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.

Additional headlines from Tuesday September 30, 2025

Southwest Detroit hosts forum for candidates in upcoming election

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. 

Resource guide for Native Americans returns

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.

Hamtramck Neighborhood Arts Festival 

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.  

DNR on the lookout for Belle Isle alligator

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.

In this episode of The Detroit Evening Report, we cover an upcoming exhibit at the Detroit Institute of Arts centered around Indigenous artists. Plus, where to hear jazz in the Avenue of Fashion this weekend.

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

DIA announces Native American exhibit

The Detroit Institute of Arts has just announced that it’s hosting a Native American exhibit in September. According to the museum’s website, “The Contemporary Anishinaabe Art: A Continuation” exhibit will feature 60 U.S.-based Anishinaabe artists in the first major exhibition on Native Americans at the museum in 30 years.

The artwork will feature jewelry, basketry and painting. Additionally, there will be pottery and woodworking displays.

The exhibition has been curated with an advisory council of Ojibwe, Ottawa and Potawatomi artists. Gallery text will include Anishnaabemowin, a language of the Indigenous communities in the Great Lakes.

People can see the exhibition Sep. 28, 2025 through April 5, 2026.

Jazz on the Ave returns

Mike’s Fresh Market and the University Commonwealth are hosting a block party this weekend. The 17th Annual Jazz on the Ave festival is a customer appreciation block party on Detroit’s Avenue of Fashion, located on Livernois Avenue.

The event takes place Saturday, Aug. 2 from noon to 8 p.m., featuring live music, free food, bounce houses and a parade at 4 p.m. It will also include a car show by Community Services LLC. Jamal Abro, owner of  Mike’s Fresh Market, says this is a way to thank the community.

Learn how to build a rain garden

The City of Dearborn is partnering with nonprofit Friends of the Rouge to host a rain garden workshop next weekend.

Regina Sistrunk is the Community Development Compliance Officer for the City of Dearborn.  She says in a news release that rain gardens are a holistic way to prevent rainwater from entering the sewer system each year. Participants will learn how rain gardens reduce flooding and support wildlife.

The workshop is funded through Dearborn’s Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery funds. The “Rain Gardens 101” class takes place on Saturday, Aug. 9 from 10–11 a.m. at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center. To register, visit therouge.org.

COVID vaccines still recommended

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) recommends getting the latest COVID-19 shot every year.

Chief Medical Executive, Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, says she wants to dispel misconceptions and confusion about the shot, after the CDC stopped recommending it for healthy children and pregnant women.

“Our recommendations at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, after reviewing all of the data and guidance, have not changed. We continue to recommend the COVID vaccine for everyone aged six months and older, including those who are pregnant.”

Dr. Bagdasarian says the state’s recommendations align with national medical groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

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