Downtown Royal Oak has always had a tasty food scene, and from July 3 to July 6, it will be highlighted by the Royal Oak Taco Festival.

This celebration includes plenty of family fun with music, Lucha Libre wrestling, special guests and, of course, Tacos. The deliciously fun-filled street festival will feature Mucho show-stopping entertainment, including live local music, DJs and street performers, taco eating contests, a variety of free activities and plenty of tantalizing tacos and tequila.

This year’s festival will showcase a delicious mix of over 50 taco vendors and food trucks serving everything from classic tacos to creative culinary mashups. Guests can look forward to a variety of mouthwatering options, including steak and fish, as well as vegetarian fare, along with summer favorites like BBQ, deep-fried treats, and shaved ice.

Newcomers and fan favorites, including The Taco Cartel, Dos Locos Burritos, Mezcal, Real Taco Express, Galindo’s, Azteca, Xav’s Jammin Caribbean, and Cousins Maine Lobster, are part of the lineup.

Jon Witz has led the event’s planning and is looking forward to a downtown packed with taco lovers.

“We have a new layout for this year, featuring a stage now in Centennial Commons, where DJs and top bands will perform,” Witz said. “We’re expecting 40 to 50 restaurants.”

A new addition to the entertainment lineup will be mechanical bull riding south of City Hall, along with Lucha Libre wrestling inside the Farmer’s Market.

“We’ve rearranged everything with a fresh layout, an array of great foods, new activities, and mechanical bull riding, taco eating contests, sales, and cannabis consumption. We’ll be here for the second year in a row, and we’ve got a lot of stuff brewing, so we’re pumped,” Witz said. “Tame the bull and tame your appetite should definitely be the theme.”

The event has averaged more than 50,000 attendees over the past three years, and Witz expects the same turnout for this year’s event. Pre-purchased tickets are $8 each, but a family pack of four is available at $6 per ticket. During the week of the event, individual tickets will be $10. At the gate, the cost will be $12.

“It’s definitely an incentive to save half off your ticket if you buy now versus during the show. The ticket gets you in, and the tacos and tequila are extra. But there’s a lot of entertainment value built in, and we have many reasonably priced tacos and taco trucks. I think everybody’s fine. It’s a good competitive marketplace with amazing food. And, you know, we have most of our great restaurants returning for another go-around this year.”

The ticket/wristband also includes the wrestling event and all activities and entertainment.

“Those wristbands are coded for each day, allowing you to go in and out. You can enjoy yourself, and many people will appreciate sitting in a cafe in Royal Oak or getting an ice cream somewhere after enjoying the music.”

Witz noted that “old school comedian Tommy Chong” is set to appear as part of the festival entertainment. The iconic actor, best-selling author, Grammy Award-winning comedian, activist and cannabis advocate will be on hand for a special appearance on July 5 and 6 for meet and greet and photos.

Several stages will be set up with entertainment for everyone. The Soaring Eagle Stage will feature Kalysta, Nique Love Rhodes & The NLR Experience, Detroit Fury, McKayla Prew, Shotgun Soul, Julian Joel, New Relatives and Ryan Jay.

The Michigan Lottery Stage will spotlight Turner Porter, The Bores, Alise King, Delaney Morgan, RJ Redline, Stonelore, The Warped Tourists, Glencoe, The Twisted Lemon Blues Band, The Ruiners, Thunderbuck, SHÜ, Carley Lusk’s, Kayfabe: thepplsband, and the Martin Chaparro Trio.

The JARS Stage will feature Reeds & Steel, Metawav, Good Folk, The Outfit, DJ Dirty White, Dru Ruiz, Ernesto Villarreal and Friends, Esshaki, TWIZT, Rebecca Cameron and DJ Cisco.

The Royal Oak Downtown Development Authority Kids Stage, where laughter, learning and live entertainment come together all weekend long. Juggler Tim Salisbury, Zippity 2 Guys & A Guitar and experience the mind-blowing vocal talents of Beatbox Jake. Cool Tricks & Funny Stuff, interactive hula hoop fun with Nat Spinz, and a special appearance by the Michigan Science Center, whose “Amazing Astronomy” show launches kids on an out-of-this-world adventure through the stars. With hands-on experiences and crowd-engaging acts throughout the day, the Kids Stage is the ultimate destination for curious minds, big imaginations and endless smiles.

The Royal Oak DDA Kids’ Zone, located in a lot by the district courthouse, will feature a variety of free, family-friendly fun. Enjoy bounce houses featuring a giant slide, while older kids can test their skills at basketball double-shot and quarterback blitz challenges. Budding artists will appreciate the creative stations that include face painting and hands-on crafts like DIY luchador masks, maracas, walking paper tacos, and colorful sombreros. With even more surprises ahead, the Kids’ Zone promises an unforgettable adventure for families at Royal Oak Taco Fest.

The JARS Cannabis Lounge returns as one of Michigan’s few festival-based cannabis retail and consumption experiences. Dubbed “The Trap,” this 21+ space offers a relaxed, curated environment for adult guests, set apart from the festival buzz, main family and food areas but very much a part of the vibe.

Participants who believe they can eat three tacos as quickly as possible without drinking water are invited to join the taco eating contest presented by Condado Tacos Royal Oak. Contestants who manage to eat all three tacos completely, leaving no scraps of lettuce or cheese behind, will receive vouchers for food trucks at the festival and two VIP tickets to Soaring Eagle Arts, Beats & Eats 2025 concerts for the night of their choice.

The vibrant sounds of Mariachi Jalisco, one of Detroit’s most celebrated mariachi ensembles, will bring the heart of Mexico to the festival streets. With rich harmonies of trumpets, guitars and violins, these strolling performers will serenade guests throughout the festival footprint, creating an authentic and joyful atmosphere steeped in tradition, culture and spirited celebration.

The Motley Misfits, Michigan’s premier troupe of circus-style performance artists, return with an electrifying lineup designed to dazzle audiences of all ages.

Advance tickets for the Royal Oak Taco Fest are now available. The event’s hours are 4-11 p.m. Thursday, July 3; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday, July 4 and Saturday, July 5; and 11 a.m.- 8 p.m. Sunday, July 6. For more information and to purchase tickets in advance, visit RoyalOakTacoFest.com or call 248-541-7550.

The American Red Cross recently honored three Farmington Hills lifeguards who helped save the life of a co-worker who collapsed at work last year.

Fana Rombou, Amy Gunn-Gill and Vanessa Hersey-Tartt received the Lifesaving Award for Professional Responders at a ceremony held Thursday, June 26, at The Hawk, the city’s recreation and arts center.

When their co-worker showed signs of cardiac arrest, the lifeguards used CPR and an AED to help her regain consciousness before paramedics arrived, according to a release from the city.

The award, which includes a citation and lapel pin, is bestowed on professional responders like lifeguards, police, firefighters and health care workers.

The lifeguards came to the aid of Janet Dabish, a senior transportation dispatcher for the city, who collapsed at the city-run Costick Activities Center.

Dabish was at her desk last September, enjoying a few minutes of solitude, when she lost consciousness. Her colleagues in transportation services called 911 and went to get help from the lifeguards.

Rombou, who was nearby, rushed over to help. She helped move Dabish from her chair to the floor. Rombou found a pulse and noticed Dabish was extremely warm.

The co-worker who called 911 placed the phone next to Rombou, who then began performing

CPR using chest compressions and rescue breaths under the direction of the 911 dispatcher.

Her teammates, Gunn-Gill and Hersey-Tartt, then arrived with an AED. Dabish was shocked once, then Rombou and a Farmington Hills police officer who had arrived on scene rotated performing CPR.

Rombou and the police officer continued to perform CPR and gave Dabish a second shock from the AED. Dabish then regained consciousness and Farmington Hills paramedics transported her to a hospital.

“Fana, Amy and Vanessa, your lifesaving action exemplifies the mission of the Red Cross to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies. Thank you for your willingness to help Janet, who was in distress,” said Kelly King, regional chief executive officer of the Red Cross Michigan Region.

Rombou said every second counts in an emergency.

“This experience reminded me that in a crisis, being calm, prepared, and responsive can truly make the difference between life and loss. As a lifeguard and lifeguard instructor, I know the difference we make doesn’t stop at the water’s edge,” she said.

Dabish, who had a defibrillator and pacemaker implanted as a result of the incident and is doing well, praised the three lifeguards for their heroic actions. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for them,” she said.

The Red Cross has been creating courses and training people in first aid and CPR for more than 100 years. For more information, visit redcross.org/TakeAClass.

‘American’ foods are changing, but July 4 still revolves around the grill

Tesla vehicles removed from Farmington Hills parking lot after court order

 

Community activities

• KD2 presents The Talent Show for local teenagers, ages 13-19, with the opportunity to win prizes, (grand prize is $1,000). Call 248-269-3276 in advance to enter. The talent show is July 2, at Flagstar Strand Theatre, 12 N. Saginaw, Pontiac, doors at 5:30 p.m., show starts at 6 p.m., $10 admission, presented by A Father’s Presence, an organization to help fathers become better fathers and engage youth. For more information, call 248-269-3276.

• United Community Family Services-Chaldean American Ladies of Charity announced the completion of its new outdoor green space, the UC Oasis, located behind its building in Troy. Among other community programs, the UC Oasis will offer Summer Study Camp, aimed at ensuring academic momentum for local students. For more information, call 248-528-0130, https://ucfamilyservices.org.

• The Rochester Garden Club is hosting “Steeped in Beauty: Teas and Flower Arranging”, 1-3:30 p.m. July 15, in the Calf Barn at the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm. The event includes a presentation by Maryanne Munroe, owner of the Spice and Tea Exchange in downtown Rochester and a demonstration of flower arranging. The event includes tea and treats, and each participant will receive a vintage teacup to take home. Tickets are $50, and can be purchased through the Rochester Garden Club website at RochesterGardenClub.org.

• The City of Southfield to host Dangers of Synthetic Drugs Community Forum, 5:30-8:30 p.m. July 23 at the Southfield Pavilion, 26000 Evergreen Road, Southfield. Four local law enforcement leaders will participate in a forum to address the dangers of Synthetic Drugs and human trafficking. The community is invited to participate in this roundtable discussion. For more information, contact the Southfield Police Department at 248-796-5582, or visit www.cityofsouthfield.com.

Festivals

• Annual Cars Under the Stars Fireworks Spectacular is June 29 at M1 Concourse Arena and Trackside, 1 Concourse Drive, along Woodward Ave. Pontiac. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. activities include a DJ, food trucks and craft beer, interactive kids games, sponsor displays and fireworks at dusk. Ticket options start at $20 per person for general admission walk-in passes (parking not included) Arena or trackside vehicle spots with onsite parking start at $50 per vehicle, m1concourse.com/cars-under-the-stars-fireworks-spectacular, www.facebook.com/M1Concourse.

• Clawson 4th of July carnival is 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. July 3 and July 4, at Clawson City Park, 935 N Custer Ave, Clawson, $3 gate entrance, ride ticket prices vary, rides close at 9:45 p.m. July 4. Arts & Crafts Fair is 3-8 p.m. July 3 and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. July 4; live music is 3-8 p.m. July 3 and 2- 10 p.m. July 4, Firecracker Mile race and parade at 9 a.m. July 4, fireworks at 10 p.m. July 4 at Clawson City Park. Register for the race at https://clawson4thofjuly.com, www.facebook.com/cityofclawson.

• Royal Oak Taco Fest is July 3-6, (4-11 p.m. July 3; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. July 4-July 5; and 11 a.m.- 8 p.m. July 6) on the east side of Main Street between 11 Mile Road and 4th Street, centered around Centennial Commons and Royal Oak City Complex parking lots. Features taquerias, taco trucks, comedy icon Tommy Chong, more than 100 musical and entertainment acts across four stages, taco-eating contests, mechanical bull riding, lucha libre wrestling, mariachi, margaritas, tequila tastings and Kids’ Zone, RoyalOakTacoFest.com, 248-541-7550. Advance tickets are $10 or $12 at the gate.

• Oakland County Fair is July 11-20, carnival and fair, at Springfield Oaks County Park, 12451 Andersonville Road, Davisburg, 248-634-8830, oakfair.org, admission and ticket prices vary. Fireworks show is at 9:50 p.m. July 11, (following concert featuring Grant Reiff band at 8 p.m.) Fair parking, which includes admission, is $15/vehicle and $10/motorcycle or walk-in. Presenting sponsor Oakland County Parks offers free admission July 11 to the first 250 people who register and all military personnel who present a valid military ID, www.oakfair.org/events/2025/opening-dayarmed-forces-day. Free admission will also be provided for individuals with disabilities who register for the July 17 adaptive recreation day before July 10, online, oakfair.org. The fair opens at 9 a.m. daily, admission gate closes at 9 p.m. fair closes at 10 p.m. weekdays, 11 p.m. weekends.

Fundraisers/Volunteer opportunities

• Leader Dogs for the Blind seeks volunteer puppy raisers, able to spend a year helping a future Leader Dog learn the basics they’ll need before entering formal guide dog training. Puppies will begin arriving in early August, and new raisers must be approved and prepared in advance. This volunteer opportunity is open to individuals, couples, and families who can pick up a puppy from Leader Dog’s campus in Rochester Hills. Visit LeaderDog.org/Volunteer or call 888-777-5332 to learn more and apply.

• 8th Annual “Salute Our Warriors” benefit is 6-10 p.m. July 11, at the Danny Kassab Estate in Rochester Hills. The event is set to honor local military heroes, and raise critical funds for fallen and wounded soldiers. Entertainment includes a performance by “Slight Return”, with musical guest Derek St. Holmes, Ted Nugent’s guitar player and singer. Tickets and sponsorships are available at https://saluteourwarriors.us. Tickets for veterans are $50 each and $100/couple. General admission tickets are $150 each and $250/couple. Event parking is at Rochester Adams High School, 3200 W. Tienken Road in Rochester Hills, with shuttle service to the Danny Kassab estate.

• Corks & Caps fundraiser is 6 p.m. July 12, hosted by Metamora Golf & Country Club to benefit Seven Ponds Nature Center in Dryden. Event includes plated dinner with wine and craft beer included, cash bar, live auction, raffles, tickets are $125 per person, sponsorships available. Deadline to register is July 2, at sevenponds.org/corks-caps, or call Seven Ponds Nature Center at 810-796-3200, provide name, address, phone number, and names of guests for name tags, choice of entrée per guest (Filet of Beef & Shrimp, Honey Pecan Glazed Salmon or Wild Mushroom & Spinach Wellington-vegetarian) and credit card info.

• Menards home improvement stores are hosting charitable food drives, serving as drop sites for non-perishable food donations to benefit local food pantries. Donations can be dropped off in the large collection boxes near the exit doors at Menards locations, through the months of June and July. Oakland County locations include Bloomfield Hills, Orion Twp. and Wixom, menards.com.

• Kajy Law Firm, PLLC, in Southfield is collecting non-perishable food and monetary donations for Gleaners through July 18. Collection bins have been set up in the firm’s main lobby at 18000 W. Nine Mile Road in Southfield, https://877kajycares.com.

Golf outings

• Golf for Hope golf outing is July 12, at Hartland Glen Golf Course, 12400 Highland Road, Hartland, 8 a.m. registration, 9 a.m. shotgun start, 18 holes of golf with cart, buffet lunch, https://fivepointsofhope.com, $140 per golfer, $35 for lunch only, proceeds go to the Five Points of Hope Cancer Care Fund.

Library

• Rochester Hills Public Library presents “The Enchanted Season: The Detroit Tigers and the World Series” at 7 p.m. July 8, at the library. This event is open to the public. Registration is required, at calendar.rhpl.org or call 248-656-2900.

Parks/Outdoor activities

• The Community Sailing School hosts weekly sailing camps until Aug. 22, for ages 6-18 at Dodge Park No. 4, Cass Lake, Keego Harbor. For information, and to register, call Eric at 586-291-4802, https://communitysailingschool.org.

• Saturday Morning Yoga lesson is 9:30-10:15 a.m. July 5, at the Oakland County Farmers Market, 2350 Pontiac Lake Road in Waterford. The program is sponsored by Studio 8 Fitness, Healthy Oakland Partnership and the Oakland County Farmers Market, and will be held the first Saturday of the month through September. Tai Chi is also offered following Saturday morning yoga from 10:30-11:15 a.m.

• WhoaZone inflatable on-water play structure and other lake activities at Heron Beach at Holly Recreation Area state park, 5005 McGinnis Road, Holly. Ticket prices vary for WhoaZone and must be at least 45″ tall, https://whoa.zone/holly. A state park recreation passport is required for entry to the park, https://whoa.zone/holly/#zone.

• Oakland County Parks and Recreation offers free admission. General park entry fees and vehicle permits have been eliminated for all parks operated by Oakland County Parks, www.oakgov.com/community/oakland-county-parks.

• The Metroparks Trail Challenge is open through Oct. 31. Registration is $35, includes a custom tumbler and trail passport. Visit designated Challenge Trails across all 13 Metroparks. Take a selfie at each trail’s Challenge Kiosk and upload it to the leaderboard to collect your badge, and you’ll get a 2026 Annual Vehicle Pass. Register your dog for $10 and receive a custom Trail Challenge dog tag. www.metroparks.com/trailchallenge.

• Michigan State Parks and Recreation Areas, michigan.gov/dnr. Park entrance fees apply.

Support resources

• For access to local community services, dial 211 (844-875-9211) or text zip code to 898211, for information and referrals to physical and mental health resources; housing, utility, food, and employment assistance; and suicide and crisis interventions, United Way, https://unitedwaysem.org/get-help.

• The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7 confidential support for people who are suicidal or in emotional distress, or who know someone who is. Calls and text messages to 988 route to a 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline call center, www.fcc.gov/988Lifeline.

• National Domestic Violence Hotline, 800-799-7233, available 24/7.

• Common Ground’s Resource & Crisis Helpline is available 24/7 – call or text 800-231-1127.

• Veterans Crisis Line, dial 988 and then press 1 to connect to the Veterans Crisis Lifeline. For texts, veterans should text the Veterans Crisis Lifeline short code: 838255.

To submit a community event, email the information to Kathy Blake at kblake@medianewsgroup.com.

Nancy Forster-Holt

(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Nancy Forster-Holt, University of Rhode Island

(THE CONVERSATION) Americans love small businesses. We dedicate a week each year to applauding them, and spend Small Business Saturday shopping locally. Yet hiding in plain sight is an enormous challenge facing small business owners as they age: retiring with dignity and foresight. The current economic climate is making this even more difficult.

As a professor who studies aging and business, I’ve long viewed small business owners’ retirement challenges as a looming crisis. The issue is now front and center for millions of entrepreneurs approaching retirement. Small enterprises make up more than half of all privately held U.S. companies, and for many of their owners, the business is their retirement plan.

But while owners often hope to finance their golden years by selling their companies, only 20% of small businesses are ready for sale even in good times, according to the Exit Planning Institute. And right now, conditions are far from ideal. An economic stew of inflation, supply chain instability and high borrowing costs means that interest from potential buyers is cooling.

For many business owners, retirement isn’t a distant concern. In the U.S., baby boomers – who are currently 61 to 79 years old – own about 2.3 million businesses. Altogether, they generate about US$5 billion in revenue and employ almost 25 million people. These entrepreneurs have spent decades building businesses that often are deeply rooted in their communities. They don’t have time to ride out economic chaos, and their optimism is at a 50-year low.

New policies, new challenges

You can’t blame them for being gloomy. Recent policy shifts have only made life harder for business owners nearing retirement. Trade instability, whipsawing tariff announcements and disrupted supply chains have eroded already thin margins. Some businesses – generally larger ones with more negotiating power – are absorbing extra costs rather than passing them on to shoppers. Others have no choice but to raise prices, to customers’ dismay. Inflation has further squeezed profits.

At the same time, with a few notableexceptions, buyers and capital have grown scarce. Acquirers and liquidity have dried up across many sectors. The secondary market – a barometer of broader investor appetite – now sees more sellers than buyers. These are textbook symptoms of a “flight to safety,” a market shift that drags out sale timelines and depresses valuations – all while Main Street business owners age out. These entrepreneurs typically have one shot at retirement – if any.

Adding to these woes, many small businesses are part of what economists call regional “clusters,” providing services to nearby universities, hospitals and local governments. When those anchor institutions face budget cuts – as is happening now – small business vendors are often the first to feel the impact.

Research shows that many aging owners actually double down in weak economic times, sinking increasing amounts of time and money in a psychological pattern known as “escalating commitment.” The result is a troubling phenomenon scholars refer to as “benign entrapment.” Aging entrepreneurs can remain attached to their businesses not because they want to, but because they see no viable exit.

This growing crisis isn’t about bad personal planning — it’s a systemic failure.

Rewriting the playbook on small business policy

A key mistake that policymakers make is to lump all small business owners together into one group. That causes them to overlook important differences. After all, a 68-year-old carpenter trying to retire doesn’t have much in common with a 28-year-old tech founder pitching a startup. Policymakers may cheer for high-growth “unicorns,” but they often overlook the “cows and horses” that keep local economies running.

Even among older business owners, circumstances vary based on local conditions. Two retiring carpenters in different towns may face vastly different prospects based on the strength of their local economies. No business, and no business owner, exists in a vacuum.

Relatedly, when small businesses fail to transition, it can have consequences for the local economy. Without a buyer, many enterprises will simply shut down. And while closures can be long-planned and thoughtful, when a business closes suddenly, it’s not just the owner who loses. Employees are left scrambling for work. Suppliers lose contracts. Communities lose essential services.

Four ways to help aging entrepreneurs

That’s why I think policymakers should reimagine how they support small businesses, especially owners nearing the end of their careers.

First, small business policy should be tailored to age. A retirement-ready business shouldn’t be judged solely by its growth potential. Rather, policies should recognize stability and community value as markers of success. The U.S. Small Business Administration and regional agencies can provide resources specifically for retirement planning that starts early in a business’s life, to include how to increase the value of the business and a plan to attract acquirers in later stages.

Second, exit infrastructure should be built into local entrepreneurial ecosystems. Entrepreneurial ecosystems are built to support business entry – think incubators and accelerators – but not for exit. In other words, just like there are accelerators for launching businesses, there should be programs to support winding them down. These could include confidential peer forums, retirement-readiness clinics, succession matchmaking platforms and flexible financing options for acquisition.

Third, chaos isn’t good for anybody. Fluctuations in capital gains taxes, estate tax thresholds and tariffs make planning difficult and reduce business value in the eyes of potential buyers. Stability encourages confidence on both sides of a transaction.

And finally, policymakers should include ripple-effect analysis in budget decisions. When universities, hospitals or governments cut spending, small business vendors often absorb much of the shock. Policymakers should account for these downstream impacts when shaping local and federal budgets.

If we want to truly support small businesses and their owners, it’s important to honor the lifetime arc of entrepreneurship – not just the launch and growth, but the retirement, too.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/no-country-for-old-business-owners-economic-shifts-create-a-growing-challenge-for-americas-aging-entrepreneurs-254537.

Elizabeth Bettini

(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Elizabeth Bettini, Boston University; LaRon A. Scott, University of Virginia, and Tuan D. Nguyen, University of Missouri-Columbia

(THE CONVERSATION) Teachers of color positively impact all students, including students of color with disabilities. Yet, the special education teacher workforce is overwhelmingly white.

In our recent research, we found that special education teacher demographics are not keeping pace with changes in the student population.

In 2012, about 80% of U.S. public school teachers were white, including about 80% of special education teachers, while less than 20% were teachers of color. By contrast, in the same year, students of color constituted 47% of those diagnosed with disabilities.

In our recent study, we examined whether these numbers have changed. Analyzing multiple national datasets on the teacher workforce, we found the proportion of special education teachers of color has been static, even as the student population is rapidly becoming more diverse.

So, the special education teacher workforce is actually becoming less representative of the student population over time. Specifically, in 2012, 16.5% of special education teachers were people of color, compared with 17.1% in 2021. In that same span, the share of students with disabilities who are students of color rose from 47.3% in 2012 to 53.9% in 2021.

In fact, for the special education teacher workforce to become representative of the student population, U.S. schools would need to triple the number of special education teachers of color.

As scholars who studyteacher recruitment and retention and teacher working conditions, we are concerned that this disparity will affect the quality of education students receive.

Why does a diverse teacher workforce matter?

For children of color, the research is clear: Teachers of color are, on average, more effective than white teachers in providing positive educational experiences and outcomes for students of color, including students of color with disabilities.

One study found that low-income Black male students who had one Black teacher in third, fourth or fifth grade were 39% less likely to drop out of high school and 29% more likely to enroll in college.

Moreover, teachers of color are just as effective as white teachers – and sometimes more effective – in teaching white students.

Providing pathways

The U.S. has institutions dedicated to attracting and retaining educators of color: Programs at historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions and other minority-serving institutions prepare a substantial number of new teachers of color annually.

Further, many local initiatives support educators of color and attract teachers who might not otherwise have opportunities to join the profession.

These include: Grow Your Own programs that recruit effective teachers of color from local communities, teacher residency programs that help schools retain teachers of color, andscholarships and loan forgiveness programs that support all teachers, including teachers of color.

However, the U.S. educator workforce faces broad challenges with declining interest in the teaching profession and declining enrollment in teacher preparation programs. In this context, our findings indicate that without significant investments, the teacher workforce is likely to remain predominately white – at significant cost to students with disabilities.

Anti-DEI movement cuts funding

While there have been long-standing challenges, recent steps taken by the Trump administration could limit efforts to boost teacher diversity.

In its push to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs, the administration has cut grant funding for programs designed to develop a diverse educator workforce.

The administration has also cut millions of dollars dedicated to training teachers to work in underfunded, high-poverty schools and has threatened additional funding cuts to universities engaging in equity-based work.

These federal actions make the teacher workforce less adept at addressing the substantial challenges facing U.S. schools, such as declining interest in the teaching profession and and persistent racial disparities in student outcomes.

Given the strong evidence of the benefits of teachers of color and the national trends that our research uncovered, federal and state investments should prioritize supporting prospective teachers of color.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/diversifying-the-special-education-teacher-workforce-could-benefit-us-schools-254916.

By The Detroit News

A 12-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with a series of auto thefts from a Pontiac business.

The boy entered numerous vehicles in the business’ parking lot and was carrying a license plate when he was apprehended, a release from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office said.

Through their investigation, detectives learned the boy had taken three or four vehicles over the past month, selling at least one of them for $30, the release said.

“This young man is on a very bad path, attempting to live his own grand theft auto,” Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said in the release Saturday. “Hopefully intervention by the courts will send him on a better life path as well as stopping the constant theft from this business.”

The boy is being held in Oakland County Children’s Village. The case remains under investigation.

An Oakland County neurologist is accused of trading medical care for sex with at least one trafficking victim.

Prosecutor Karen McDonald has charged Dr. Gireesh Velugubanti, a 49-year-old Royal Oak man, with human trafficking and drug charges.

An ongoing investigation by the county’s Human Trafficking Task Force identified Velugubanti as a possible customer of an alleged trafficking ring at the Sonesta Simply Suites hotel in the area of I-696 and Lahser Road in Southfield.

McDonald’s office has charged three other people – Antoine Fulgiam, Chanel Rackard, and Sherri Gress, in connection with the alleged ring at the hotel.

Text messages between Velugubanti and Fulgiam allegedly show the doctor arranging commercial sex with trafficking victims and purchasing drugs, according to a release from McDonald.

Text messages reveal that Velugubanti was unhappy with one of the trafficked sex workers and apparently asked Fulgiam to warn her that her “free medical care” may come to an end.

“Purchasing sex with trafficked women isn’t a victimless crime. It is abuse,” McDonald said. “This defendant and men like him, often living comfortable lives, prey on victims who have been denied personal agency or freedom by traffickers. Sex trafficking only exists because so-called ‘customers’ create an economic incentive. They will be held accountable.

“This defendant’s alleged behavior is especially shocking,” McDonald said. “According to police investigations, he effectively ransomed health care in order to exploit one or more victims. The first rule of the medical profession is to ‘do no harm.’ There are few things a doctor can do more harmful than to allegedly expect sex as a condition for care.”

Velugubanti is charged with Human Trafficking Enterprise Resulting In Injury/Commercial Sexual Activity, a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison and/or a $15,000 fine, and Conspiracy To Deliver A Controlled Substance Less Than 50 Grams, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and/or a $25,000 fine.

He will be arraigned in the 46th District Court in Southfield.

Velugubanti is a practicing neurologist. McDonald’s office is not aware of any affiliations with area hospital systems, the release said.

Prosecutors are working with law enforcement to learn if any patients were impacted or need to be informed.

Southfield woman 1st hotel worker to be charged with trafficking

Man charged with forcing woman to perform sex acts in Southfield hotel, held on $3 million bond

By Melissa Nann Burke, The Detroit News

Michigan Democratic U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin on Thursday laid out an economic “war plan,” declaring the country’s shrinking middle class an existential threat to U.S. national security and calling on her party to go on the offense and “ruthlessly” focus on the economy.

In a speech in Washington billed as an alternative vision for the country’s future, the former Pentagon official and CIA officer urged her party to “face up” to what’s not working, change course and pursue “an economy that works for everyone.”

“Michigan is … a place where people feel like it’s harder and harder to get in and stay in the middle class. … This is the thing that many Democrats have, quite frankly, lost touch with. When you can’t provide for your kids, you feel anger, you feel shame, you lose your dignity, and you look for something or someone to blame,” the Holly Democrat said Thursday.

“That anger, that suspicion among Americans, that right there is what I mean by an existential threat. Because in a multi-racial, multi-ethnic democracy like ours, when people don’t feel like they can get ahead, when the system is rigged against them, they start blaming people who don’t look like them or who sound different, or who pray different. It’s how we begin to tear each other apart from the inside.”

Slotkin blamed “broken” government systems, failures by both parties and politicians distracted by special interests, their own reelections and niche issues ― compounded by “bitter fighting” daily between Democrats and Republicans.

Things aren’t “off” because Americans have stopped working hard, but because the government hasn’t lived up to its responsibility to set the conditions for success, Slotkin said.

“To me, those fundamentals are the following: Jobs that pay enough to save every month. Schools that prepare our kids for those jobs. A home you can call your own. Safety and security from fear. Energy to power our lives, and an environment to pass on to our kids. Health care you can actually afford,” Slotkin said.

“This economic war plan aims not just to ‘fix’ these systems or nibble at them around the margins ― but to rebuild them. And, as Democrat, if we have to slaughter some sacred cows to do it, then so be it.”

The three-term congresswoman was elected to the U.S. Senate last fall on the same ballot as President Donald Trump, a Republican, in battleground Michigan by nearly 2 percentage points.

Her speech on Thursday echoed themes of economic security from her winning campaign and from her high-profile rebuttal to Trump’s joint address to Congress on behalf of her party in March. Slotkin plans two other speeches later in the year ― one on security and another on democracy, she said.

Her remarks Thursday come as the Democratic Party debates its direction after taking a beating in the 2024 election and casts about for leaders. In a series of appearances this spring, Slotkin has had some “tough love” messages for her party, advising them to drop identity politics, stand up with a “muscular” defense to Trump’s actions and to unite behind a strategic plan in response to him.

Her choice of venue Thursday was notable for its intended audience: The Center for American Progress is a think tank in the heart of both downtown D.C. and the Democratic establishment, founded in 2003 as a progressive alternative to the conservative Heritage Foundation. Many of its staff have been influential thinkers or policymakers in both the Obama and Biden administrations.

“I wanted to come here, frankly, because we haven’t agreed on every single issue in the past,” Slotkin said.

Her remarks Thursday were followed by a conversation on stage with Neera Tanden, CEO of the Center for American Progress, who served as director of the White House Domestic Policy Council under President Joe Biden.

Slotkin told Tanden that Democrats have lost some of their “alpha energy” ― what she described as football coach “bravado”: “Sometimes people are not looking for a 13-page policy treatise on the website, but for you to show some fight,” she said, pounding her fist.

She suggested their alpha energy is partly why she and Trump both won Michigan on the same ballot.

Slotkin has described her “war plan” as a road map for not only going on “offense” to contain and defeat Trump and Republicans who control majorities in Congress but to detail what Democrats would do if they had control of the levers of power in Washington.

“No team in history ― on the field or in Washington, D.C. ― ever won a damn game without going on the offense,” she said. “We need to offer a different vision and demonstrate an affirmative, positive plan for the country.”

Since her election to Congress in 2018, Slotkin has cultivated a centrist brand, and she’s not shied from separating herself from the progressive wing of her party. In Thursday’s remarks, she contended that the shrinking middle class is a “core issue” that unites moderates, progressives “and everything in between.”

Some of her policy prescriptions would sound familiar to anyone who has followed her campaigns and policy proposals in recent years: Bringing home critical supply chains from overseas, an “all-of-the-above” approach to energy needs, the option of a nationwide public insurance plan and allowing Medicare to negotiate the price of prescription drugs.

 

Slotkin also repeats some long-sought reforms for Congress that she says would regain the public’s trust, like banning candidates from taking corporate political action committee money and barring lawmakers from trading stocks and cryptocurrencies so they aren’t “personally profiting from their access.”

But she also pitched newer ideas like banning cellphones in K-12 classrooms and declaring a housing emergency to spur the construction of 4 million homes to catch up with demand. “The single biggest thing holding us back is overlapping and outdated housing regulations,” she said.

The freshman senator has also called for “slaughtering” some of the Democrats’ sacred cows, targeting the party’s approach to climate change and regulation, saying she’s open to peeling back some environmental permitting rules that can drag out the approval process for major job-creating projects.

“The way some Democrats approach climate change is elitist. You’re either with us or against us,” Slotkin said. “People get that extreme weather is a pocketbook issue. Let’s start from there and try and bring as many Americans into the cause as we can.”

She also wants to take “a stick of dynamite” to the federal workforce training programs to blow them up, noting they’re found across 40 different programs in 14 different agencies. “We have to align all those programs around one goal, training and retraining people for a future economy,” Slotkin said.

In the speech, Slotkin said Congress needs to abandon the talking point of “comprehensive” immigration reform, blaming both parties for rejecting immigration deals for 20 years because they preferred to use the issue for political ammo or the bill wasn’t “perfect.” Incremental reforms are OK, including boosting the caps for every visa category, she said.

“Both parties have been a mess on this issue,” Slotkin said. “I will work with any adults I can find who are actually interested in making some kind of progress on immigration.”

She defended unions but challenged her party to quit “vilifying” corporate CEOs and others who employ a lot of people because it makes too many voters think the party is anti-business.

“Yes, we want everyone in America, including the president of the United States, to play by the same set of rules. Yes, we need a fair tax code to ensure all Americans are paying their fair share,” she said. “No matter who you are or where you come from, Black, White, Latino, first-generation, we want you to make as much money as possible.”

But the government shouldn’t give tax breaks to big companies and then have to pay again to keep their employees from going hungry, Slotkin asserted. Those companies should lose eligibility for tax incentives, she said.

“That’s double-dipping — it makes the taxpayer pay twice for corporate greed. And it’s got to stop,” she said.

Holly High School students put their child development program skills to use for a creative interactive lesson with kindergarten students at Rose Pioneer Elementary.

Miranda Barth, the high school’s child development teacher, teamed up with Rose Pioneer teachers Kristie Brown and Tonya Edwards for a lesson during which students colored pictures of monsters they imagined after reading the book “I Need My Monster,” by Amanda Noll.

Kindergartners answered prompts to describe their monster’s personality, then the pictures were then sent to Barth’s child development students, who created stuffed animals based on the drawings.

The high school students visited the kindergarteners in May to deliver the stuffed animal monsters and read to them. The teachers provided copies of “I Need My Monster” for each student to take home.

“It was truly inspiring to witness my students put what they learned in class into practice interacting with the younger students,” said Barth. “This fun and engaging activity provided my students insights into child development careers and our Broncho kindergarteners a chance to see their budding imaginations brought to life.”

“I’d like to congratulate Miranda, Kristie and Tonya for organizing this innovative activity for our students to put what they learn in school into real-world action,” said Superintendent Scott Roper. “We look forward to providing more unique opportunities that help prepare our Bronchos for success and careers while still in our hallways.”

Oakland County announced the winners of its first Juneteenth Art and Essay Contest, recognizing student creativity and reflection on the theme, “Juneteenth: What does Freedom and Equality mean to me?”

The contest commemorates the anniversary of June 19, 1865, when enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, were informed of their freedom, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation ended slavery in the United States.

Community leaders, residents and students joined together for a festival featuring live music, food trucks, speakers, games and the raising of the Juneteenth flag under the theme “Stronger Together: Celebrating Freedom and Community.”

“This celebration reflects Oakland County’s deep commitment to inclusion, belonging and a future where every resident is valued and welcome,” said Dave Coulter, Oakland County’s executive. “The insight and heart in these student essays and artworks are powerful and inspiring.”

The 2025 winners include:

ARTWORK

Grades K–3: Derek Flores – Blanche Sims Elementary School in Lake Orion
Grades 4–7: Sangamitra Sivachandran Narmadha – Martell Elementary School in Troy
Grades 8–12: Zuri Earth – Cass Technical High School in Detroit and Oakland County resident
Post-Secondary Vocational: Taylor A. Buens – Jardon Vocational School in Ferndale

ESSAYS

Grades K–3: Shiv Lohia – Brookfield Academy in Troy, who compared fairness to cookie-sharing and equality to an egg experiment in school. He wrote, “If there is freedom and equality everywhere, there’ll be no more wars. Everyone will be happy and that’s the kind of world that will be beautiful and peaceful.”

Grades 4–7: Kairav Joshi – West Bloomfield Middle School, who highlighted the power of young voices in building a more inclusive and respectful society. “Freedom lets me be myself… Equality makes sure no one is left behind,” he wrote.

Grades 8–12: Ella Bunao – Athens High School in Troy, who explored the significance of Juneteenth and how freedom and equality must be actively pursued. She wrote, “Freedom means being able to live your life without fear, to speak your mind, and to make your own choices. Equality means that everyone, no matter their skin color, background, or beliefs, should be treated with the same respect and given the same opportunities.

Winners received a $150 gift card.

The case against a Detroit felon accused of fatally shooting two men over a dice game in Pontiac last fall has advanced to Oakland County Circuit Court for possible trial.

At the conclusion of a preliminary exam Monday in 50th District Court, the judge ruled there was probable cause for the charges against Davonte Demetri Franklin to proceed to the higher court.

Franklin, 33, is held without bond in the Oakland County Jail, charged with two counts of first-degree homicide for the deaths of Sidney Ward III, 20, of Highland Park, and Tyrone Davis Glenn Jr., 24, of Pontiac.

The fatal shootings happened Oct. 8, 2024 in an apartment on North Sanford Street near Fiddis Avenue, according to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.

Evidence from the scene indicated Franklin used a potato in an attempt to muffle the sounds of the gunshots, but witnesses reported hearing the shootings, the sheriff’s office said.

Investigators allege Franklin shot the two because he was angry from losing $80 in a dice game.

Franklin is also charged with felon in possession of a firearm and three counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony.

Arraignment is scheduled for June 30 before Judge Kwame Rowe.

Waterford man dead after being hit by van driven by 81 year old

Police: Birmingham man stabbed, kicked home’s front door in attempted break-in

With help from a $2.5 million from Oakland County’s housing trust fund, a new 72-unit multifamily housing development has opened in Pontiac.

Westwood South Apartments, 837 Golf Drive in Pontiac, have two complete buildings already at capacity and a third under construction.

Frank Bell, a U.S. Navy veteran and Pontiac native, lived in Lincoln Park until he had the opportunity to rent a Westwood apartment with help from the federal Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program. He uses a wheelchair after losing his legs to disease. He praised the developers for their humanistic treatment.

Humane treatment, he said, “is about peace, quiet and tranquility that’s what I have here.”

At Monday’s ribbon cutting, County Executive Dave Coulter said good quality, safe housing is essential for Oakland County residents of all income brackets, adding “healthy communities start with good neighborhoods.”

The county commission created the county’s housing trust fund with $20 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds. Coulter said that sounds like a lot of money, but it has all been committed. County officials are now working on ways to keep the fund going.

Coulter said grants made to developers will be repaid over time. Deputy County Executive Madiha Tariq said the commission has committed $2 million annually but she is also looking for donations to create a robust revolving fund.

The trust fund helps existing developers by providing funding with a requirement to include affordable housing units.

Bill Chalmers, Westwood Apartment Communities’ managing partner, said the county’s $2.5 grant was essential to finishing the contract, because inflation has increased costs.

He said 60% of people renting Westwood units work for United Wholesale Mortgage, less than three miles away. Three residents are from India – in one case a man came to the U.S. to work at Trinity Health and was thrilled to find a home close to work, he said.

The one- and two-bedroom units range from 660 square feet to 1,025 square feet with one or two bathrooms. The units have washer-dryer hook-ups, air conditioning, a dishwasher and microwave. Rent ranges from $1,150 to $1,450 with federal housing vouchers for up to six units in each of the three buildings.

Chalmers described Westwood as diverse in every possible way: Income, age, race, gender and sexual orientation.

The apartments are just south of the Links at Crystal Lake, a golf course on the edge of the lake, and less than two miles from Bowens senior center and across a parking lot from a Montessori school.

It is across the parking lot from the office for Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, a Medicare and Medicaid program that serves Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties.

Chalmers said construction included adding 12 overnight beds for PACE.

Chalmers praised Vern Gustafsson, Pontiac’s former planning manager and now the project director and planner at the Pontiac Housing Commission, for shepherding the project through the city’s planning and zoning process.

Deborah Younger, the city’s economic development manager, told Chalmers about the county’s grant program and Councilwoman Melanie Rutherford was “a big champion” of the project even before she was elected to the city council, Chalmers said.

“One apartment, one home at a time,” said Rutherford, who is on the housing commission’s board of directors. “I’m so proud to be a part of this.”

The apartments are on the abandoned site of a former Baptist College. The project included gutting and renovating what had been dorm rooms for the college students, Chalmers said.

The first two buildings have reached capacity, he said. He expects a third building will fill up quickly after it is finished in September.

A 37-year-old Birmingham man accused of trying to break into a home by stabbing and kicking its front door is facing a charge of attempted home invasion.

According to the Bloomfield Township Police Department, officers arrested Peter Chan-Woong Chung on the porch of the home near Quarton and Lahser roads shortly before 2 a.m on June 21. A resident had called 911 to report a man dressed all in black was trying to break into the front door and was stabbing the door with a knife and trying to kick it in, police said.

Chung was under the influence of alcohol at the time, police said, and it doesn’t appear that he knows the residents.

The knife Chung allegedly used was found on a window ledge near the front door, police said. Damage to the door exceeded $1,000, police said.

At Chung’s arraignment, bond was set at $25,000 with a 10% provision — which allowed him to be released from custody after posting $2,500. His next court appearance is scheduled for July 3.

Waterford man dead after being hit by van driven by 81 year old

 

 

A 44-year-old Detroit man was shot and killed and three others wounded during a party at a Royal Oak Township park early Sunday morning, according to Michigan State Police.

Troopers from the Metro Detroit Post said the shooting was reported at 1:45 a.m., Sunday, June 22.

In a post on the social media platform X, state police said no arrests have been made and no motives have been determined. Detectives were gathering evidence and conducting interviews on Sunday.

State police were alerted to the shooting from an open 911 call during which the dispatcher could hear banging sounds and screaming in the background. Additional 911 calls were received about a shooting at the park

When troopers arrived, they found the 44-year-old with a gunshot would to his head. They administered first aid and the victim was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

There was a large crowd in the park from a party. Initially, they were not cooperative in leaving the crime scene, police said.

During the investigation, police learned of three additional victims being treated for gunshot wounds at three different local hospitals. They have been identified as a 33-year-old male from Detroit, a 15-year-old from Macomb and a 19-year-old from Detroit. The gender of the teens was not provided by police.

According to its website, there are three parks in the township: Civic Center Park, located between Ithaca and Majestic avenues; Mack-Rowe Park, located between Reimanville Avenue and Bethlawn Boulevard, and Grant Park, located off Cloverdale Avenue between Garden Lane and Westview Avenue. It’s not clear from the X post in which park the shooting occurred.

Troopers from Metro North, Metro South, and officers from Oak Park arrived and assisted with securing the scene.

By Owen McCarthy, The Detroit News

Geopolitics haven’t historically complicated annual fireworks shows, including the marquee extravaganza over the Detroit River scheduled for Monday — but that could be changing.

Many of the show’s viewers watch from the Detroit River’s south bank in Canada, a country where many have been offended by President Donald Trump’s musings about making it the 51st U.S. state. And nearly all fireworks in the United States are imported from China, Trump’s biggest adversary in his global trade war.

The trans-Pacific tension appears to be affecting the festivities already: Zambelli, the Pennsylvania-based company that supplies and sets up the Ford Fireworks display, said it ate higher production costs this year rather than pass them on to the Detroit-based Parade Company, which hosts the event, and Ford Motor Co., the event’s lead sponsor.

And Zambelli is warning that tariff “volatility” — a concern voiced by many economists and business leaders — could threaten the fireworks industry’s ability to meet the high demand it is likely to face for Fourth of July 2026, marking the United States’ 250th anniversary.

Whether Trump’s rhetoric around Canada will have much impact on the event — which, in past years, was billed as a celebration of the countries’ close ties — is still unclear. But Windsor restaurant manager Brad Dunlop of Jose’s Bar and Grill said he thinks a tariff-induced slowdown in manufacturing there might actually free up more Canadians than in past years to watch the fireworks.

And like any other year, the company putting on Monday night’s show said the national anthem, “O Canada,” will be sung, and the nation’s maple leaf flag will be flown from a helicopter.

“It’s not our position to make political statements and things like that,” said Tony Michaels, the president and CEO of the Parade Company, adding: “I hope our neighbors enjoy the show.”

Impact on costs, supply

Julie Heckman, executive director of the American Pyrotechnics Association, said that costs for this year’s Fourth of July celebrations will be virtually the same as last year’s because fireworks companies can still rely on inventory they had shipped from China before Trump’s tariffs went into effect. That bodes well for upcoming fireworks displays across Metro Detroit.

It’s next year — when communities will want to go all out with their fireworks for the nation’s 250th birthday — that worries Heckman. That’s a central reason her association is calling on the Trump administration to grant a tariff exemption for fireworks similar to the one it approved in 2019.

“We support America First policies,” Heckman said. “Our base probably supported the current president. It’s not political for us, we’re just trying to make the case for ‘you understand our unique reliance on China, and we should be exempt again.'”

According to the APA, 99% of the world’s consumer fireworks and 90% of its professional display fireworks come from China.

Zambelli, which supplies pyrotechnics for Ford Fireworks and is a member of the APA, said that it has already seen cost challenges this year, and is also hoping for a tariff exemption: “Unlike other industries, we cannot shift sourcing quickly or renegotiate pricing within our tight seasonal windows,” the company said in a statement to The Detroit News. “Looking ahead to 2026 and the nation’s 250th anniversary, stability in trade policy will be essential.”

Zambelli President Michael Hartman said in a separate statement that this year his company absorbed higher production costs for the Ford Fireworks display rather than pass them on to Parade Company. He said that to produce the same quality of show in 2026 as it’s putting on this year, Zambelli would need to see increased contributions for the fireworks display from the “good people” at the Parade Company and its sponsors.

Michaels, the president and CEO of the Parade Company, said that while his company negotiated with Zambelli to pay the same for the fireworks display this year as it did last, the firm would consider paying more next year if necessary.

“We at the Parade Company, like every other company, negotiates their price. It’s good business” Michaels said. “So absolutely, if (Zambelli’s) price goes up next year, we will take a look at it, see where it’s at, and then we make decisions from there, just like any other well-run business.”

Trump’s frequently fluctuating tariff policies have hampered the fireworks industry’s ability to plan business decisions for the future and have already strained supply, according to the APA and Zambelli. Those concerns closely mirror those expressed by industries across the economy amid on-again, off-again tariffs.

Trump’s 125% tariff on Chinese imports in early April took effect during peak shipping season for the fireworks industry, Heckman said. That led large sectors of the industry to cancel orders, figuring that they had enough inventory for the Fourth of July and couldn’t afford the tariffed shipments anyway.

Michigan Fireworks Co. in South Lyon was one such company: “We could not take something that was 50 bucks and sell it to someone for $125,” said Eric Konopka, the store’s owner. “Good conscience wouldn’t let us do that. It wasn’t worth it.”

Canceled shipments were then left in Chinese factories, which Heckman said had a compounding effect. Fireworks production facilities have to be extra cautious not to overcrowd their space, given the explosiveness of what they’re producing, so most factories halted their production at that point: “We lost a couple months of critical manufacturing time.”

That will mean limited fireworks supplies, which will compound once more with the 30% tariff currently on Chinese imports — a trend Heckman called “unsustainable.” And that’s not to mention the possibility that the rate will revert back to triple-digits when Trump’s 90-day pause on higher Chinese tariffs expires in early July.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty right now, which is making it very difficult for these small, multi-generational family businesses, including Zambelli, to make business decisions,” she said, referencing the Pennsylvania-based company that supplies and sets up the annual pyrotechnics in Detroit.

Konopka, the owner of the fireworks store in South Lyon, said prices for the “bigger stuff” in his shop are largely the same as last year because he’s relying on inventory ordered last July and shipped to the United States in January, before tariffs went into effect.

Still, Konopka said he recently “allowed one container to come in for some little stuff,” gesturing toward a rack of sparklers and small fireworks, when the tariff rate was at 30%. Prices on those goods have risen by about $1, he said.

“If you’re in our store from this year to last year, 95% of the stuff is exactly the same price,” he said.

However, Konopka said the fireworks “tents,” commonly set up outside of grocery stores, and other fireworks retailers that weren’t able to stock up before tariffs went into effect will inevitably be hurt as they look toward New Year’s and next summer.

“You will see significant firework shortages at the end of this year,” he said.

Konopka, who works as a financial adviser, owns the fireworks store as a “hobby” with his wife Jessica, a nurse. Though Trump’s tariffs will make his job in the fireworks industry “difficult,” he said tariffs are a necessary tool to motivate countries to strike more balanced trade agreements with the United States.

Feet away sat a box of “Make America Great Again” fireworks, with an AI-rendered Trump celebrating in front of the White House, red and yellow fireworks lighting up the skies.

New questions over U.S.-Canada relations

In times past, the fireworks over the Detroit River have been expressly billed as a celebration of neighborly appreciation between the United States and Canada. Established in 1959, the Detroit-Windsor International Freedom Festival ran for decades as a days-long celebration in late June and early July, according to the Detroit Historical Society. They commemorated both Canada Day on July 1, and Independence Day on July 4.

Then in 2007, the festivities were separated into two autonomously operated events. But the fireworks display — which has been sponsored by American companies Hudson’s, Target Corp. and now Ford Motor Co. — has maintained its Canadian appreciation. A helicopter flies a Canadian flag overhead, and the event kicks off with both countries’ national anthems.

This year’s Ford Fireworks, though, come at a time of unprecedented tension between the United States and Canada. Trump’s tariffs have hurt the country’s economy, and his flirtations with annexation have angered many of the famously friendly Canadians, with some even booing the U.S. national anthem at NHL games.

That presidential static is slowing Canadians’ travel to the United States this summer, according to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The number of people crossing into Michigan from Canada fell 13% in April and 16% in May.

Nevertheless, Brad Dunlop, the manager of Jose’s Bar and Grill in Windsor, said he thinks Windsorites will have no problem staying in Canada and “spending the money in our own country” to watch the fireworks, where the view is better anyway.

“We have the bigger waterfront,” he said.

Dunlop said the “Trump ordeal” has frustrated plenty of Canadians and caused them not to travel to the United States, but that he thinks attendance in Windsor for the fireworks will be the same as always, if not even higher this year. He attributes that to the tariff-induced slowdown in manufacturing in Windsor, which he said could free up more people’s schedules.

And, given the cost-effectiveness of watching fireworks amid Canada’s economic woes, Dunlop said he thinks people in Windsor will be especially motivated to attend the festivities.

“With the economy the way it is, especially in Windsor with manufacturing — it’s a free show,” he said. “I think you’re going to see families go down because it’s something you can do for free.”

By Melissa Nann Burke, The Detroit News

Michigan hospitals would take an estimated hit of more than $1 billion a year if a Medicaid cut proposed in the Republican-led U.S. Senate this week were to become law, according to the industry group that represents them.

Hospitals across Michigan already operate on average with a negative margin, and some ― especially rural facilities with higher shares of low-income patients on Medicaid ― are likely to reduce services and staff or even shut their doors under the proposal, according to the Michigan Health & Hospital Association.

“What’s in the Senate version, I want to be very clear, is specifically cutting Medicaid. It’s not addressing waste, fraud and abuse,” said Laura Appel, MHA’s executive vice president for government relations and public policy, in a dig at Republicans’ messaging on Medicaid reforms.

“It’s cutting the funding that Michigan uses ― as do 48 other states ― to support Medicaid,” the government health care program for mostly low-income residents.

Appel was referring to a provision in the Senate Finance Committee’s proposed version of President Donald Trump’s so-called “one big beautiful bill” that would gradually shrink states’ use of so-called provider taxes from a safe-harbor threshold of 6% to 3.5% by 2031. The Medicaid reforms are part of a larger tax cut and spending bill that is the cornerstone of Trump’s second-term agenda.

The $1 billion impact that the Michigan hospitals group has estimated is specific to the GOP-run Senate’s changes. It doesn’t account for a projected spike in uncompensated care that hospitals would encounter due to coverage losses as a result of other provisions in the legislation, such as expanded Medicaid work requirements and twice-annual eligibility assessments for Medicaid participants.

“We’re going to keep pushing right up until the very last vote to protect coverage and funding, because cutting funding is cutting coverage is cutting care,” Appel said. “We’re going to keep taking care of people. But it’s already hard enough. Let’s not make it harder for people to get the care that they need.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, said Tuesday that reducing the Medicaid provider tax rate that states may charge represents “important reforms.”

“We think they rebalance the program in a way that provides the right incentives to cover the people who are supposed to be covered by Medicaid,” Thune said.

“But we continue to hear from our members specifically on components or pieces of the bill that they would like to see modified or changed or have concerns about. And we’re working through that.”

Pressure to rein in Medicaid use

Medicaid is a health insurance safety net for low-income adults and children funded jointly by the states and the federal government. Every state except Alaska imposes provider taxes to help finance the state share of Medicaid costs.

Michigan uses provider taxes ― with federal approval ― on hospitals, nursing homes, ambulance companies and health insurers (managed care organizations) to generate 20% or $3 billion of the state’s share of Medicaid program costs. The extra tax leads to higher payments from the U.S. government, which critics argue is a loophole that lets states abuse the system and swell enrollment in the program.

In a report last month, the state health department said Michigan’s hospital provider tax was projected to generate enough revenue in fiscal year 2025 to support $5.84 billion in Medicaid payments to Michigan hospitals, including the federal matching funds that the tax revenue draws down.

But if the hospital provider tax were limited to 3%, reimbursement payments to Michigan hospitals would decline $2.33 billion, according to estimates by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. (The state hasn’t provided a revised estimate based on the 3.5% limit proposed by the Senate.)

Michigan is one of 22 states that could be required to lower their provider taxes on hospitals or health plans because their rates are currently more than 5.5% of patient revenues, according to an analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation. So Michigan hospitals would feel the impact of the new limits almost immediately if the provision goes into effect in 2027.

The reduced provider tax limits only apply to states like Michigan that have expanded Medicaid. Some experts view the change as a way for Congress to pressure these states to drop their expansions, rather than face the drastic cuts to provider taxes that would devastate state budgets.

“States are going to be in a bind: Either raise other taxes ― income taxes, sales taxes ― or they’re going to cut other parts of the budget like K-12 education or most likely make big cuts to their Medicaid program,” said Edwin Park, a research professor and Medicaid policy expert at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy.

“This is an attempt to really roll back the Medicaid expansion,” Park said. “The clear intent is to undermine financing of the program.”

Michigan expanded Medicaid eligibility under Republican Gov. Rick Snyder in 2014. The Medicaid program known as Healthy Michigan currently enrolls 749,000 low-income adults, according to state figures. Overall, Medicaid provides health care coverage to more than 1 in 4 people in Michigan, totaling 2.6 million beneficiaries, including 1 million children, according to state data.

Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, last week embraced the proposed federal spending cuts to Medicaid and food assistance, despite their potential to blow a $3 billion hole in the state budget.

“I can’t force (Democratic Gov. Gretchen) Whitmer’s administration … to spend tax dollars wisely,” Hall said at the White House.

“But President Trump and the Congress can, because they’re the ones who are entrusting her with the dollars. So if they just pay out accurately and don’t pay out fraud, they won’t get penalized.”

That kind of language grinds on J.J. Hodshire, president and CEO of Hillsdale Hospital, who is “disgusted” by lawmakers claiming that the average Medicaid participant is a 27-year-old man playing video games in his parents’ basement. In his rural south-central Michigan community, Medicaid covers the pastor of a local church, farmers, pregnant moms and grocery-store workers ― the working poor, Hodshire said.

“This is me speaking as a Republican. This is me speaking as someone who has supported his party, but you’re also talking to someone who has been on the recipient side of Medicaid growing up one of seven children of my parents, when we were on Medicaid,” Hodshire said.

“This notion that Medicaid is for the lazy or those that are refusing to work isn’t true,” he added.

Hodshire estimated that the Senate’s proposal to limit provider tax rates would result in his hospital losing $6 million a year in reimbursement payments. That amount would reduce services at Hillsdale Hospital, and he predicted that it would result in hospital or program closures in some communities.

“Board rooms across this country are gonna have to make tough decisions. One side might say, ‘They’re just fear-mongering that you’re going to lose your Medicaid. You’re not going to lose your Medicaid,’” Hodshire said. “That might be true. But where are they going to get those services if their local hospital is closed?”

More revenue losses

The Senate’s proposal keeps language that passed the U.S. House in late May that would freeze states’ provider taxes and prohibit certain types of taxes because of how they’re structured using variable rates.

Michigan’s Insurance Provider Assessment (IPA) tax generates about $450 million a year toward the state’s base Medicaid costs, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and would be prohibited under the GOP’s proposal, posing another hit for the state budget.

The Michigan Association of Health Plans has estimated that changing the variable IPA tax to equalize the rate would result in a 300% tax increase on commercial insurance providers in the state ― something that would be passed along to customers through premium increases, said Dominick Pallone, executive director of the industry group representing health insurers.

However, the current bill text makes no provision for states to revise the tax to eliminate the variable rates that are no longer allowed, Georgetown’s Park said.

Michigan and other states are also barred under the legislation from creating a new provider tax or increasing existing taxes to replace the lost revenues.

“It’s a little bit like changing the speed limit and then giving a ticket to somebody who sped before you changed the speed limit,” Pallone said.

A proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services also seeks to bar certain provider taxes on managed care plans that lack uniformity in seven states, including Michigan. Neither the legislation nor the proposed rule would guarantee a transition period for the states to adjust.

While Michigan’s health plans would like to see the provider taxes continue, it’s “pretty clear” that Congress won’t allow them to operate as they have in Michigan, Pallone said.

“Now, we’re just really asking for a three-year timetable, so that we can have some very difficult conversations in Lansing about how deep and how broad the cuts to Medicaid will have to be,” Pallone said. “And giving us several years to get there would be helpful.”

On the insurer side, he said, the cuts would likely mean lower reimbursement rates paid to Medicaid providers, which would hit rural hospitals hard and could prompt closures. Health plans would also, where allowed, use more prior authorizations to “squeeze” out low-value care, Pallone said.

“It’s pretty dire consequences here of reducing this without being able to find revenue sources to offset it,” Pallone said.

Gabe Schneider, director of government relations for Munson Healthcare ― the state’s largest rural hospital system ― was in Washington, D.C., lobbying Michigan lawmakers this week, urging them not to support the changes by the Senate Finance Committee, he said.

Munson has eight hospitals across 24 counties in the northern Lower Peninsula — an area that includes 140,000 people who receive insurance through Medicaid, he said.

Schneider said he’s reminding lawmakers that Munson can’t turn away Medicaid patients just because their reimbursement rate is being slashed. That loss of revenue will hurt all patients, he said.

Munson’s medical facilities across northern Michigan include hospitals in Cadillac, Charlevoix, Frankfort, Gaylord, Grayling, Kalkaska, Manistee and Traverse City.

“We are the sole community hospital where we’re at, and so patients can’t just go down the road by 15 minutes and get to another hospital because there are no other hospitals,” Schneider said.

“In rural areas, this really has an outsized impact because we’re talking about services that are really critical for our patients and our communities that we serve.”

Nursing homes hit

Provider taxes on skilled nursing facilities and intermediate care facilities that care for people with disabilities would be exempt from the new limits.

However, Michigan’s provider tax on nursing homes wouldn’t be allowed under the prohibition against differential rates, said Melissa Samuel, president and CEO of the Health Care Association of Michigan, which represents nearly 370 nursing facilities in the state.

“If you’re a state that needs to fix your provider tax after May 1, 2025, you wouldn’t be eligible for the exemption,” Samuel said. “It’s clear that they’re directing us to fix it, but in doing so, it’s almost like you’re being penalized.”

Michigan’s skilled nursing facility tax generates $680 million toward the state budget, according to HCAM. The Senate’s new proposed limit would mean a $120 million cut in reimbursements to skilled nursing facilities, Samuel said.

She anticipated the cut would hit labor and benefits and potentially prompt owners to reduce hours or staff, which would in turn limit the number of patients who could be admitted and cared for.

Like Pallone, the Health Care Association is hoping for a transition period to restructure the provider tax so it can continue to be used in Michigan, Samuel said.

“I know there’s language around ‘fraud’ and ‘misuse’ of the provider tax. But the skilled nursing facility tax came in under (Republican Gov.) John Engler in the ‘90s. It’s very straightforward in the state of Michigan and goes directly into skilled nursing reimbursements,” she said.

“We assume that the restructuring of our provider tax is something we’ll have to do, because it was in both the House and Senate versions. That’s something we’re willing to do. But give us another glide path to do that, so then, how much do we have to close the gap?”

U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, said he was “deeply frustrated” that GOP senators are pushing for cuts to Medicaid in their bill and said he’d oppose it.

“The bill would take away health care and food assistance from millions of Americans, and hundreds of thousands of Michiganders, in order to give a tax cut to billionaires,” Peters said in a statement.

“It would increase our nation’s deficit and put our country on worse financial footing, all while hurting hardworking families. I will never vote for a bill that does that.”

The Farmington Hills City Council is holding a special study session on Monday, June 23, on the future of the Costick Activities Center.

The council will hear recommendations from The Sports Facilities Companies, a building management firm, at the meeting at 5 p.m. in the Mainstage Theatre at The Hawk, 29995 W. 12 Mile Road.

The public will have an opportunity to comment. The council will not make any decisions at this meeting.

The city doesn’t have a senior center, but offers programs for older adults at Costick, 28600 W. 11 Mile.

The city also converted the former Harrison High School into The Hawk, a recreation and performing arts center for all ages.

Monday’s council meeting is part of the city’s study on whether it needs a new recreation center focused on adults ages 55 and up.

The city surveyed older adults on their recreation needs earlier this year.

Ellen Schnackel, director of the city’s Special Services Department, said if a new center is built, the city would assess Costick’s future.

She said the cost of a new center and potential funding sources are under study.

Those who want to give the council input but can’t attend the meeting may comment at fhgov.com/costickinput.

You can also watch the meeting live at https://www.youtube.com/c/FarmingtonHillsMichigan.

Lightning may have caused house fire, officials say

Farmington Hills to open cooling center for hot weather relief

A house fire in Farmington Hills may have been caused by a lightning strike, officials say.

The fire broke out at about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 18, immediately following a lightning strike, in a two-story house in the area of 14 Mile and Drake roads, according to Fire Marshal Jason Baloga.

The occupants of the home told the Farmington Hills Fire Department they believed lightning hit the house; the blaze is under investigation.

Firefighters were extinguishing the fire in the attic when the roof began to collapse. They exited the building and crews used a ladder truck to regain control. Firefighters then re-entered the building to fully extinguish the fire.

The house was heavily damaged by heat, flames, smoke and water. The city has marked it as an unsafe structure, Baloga said. No one was injured.

He advised anyone affected by a house fire to go outside and call 911 from a designated meeting spot, as these residents did.

Farmington Hills to open cooling center as hot weather approaches

Halsted Road closed for reconstruction in Farmington Hills

 

In anticipation of the extreme temperatures predicted across metro Detroit, Farmington Hills will open the Costick Activities Center as a cooling center from Saturday, June 21-Tuesday, June 24.

The center is at 28600 W. 11 Mile Road, between Middlebelt and Inkster roads. It is open on Saturday from 7 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and Monday and Tuesday from 6 a.m.-10 p.m.

For more information about the cooling center at the Costick Activities Center, call 248-473-1800 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. If you have an emergency, call 911.

For additional information about cooling center locations throughout Oakland County, visit oakgov.com/community/emergency-management/need-to-know/safety/warming-and-cooling-centers.

Summer heat can contribute to adverse air quality conditions and can also impact the health conditions of older adults, children and those with respiratory concerns. Community members are encouraged to check on family, friends, neighbors and pets to ensure everyone stays healthy and safe.

The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments encourages community members to take action to voluntarily lower emissions to help minimize ozone formation, including:

– Delay mowing the lawn until evening or another day: Exhaust from lawn mowers and other gas-powered yard equipment contributes to ozone formation.

– Drive less, telecommute, bike or walk: These options help to minimize traffic congestion and air pollution, as well as save money.

– Avoid refueling vehicles during daylight hours. Fumes released at the gas pump contribute to ozone formation.

– Delay or combine errands: This will reduce traffic congestion and air pollution.

– Reduce electricity use: Adjust thermostats a few degrees warmer and turn off lights, computers and other electrical devices when not in use.

Halsted Road closed for reconstruction in Farmington Hills

Ramp metering on I-96 will create a new way of entering freeway