Don’t worry, Detroit — the alligator recently spotted on Belle Isle has been found. The gator shocked Detroiters when it was seen on the island park late last month. It was captured Wednesday by vigilante animal rescuers Steven Hart and Troy Keteyian, who turned it over to a local reptile education center. Hart, a dog […]
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Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer says she shared her concerns with President Trump about his new H1B visa policy which makes the price of applying for a visa $100,000.
H1B visas allow companies to bring in international workers for specialized jobs requiring higher education. Whitmer says she told President Trump that raising the application cost of those visas by around 10,000% could hurt Michigan’s economy.
Whitmer adds the state’s medical and automotive industries could be directly impacted by visa policy changes, saying large numbers of Canadian workers in fields like nursing and engineering rely on the visas.
A group of local community organizations is hosting the State of Southwest: A Municipal Candidate Forum on October 11.
Candidates for mayor, City Council District 6 and at-large seats have been invited to hear personal testimonies and concerns from residents of Southwest Detroit before sharing their plans to address the problems.
Organizers include 482Forward, Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation, Michigan League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, Michigan United, Raices Detroit, Urban Neighborhood Initiatives and We the People MI.
The forum is Saturday October 11 from noon to 3 p.m. in the El Nacimiento warehouse at 7000 W Vernor Hwy.
The state is relaunching a resource guide for Michigan tribal communities.
The Office of Civil Rights began publishing the Michigan Indian Quarterly more than 30 years ago. Now the Native American Resource Guide will be produced by the Department of Lifelong Education Advancement and Potential in partnership with Michigan State University’s Native American Institute.
The guide will include a list of tribal, state and federal contacts, education, legal and health resources, scholarship opportunities, genealogical research tools and artwork from Native artists from Michigan.
Print copies can be requested at nai@msu.edu.
The Hamtramck Neighborhood Arts Festival is this weekend.
The city’s creative community invites visitors to their home studios and front porches as well as to coffee shops, galleries and parks throughout the city. Organizers say the festival is meant to show that art is for everyone and that all are welcome.
The Hamtramck Night Bazaar will offer food and goods from a variety of vendors, and stores and restaurants will also be open. For more information visit hnaf.org.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has confirmed sightings of a small alligator roaming on Belle Isle.
The Detroit Free Press reports someone took a picture of the gator and shared it on social media. The DNR reviewed the photograph and used geolocation data to determine its authenticity.
The agency says it doesn’t know how the reptile got there, but it reminds people that releasing pets or wild animals on Belle Isle or other state parks is illegal and harmful to native creatures.
Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Hamtramck resident Lynn Blasey couldn’t believe her eyes during a visit to Detroit’s Belle Isle on Sunday. Sunbathing on the shore was none other than an alligator. “I made a new friend while paddleboarding today,” she wrote on Facebook. Blasey tells Metro Times that in reality, she was afraid of the creature, which is not […]
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An October 1 deadline looms for Michigan lawmakers to pass the state budget.
Belle Isle Conservancy officials say proposed cuts and the risk of a government shutdown could stall years of progress at Detroit’s most popular public park.
Meagan Elliott, President and CEO of the Belle Isle Conservancy, said the proposed state House budget would significantly impact parks across Michigan, especially Belle Isle.
“It would mean significant reduction both in full time employees for Parks and Recreation, which would obviously impact Belle Isle,” Eliott said. “There are [also] general fund cuts in the proposed budget, and Belle Isle is the only state park that receives general fund sources, both for operations and for their capital outlay program. So, both of those are potentially on the chopping block right now.”
Belle Isle draws about 5.5 million visitors annually, making it the second most-visited state park in the U.S., just behind Niagara Falls.
Construction projects tied to state ARPA funding would also be paused during a shutdown. Elliott says even temporary delays could be costly.
“That would be at a tremendous cost for everyday residents who just want to see those improvements…come to fruition,” she said. “So even pausing construction projects…there’s a demobilization cost…subcontractors might decide to move on to the next project while all this gets sorted out, and then maybe not come back.”
Elliott also stressed the importance of keeping the park accessible, especially in the fall, when many Detroiters visit to enjoy the changing season.
“This is everyone’s backyard. It belongs to Detroiters,” Eliott said.
This story is part of WDET’s ongoing series, The Detroit Tree Canopy Project.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
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The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Belle Isle Conservancy are working to plan for new amenities on the island. In order to prioritize what Detroiters would like to see next, they’ve launched a new survey that outlines 11 potential projects.
Some key ideas include expanding the beach, creating a new café in the White House, rebuilding docks and piers for boaters and residents who like to fish, and restoring the Remick Band Shell.
DNR Urban Field Specialist Amanda Treadwell says there’s a lot of work that needs to be done, but the resources don’t exist to do it all at once. “They’re all going to take a lot of stakeholders and community support to fully implement. So [we’re] looking to have that community support and input on how we go about implementing these projects around the park.”
Treadwell says she loves all of the proposed ideas for the island, but one tops her list. “If I had to pick one, I love seeing people out in the park, enjoying the new trails and the new bike paths. I think it’s a wonderful way to enjoy the park.”
The Belle Isle survey is open until September 8th.
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In this episode of the Detroit Evening Report, we go over a new grocery bill sponsored by U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib, the demolition of the long-since-vacated Mammoth department store, and more local news.
Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib is sponsoring a bill that seeks to stop price gouging in grocery stores. The Detroit Democrat made the announcement this morning in front of the Wal-Mart at Ford Road and the Southfield Freeway. Tlaib says Americans are stressed by rising food prices.
Besides prohibiting price gouging, her legislation seeks to require food stores to disclose the use of facial recognition technology and ban electronic shelf labels in large stores.
City of Detroit officials gathered in northwest Detroit on Monday…to begin demolition of the Mammoth department store. The building – located at the corner of Grand River and Greenfield has been empty for decades. It originally opened as a Federal’s department store in 1949. Previous demolition efforts were stalled because of legal filings. The current owners had filed suit to delay the destruction of the building. A judge’s order preventing demolition expired last week.
During a news conference at the site, Mayor Mike Duggan said he knows neighbors are relieved that the long-standing eyesore is being torn down.
“Well, I know that for the neighborhood here, this has been a long time coming. I think my first month in office, Councilman James Tate said to me, ‘This is a prime corner. It should be providing shopping for the neighborhood. And because of this long-abandoned building, it’s actually taking the neighborhood down.’”
Officials say the demolition should be completed sometime this fall.
Detroit’s three casinos brought in 107 million dollars in revenue last month. That’s down slightly from July 2024.
MGM Grand continues to hold the lion’s share of the market with nearly 48 percent. Motor City controlled 30% and Hollywood Casino at Greektown had 22% of Detroit’s gambling market. Together, the three casinos generated $12.6 million in taxes and wagering agreement payments for the City of Detroit. They provided another 8.6 million dollars in taxes to the state of Michigan.
Trustee Irene Scott is moving out of the district, leaving a vacancy. Applicants for the appointed position must be U-S citizens who are registered to vote and are living in the Dearborn School District. Applications must be submitted by August 25th.
The district says the new appointed member of the board will serve until elections take place in November 2026.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources wants to know what you think about the future of Belle Isle. The department – along with the Belle Isle Conservancy – is asking Detroiters to take a survey to help select priorities for improvements on the island.
The current list of possibilities stands at 11. Items on the list include extending the beach, creating a park café, and rebuilding piers and docks on the island. Several other improvements are already underway, including a renovation of the James Scott Memorial Fountain.
Residents can take the survey on the DNR’s website. The survey closes on September 8th.
Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.
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Outdoor concerts, unique art experiences and critically-acclaimed comedy. Here’s what to do this weekend in metro Detroit.
Hip-Hop in the Parks | Palmer Park | Friday, Aug. 1 | Free
An outdoor concert organized by the City of Detroit featuring live performances by Asaka the Renegade and Sounds Like Detroit 2024 finalist Chris Lanard. Family-friendly activities and performances go from 5–8 p.m.
Keep A-Knockin’ | The Old Miami | Friday, Aug. 1 | $5
An all-vinyl ’50s and ’60s dance party featuring R&B, Doo-Wop, Soul and Girl Group selections from DJs Dave Lawson, Sisteranna, Mike Dutkewych and WDET’s own Mike Latulippe (host of The Detroit Move Tuesdays at 8 p.m.). Doors open at 9 p.m.
Jazz on the Ave | Detroit’s Avenue of Fashion | Saturday, Aug. 2
A long-running annual block party featuring live music, food and family-friendly activities. Festivities go from noon to 8 p.m.
Jazz on the River | Elizabeth Park | Saturday, Aug. 2 and Sunday, Aug. 3 | Free
A long-running annual jazz festival along the Detroit River in Trenton, featuring performances by legendary artists like Gerald Albright and Spyro Gyra. Performances start at 1:30 p.m. each day and there is a $5 cash parking fee.
Sounds from the Park: Reverence for Nature | Eliza Howell Park | Saturday, Aug. 2 | Free
An outdoor concert organized by the Detroit Parks Coalition featuring a live performance from and original music by Detroit saxophonist Marcus Elliot. Performance goes from 7:30–8:30 p.m.
Sidewalk Detroit Festival | Eliza Howell Park | Friday, Aug. 1 and Saturday, Aug. 2 | Free
An annual celebration of Detroit creatives, group movement and community building featuring outdoor performances and art installations. Festivities go from 6–8 p.m. on Friday and from 2–9 p.m. on Saturday. Free parking is available.
Belle Isle Art Fair | Belle Isle by Scott Fountain | Saturday, Aug. 2 and Sunday, Aug. 3 | Free with state park pass
A nationally-ranked nature-focused art fair featuring over 100 juried artists. Open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Comedy at the Congregation | The Congregation Detroit | Friday, Aug. 1 | $15 online, $20 at the door
A monthly comedy showcase hosted by Sarah Lynn. This month’s headliner is Chloe Mikala, an award-winning comedian who has performed with The Second City. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m.
The post The Metro Events Guide: Music in the parks, art on Belle Isle + more appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.
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