson Tim Bissett said this year marks the centennial anniversary for the iconic fountain. 

“It’s unfortunate that we can’t run it during that anniversary,” he said. “But obviously the time constraints to be able to do that preclude us from being able to run it this year and then wait, we have that very strict guideline and that timeline that we have to stick by in order to get the project done.” 

The DNR is replacing the bowl and foundation beams of the fountain. 

The department expects the renovations to be completed by the end of next year, with plans to restart the fountain in 2027. 

Other headlines for Tuesday, May 13, 2025: 

• Free enrollment for Pre-K is now open for all families across Michigan, regardless of income for the 2025-26 school year.
• Michigan State Rep. Joe Tate (D-Detroit) launched his campaign for U.S. Senate on Sunday.
• The Detroit Public Library is hosting free estate planning workshops through the spring and summer seasons, with the first one taking place on May 17. The workshop will cover planning tools such as wills, deeds, and trust agreements.
• The Coleman A. Young Recreation Center reopened over the weekend after an $11 million renovation and a five-year closure. Improvements include parking lot repairs, EV charging stations, new exterior windows, gym floor refinishing, pool system enhancements and updated HVAC and electrical systems.

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

On this episode of Detroit Evening Report Weekends, we listen to the second story in WDET reporter Nargis Rahman’s series Shustho.

The four-part series explores the barriers Bangladeshi women face in accessing high quality health care, and efforts to bridge those gaps.

In the second story, we meet several Bangladeshi American health care professionals working to provide culturally competent care to women in their community. Rahman explores how culture, relationships and education affect how Bangladeshi women experience treatment.

Stay tuned to DER Weekends throughout the month of May to hear the entire four-part series.

Listen to the episode using the media player above.

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

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has expanded its support for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People. 

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

The National Institute of Justice reports that four in five American Indian and Alaska Native women have experienced domestic violence.  

Lorna Elliott-Egan is the director of tribal government services and policy at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. She says there are about 4,000 open cases in Michigan of MMIPs. 

“When we look at Native American data, we generally know that the impact is much more than the data reflects, because it’s not always easy to collect those numbers,” she said. “You can’t look at your neighbor and know whether they’re Native American or not, unless they tell you and are they enrolled in a tribe.”

Elliott-Egan says there is grant funding for domestic violence and crime victim programs for members of the 12 federally recognized tribes in Michigan. 

“They have their own domestic violence programs, human services programs, health clinics, their own tribal police, and so each one of those tribes is working sort of off of a federal template to create a murdered and missing indigenous persons plan for When these things occur,” she said.

Elliot-Egan says the state is working on a resource hub for Native American residents to find information in one place. 

Other headlines for Thursday, May 8, 2025:

• The TRUE Community Credit Union is providing $75,000 over five years to the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) to set up a recovery center for substance use disorders.   
• The Hamtramck Drug Free Community Coalition is hosting its 16th Annual Hamtramck Health Hike from 9:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 17. The first 400 people will receive freebies. Register at tinyurl.com/HealthHike. 
• The city of Warren is hosting its second annual Asian American & Pacific Islander Celebration from 12-3 p.m. on Saturday, May 17, at the Warren Community Center, 5460 Arden Ave. The event will feature music, food and vendors.
• The supermarket La Jalisciense is expanding to Taylor, Michigan. The supermarket offers Mexican cafeteria style foods and groceries. The new store, La Jali, is an expansion of its Southwest Detroit store that’s been family run for over a decade. The new store is located at 9411 Telegraph Rd.  

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

No matter who you are, being a parent is a tough job. There’s no one definitive playbook for how to best love and guide your kids. 

And mothers are frequently the ones to care and nurture us, to keep us in line when it matters and to expose us to different people and places. 

The former U.S. Surgeon General said last year that parental stress is a significant public health issue. But we know that, in addition to the challenges, there are a lot of joys that come with motherhood. 

There are opportunities for creating stronger connections, for providing and maybe sometimes receiving care and for expanding love. 

And as Mother’s Day is coming up, we’re looking at what a day in the life of a mom is like. Today on The Metro, two mothers from different places in our region share their perspective on motherhood and what it means to them.

Ambra Redrick runs the nonprofit Teen Hype in Detroit. She has two biological daughters and her husband has two children that she helps raise as well. Lori Goldman is a mom of four.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

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

Voters across metro Detroit made key decisions on school funding, local government changes, and city leadership in the May 6 special election.

To learn more about this special election visit the “Michigan special elections: What metro Detroiters should know before May 6” published on May 2, 2025

Ferndale voters approved both a school improvement bond (70% yes) and a Headlee override millage (58% yes).

Redford Union School District passed a $44 million bond proposal with 54% support.

Southgate Community Schools saw all three of its funding proposals pass.

Mount Clemens voters rejected a $91.8 million bond proposal for school upgrades, with 67% voting no.

Lamphere Schools in Madison Heights also failed to secure an $85 million bond, with 58% opposed.

Clawson voters turned down two charter amendments related to city council size and term lengths.

In Wyandotte, Mayor Robert DeSana was reelected with 79% of the vote. Six city council members were also elected, and three administrative offices were uncontested.

For full details, visit the Detroit Free Press election coverage.

Know your rights

Michigan’s primary election will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. Check back for updates to WDET’s Voter Guide as the election gets closer.

The Mexican Patriotic Committee of Metro Detroit hosted its 60th annual Cinco de Mayo Parade on Sunday.

Cinco de Mayo commemorates Mexico’s victory over France in the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Mexico was the underdog in that fight. France would eventually win the war and establish a period of control over Mexico. The battle remains a symbol of the resistance and resilience of the Mexican people against colonial powers. 

But celebrations this year have been impacted by fears of immigration raids. Events in Chicago and Philadelphia were cancelled. Residents in Detroit raised similar concerns, but it didn’t stop the celebration. 

Maria Elana Rodriguez is the former president of the Mexicantown Community Development Corporation. She joined The Metro on Monday to talk about the history of Cinco de Mayo and how people are celebrating. 

We also revisited a conversation with Frank Solis, a local historian who’s preserving Tejano music in Detroit. His father, Martin Solis, helped make Tejano music popular in Detroit with his band Los Primos.  As a self-taught musician, Solis started playing the Bajo Sexto, a Mexican 12-string instrument from the guitar family, and developed his own unique musical style.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

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

At a recent Detroit City Council meeting, a number of people spoke during public comment period about Detroit’s Solar Neighborhood Initiative. 

People are making allegations that blight tickets are being used by the city to take property in the name of solar developments. 

While residents say they’re not opposed to renewable energy, some are questioning the city’s process for constructing solar neighborhood arrays. 

The city’s Legal Department will provide an update at Tuesday’s city council meeting on the solar neighborhood initiative. 

Metro Producer Jack Filbrandt sat down with Detroit Documenter Hannah O’Neal and Coordinator Noah Kincade to learn more about the development. 

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

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

Bees’ pollinating presence helps to ensure the vitality of our food systems. 

The work of bees isn’t just happening in fields of wildflowers or quiet suburban gardens. Bees in urban neighborhoods also have an important role to play.

The nonprofit Detroit Hives has turned vacant lots into thriving pollinator habitats and community green spaces. That work includes planting pollinator-friendly trees in neighborhoods that need canopy, beauty and biodiversity. One of the group’s recent projects was at the Finney Community Arboretum and Botanical Garden, which they hope to transform into a thriving community space for pollinators and residents alike.

Detroit Hives Co-founders Tim Paule Jackson and Nicole Lindsey joined The Metro on Monday to discuss their work. 

–Segment produced by WDET’s Amanda Le Claire.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

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

This year marks a time of transition in the city of Detroit.

Voters will elect a new leader of the city to replace long-time Mayor Mike Duggan, who is leaving to run for governor.

And experts at the think tank Detroit Future City predict the new mayor will face several challenges, like building new infrastructure to handle flooding and power outages.

But the group’s CEO, Anika Goss, told WDET one of the core issues the city must focus on is growing a sector some analysts say is disappearing — Detroit’s middle class.

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Anika Goss, Detroit Future City: We use the language of “middle class,” but you can also use the language of “middle wage,” those within the median income for Detroit. And this particular demographic trend we really feel is important, because this is generally your tax base. They are staying in homes, buying homes, investing in their communities. And we want to focus on this because it is the largest demographic to leave Detroit.

Quinn Klinefelter, WDET News: What would you advise Detroit’s next mayor to do to help grow that segment of the populace?

AG: First, develop the neighborhoods. Make the neighborhoods places that would retain and attract middle-class households. The second issue is, how can Detroiters grow wealth and remain in Detroit? What kind of jobs are there nearby and available that actually have a middle-class wage, not only entry wages but also growth wages. It’s an environment that also creates strong businesses and entrepreneurs that can actually grow their own business. These are elements that can appeal to middle-class households. Two other things that I think are really important, and this can be tough for mayors, but they’re going to have to figure out property taxes. They are still uneven and very, very high in Detroit. So really thinking about what can we do to stabilize and lower the property tax rate. And second, work cooperatively with the schools, public and private and charter, so that the education system in Detroit also becomes something to attract and retain families.

QK: When you talk about raising incomes, outgoing Mayor Mike Duggan has touted how many companies he says have located in the city over the last decade or so. And oftentimes those businesses are supposed to give first preference for new hires to Detroiters. The city also has work training programs available. Would you say the next mayor should they try to build on that or go beyond it somehow?

AG: I think build AND go beyond. I think what was great about the Duggan administration is that he did really set this environment of Detroit being a place for you to invest in. And it was at a time when a lot of companies were not thinking of coming here. Now they are. But what we found is that a lot of the companies are still looking at Detroit proper as a place for low-wage labor. We have to really market Detroit as a place that has talent for a diversity of income ranges. Really work with these companies to ensure the jobs that we’re receiving in Detroit are jobs where you can actually grow your wage over time. I feel like there were really good deals made for low and moderate wages earners. There are people who are out of work that definitely need those jobs. But we can’t just stop there and declare it a success. We have to also really consider how we bring in other jobs and prepare Detroiters for those other jobs that are making a higher wage.

QK: Along with the income and job situation, people in the city have talked for years about the overall development in Detroit seeming to focus on the downtown area. And how does it get out to the neighborhoods? Duggan, for one, had launched a series of projects to try to strengthen various blocks in the city. Again, is there something you think the next mayor should do to go beyond that? Or should they try some entirely new approach?

AG: I think that it will be imperative for the next mayor to take the Strategic Neighborhood Fund and other neighborhood initiatives even further. To really create neighborhoods that have a diversity of housing choices, that have amenities and that are looking at places for investment in these areas. There’s still several neighborhoods in Detroit where there are no mortgages, whole census tracts that do not have mortgages in Detroit. The next mayor will have that challenge of not just stabilizing the strategic neighborhood places but also thinking about where else throughout the city can we target for a variety of households and a variety of incomes. You should be able to live in a neighborhood and increase your income and not have to move out of the city. You should be able to identify neighborhoods where you can do that. And right now, even with the Strategic Neighborhood Fund initiative, there’s still only 12 middle-class neighborhoods in Detroit out of more than 200 census tracts. We still have a long way to go.

QK: Do you think there’ll be enough funding available to push such efforts?

AG: There’s never enough money to do all of the things that we want to do. You really are going to have to prioritize. And if the North Star for the next mayor is, “How do we actually lay out a growth plan for Detroit and Detroiters?” That’s a very different proposition than thinking broadly about how to make Detroit better. I feel like the Duggan administration got us to this point. It’s really important now for the next mayor to take it even further. It’s something that is absolutely imperative. I don’t see an alternative.

Church Space, the startup known as the “Airbnb for churches,” is establishing a new headquarters in Detroit.

Church Space helps congregations unlock underused real estate — fellowship halls, gymnasiums, commercial kitchens and more.

“We’re all about community, all about local neighborhoods, and we basically help churches unlock their unused space so that people in their local community can use it,” said Day Edwards, co-founder of Church Space. “When you think of baby showers, community gathering, weddings, those sort of things, that’s really where church space comes in.”

Co-founder Emmanuel Brown said the idea of sharing church facilities with the community isn’t new.

“The challenge is, most churches just didn’t have the bandwidth and capacity to support and a clear way to be able to get the word out to the community that their space is actually available to be shared,” Brown said.  “And so our platform helps churches to think through things like pricing and photography, insurance, liability, cleaning, to streamline the process so that sharing their available space with the community is easy.”

Although both founders are not from Detroit, they see a unique opportunity in the city.

“Detroit has the most churches per square mile in America,” Edwards said. “There’s so much vibrancy that starts with the faith-based community here.”

The company says it has already helped churches in other cities earn up to $100,000 annually through space-sharing. In Detroit, they hope to replicate that success while exploring new uses for vacant or underutilized church buildings — including micro-fulfillment centers — to improve last-mile delivery in underserved communities.

As for why churches were chosen for this model, Edwards pointed to affordability and community connection.

Brown says both he and Edwards are pastor’s kids. And they’ve seen firsthand the burden of maintaining church property.

“And so, our heart for the church is really to see church leaders be able to thrive and to lead well and to impact and influence their community in greater ways, without having to worry about a financial deficit as a barrier to that process,” Brown said.

The company is hosting an event in July titled “From Pulpits to Possibility,” where church leaders in southeast Michigan can learn more about the platform. RSVPs are available on Eventbrite.

On this episode of Detroit Evening Report Weekends, we listen to the first story in WDET reporter Nargis Rahman’s series Shustho.

The four-part series explores the barriers Bangladeshi women face in accessing high quality health care, and efforts to bridge those gaps.

Michigan is home to the third largest population of Bangladeshis in the U.S., most living in the metro Detroit area.

Throughout the Shustho series, Nargis explores a number of challenges that make it hard for Bangladeshi immigrants to access health care, including cultural competency within the medical profession and access to adequate insurance.

The first story is focused on language barriers. Nargis speaks with organizations advocating for Bangla-speaking patients, community members who serve as advocates, translators and educators and medical professionals working to increase awareness.

Stay tuned to DER Weekends to hear the entire four-part series in May.

Listen to the episode using the media player above.

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

A gathering on the Belle Isle Bridge this weekend is aimed at combatting violence against Black women.

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

The “Black Men Unite to Fight Against Our Women and Girls” campaign is being organized in response to recent cases of violent attacks on Black women.

Minister Troy Muhammad is one of the organizers of the event. He says the Belle Isle Bridge was chosen as the campaign launch site in remembrance of Deletha Word, who was beaten by a man on the bridge after a traffic accident in 1995. Word died after either jumping from the bridge to flee the man or being thrown from the bridge.

The group plans to offer conflict resolution and domestic violence prevention classes and produce billboards and public service announcements in the future.

Each man in attendance will be asked to be responsible for five other men. Men will gather at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 3, on the island side of the bridge. 

Other headlines for Friday, May 2, 2025:

• Cinco de Mayo is on Monday but Detroit will celebrate Sunday with the 60th annual Cinco de Mayo Parade in Southwest Detroit. The parade begins at noon at Patton Park and will end at Clark Park. 
• As the Cinco de Mayo Parade winds down Sunday, the Blessing of the Low Riders revs up at the Motor City Dance Academy. The annual event showcasing lowrider cars and bikes will take place from 2-5 p.m. Sunday, and feature live music and dance performances, food and art vendors, and the blessing of vehicles. 
• Jazz vocalist Penny Wells will perform at the Detroit Historical Society’s Jazz in the Streets of Old Detroit series next Thursday, May 8. Proceeds from the event help support the work of the Black Historic Sites Committee.  

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

Communities across Michigan — including several in metro Detroit — will be holding special elections on Tuesday, May 6, for a range of local ballot measures and races.

Check if you’re registered, find your polling place, or view a sample ballot here.

Macomb County

Mount Clemens

Voters in the Mount Clemens Community School District will have a $91.8 million bond proposal and millage reduction on their ballots.

The district says the funding would be used to renovate and revitalize its historic buildings, make critical infrastructure improvements, create modern learning spaces, and address safety and security needs.

Find more information about the bond proposal at mtcps.org.

Oakland County

Ferndale

In Oakland County, voters in Ferndale will see another Headlee override operating millage proposal on their ballot.

Ferndale voters rejected a previous iteration of the Headlee override in November, with roughly 54% of residents voting against it. City council members voted in January to include an adapted proposal on the May 6 ballot that aims to address some of the concerns cited by residents during town halls and listening sessions. If passed, the millage would take effect on residents’ Summer 2026 tax bills.

More information about the proposal, including the changes that were made and its potential cost impact on residents, can be viewed at ferndalemi.gov.

Additionally, voters in the Ferndale School District — which includes portions of Pleasant Ridge, Oak Park and Royal Oak Township — will have a school improvement bond on their ballot.

The $114.8 million bond proposal would not increase voters’ tax rates, according to the district, and would enable “transformational improvements” at its middle and high school buildings. Among the updates would be a new academic wing, modernized classrooms, updated fine arts spaces, safer school entry points, and improved student services.

For more information about the school bond proposal, visit ferndaleschools.org.

Clawson

Voters in Clawson will have two charter amendment proposals on the ballot.

The first is asking voters to determine the size of city council. A “yes” vote would maintain the city’s four-member council — excluding the mayor — rather than expand the council by two additional members, as adopted by council in 2023.

The second charter amendment relates to the council members’ term limits, and can only be passed in conjunction with the first amendment.

The full proposals can be viewed at cityofclawson.com.

Madison Heights

Residents in the Lamphere School District will see an $85 million, 30-year school improvement bond proposal on the ballot.

The district says the funding is needed to enhance school safety and security, expand learning opportunities, and update school infrastructure. If passed, the cost to homeowners would be 4.15 mills ($4.15 per $1,000 of taxable property value).

For more specifics on what the bond funding would be used for, visit lamphereschools.com/bond2025.

Proposals 2 and 3 — a non-homestead operating millage renewal and 2-mill hedge — would maintain the current millage rate if passed, allowing the district to retain $5 million for staffing, instructional and extracurricular programming, maintenance and operations.

Residential tax rates on primary residences would not increase if any of these initiatives pass, according to the district. However, the millage rate would decline over the next few years if the bond proposal is rejected.

Know your rights

Michigan’s primary election will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. Check back for updates to WDET’s Voter Guide as the election gets closer.

Experts say nearly half of all child injury deaths happen during the summer months. 

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

That statistic earned the phenomenon the nickname “the 100 deadliest days of summer” or “summer trauma season.” 

This month, the nonprofit Safe Kids Worldwide  is teaming up with safety advocates across the country to launch the second annual Safe Kids Month.

Sadiqa Kendi, chief medical officer for Safe Kids Worldwide, says the most common injuries affecting youngsters come from motor vehicle crashes. 

“We know that a child, if they don’t fit the seat belt well — and many times, they won’t until they’re between eight and 12 years old, and sometimes older — they really need to be in a booster or seat for that seat belt to work effectively,” she said.

Kendi says other injury related deaths occur from improper use of safety equipment such as life jackets and helmets. 

She says most of those fatalities are preventable, which is why the organization developed a child safety checklist to cover five key safety areas: car, water, sleep, home and play.

Safe Kids Worldwide’s High Five Child Safety Checklist can be viewed on their website at safekids.org. 

Other headlines for Thursday, May 1, 2025:

• For the first time in the city’s history, Dearborn will not have a primary election in August, the Detroit Free Press reported. The city clerk says there are not enough candidates running to make a primary necessary.
• The city of Detroit is breaking ground on the $28 million Russell Woods Senior Living Community on Friday on Dexter Avenue. Developer Fabiola Fleuranvil promises the units will be “deeply affordable” for residents.
• Detroit has commissioned 43 artists to establish art installations in nine city-sponsored “art alleys” across Detroit. It’s part of the city’s Arts Alleys initiative, an effort to create vibrant community spaces to celebrate local culture and showcase local talents. Installations have begun and muralists will begin painting this month.  

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

The state treasurer on Wednesday announced $2.5 million in grants for Michigan cities, villages or townships with severe economic problems.

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

Those municipalities are defined as ones that are experiencing one or more conditions that qualify as “probable economic distress.”

The funds will be split among 13 cities across the state to support projects, services or strategies aimed at improving their financial stability.

Among the local communities selected to receive funding are Ecorse, receiving $183,000 for water main replacements; Harper Woods, receiving more than $134,000 to fix sanitary sewer outlets; Highland Park, getting $150,000 for two plow trucks; Inkster, receiving $300,000 to replace water system infrastructure; and River Rouge, which will get just over $86,000 to replace infrastructure at the municipal library. 

Visit michigan.gov to view the full list of municipalities receiving funding.

Other headlines for Wednesday, April 30, 2025: 

• A project to end extreme poverty is coming to Detroit this summer.  The organizers of “Global Citizen NOW” announced Wednesday that their international summit will be held in the Hudson’s Detroit building downtown, July 8-11.
• The trial of a Grand Rapids police officer in connection with the death of a Black motorists continues. Officer Christopher Schurr shot and killed motorist Patrick Lyoya during a traffic stop in April 2022. Lyoya was shot after a brief struggle and the incident was captured on video.  Schurr was later charged with second degree murder. His attorney says the shooting was in self-defense.
• The only Black, all-female unit to serve in Europe during World War II was honored on Tuesday with the Congressional Gold Medal. Known as the “Six Triple Eight,” the unit received the award following a long-running campaign to recognize its efforts.
• The Detroit Pistons are looking forward to Game 6 of their first-round NBA playoff series against the New York Knicks. The Pistons won Game 5, 106-103, at Madison Square Garden in New York Tuesday night.

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

Detroit has some of the worst air quality in the nation, according to a report released Wednesday by the American Lung Association. 

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

The organization’s “State of the Air” report gives the region an “F” grade in ground level ozone pollution, a “D” in particle pollution, and a failing grade overall in pollution levels above federal standards. 

The research finds metro Detroit has the sixth worst year-round particle pollution in the U.S.  

High levels of air pollution can cause various health issues including asthma attacks and lung cancer, as well as impact other health events such as heart attacks and strokes, the Lung Association reports.

“Unfortunately, too many people in Detroit are living with unhealthy levels of ozone and particle pollution,” said Kezia Ofosu Atta, advocacy director for the Lung Association in Michigan, in a statement. “This air pollution is causing kids to have asthma attacks, making people who work outdoors sick and unable to work, and leading to low birth weight in babies. We urge Michigan policymakers to take action to improve our air.”

Read the full report at lung.org/research/sota.

More headlines for Wednesday, April 23, 2025:

• Detroit City Council member Gabriella-Santiago Romero has been disqualified from having her name on the city’s August primary election ballot. Wayne County officials say she had an unpaid campaign finance fee, preventing her appearance on the ballot. However, Santiago-Romero issued a release Tuesday saying she has filed all paperwork on time and that the county wrongly assessed the fee. 
• Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens says she’s running for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat next year. She made the announcement in a campaign video Tuesday morning.
• Henry Ford Health is offering free heart health screenings on Saturday at six Henry Ford Hospitals, including Grand Blanc, Clinton Township, Rochester, Providence Southfield, Warren and Wyandotte.
• Efforts to beautify Detroit are showing results, as four million daffodils have bloomed in neighborhoods, parks and medians across the city. The General Services Department’s Floriculture Division says the best showings are in Jayne Playground, Gabriel Richard Park, LaSalle Park and on Oakman Boulevard between Linwood and Dexter. Officials say they hope to have 10 million daffodil bulbs planted in the city one day.
• The Detroit Pistons are getting ready for another first round playoff game on Thursday night. The team won its first playoff game since 2008 when they beat the Knicks in New York 100-94 on Monday night. The series is now tied at a game each.

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

The city of Detroit has a lot of concrete streets, slabs of road and old industrial buildings. 

But green spaces like Palmer Park provide an outlet to connect with nature. The park is home to one of the city’s old growth forests with diverse plant and animal life. 

And it’s just one of many spaces in Detroit hosting Earth Day celebrations and events this week to inspire environmental awareness and encourage community involvement.

On Sunday, the park will host Art in the Trees, an outdoor art exhibition among the trees in Palmer Park’s old growth forest featuring large-scale sculptures, music, activities and more.

Event organizer Mark Loeb joined The Metro on Earth Day to share more about the event.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

More stories from The Metro on Tuesday, April 22:

• Detroit’s Pope Francis Center leader reflects on late pontiff’s legacy
• WDET is ‘rooting’ itself in local environmental reporting with tree canopy project
• Detroit Public Library is ready to help in many ways
• Michigan ends mandatory life sentences for 19 and 20-year-olds convicted of murder

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