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Detroit Evening Report: $1B boost for roads and schools in new Michigan budget

✇WDET 101.9 FM
Hernz Laguerre

Michigan lawmakers pass 2026 state budget

After months of waiting and two missed deadlines, the 2026 state budget has finally passed. Michigan lawmakers agreed early Friday morning to add about $1 billion to road and bridge improvements, increase school funding, and decrease funding for some other programs. The budget also includes a new 24% wholesale tax on marijuana.

Now the budget is headed to Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s desk, allowing her to finally fulfill her famous promise to “fix the damn roads.”

For more information and a breakdown of how this budget affects Michiganders, check out WDET’s political talk show MichMash. A bonus episode was released the same day as the budget to explain the details.

Additional headlines for October 3, 2025

District 3 residents organize “Stop the Violence” march

Residents of Detroit’s District 3 have organized a “Stop the Violence” march this Saturday (Oct. 4).

Alita Moore, executive director of the North Central Block Club Association, says the march is in response to a recent uptick in violence in the neighborhood.

“Our youth, our seniors, are very, very concerned. And so, before something like the National Guard comes in, we wanted to — on a local community level — show solidarity with our neighborhood police officers, with the people that work with us right here,” Moore says.

Moore hopes the event draws attention to a part of the city that feels neglected. The march will start at Farwell Recreation Center at noon.

Tigers advance; Lions prepare for Sunday matchup

Everyone is talking about the Tigers. Yesterday, the team beat the Cleveland Guardians in the wildcard round and is now heading to the American League Division Series, where they’ll face the Seattle Mariners. First pitch is tomorrow at 8:38 p.m. EST at T-Mobile Park.

Meanwhile, about four hours south of metro Detroit down I-75, the Lions face the Bengals in a Sunday afternoon matchup at 4:25 p.m. They’re coming off a dominant win against the Browns, 34–20. Their record is currently 3–1, putting them at the top of the NFC North.

Applications open for Detroit Legacy Business Project

Applications for the Detroit Legacy Business Project close on Monday, October 6 at 8 a.m.

This program is for businesses that have been serving the city for 30 years or more. Available grants include:

  • One $50,000 grant
  • Fourteen $15,000 grants
  • Five $5,000 grants
  • Ten $2,500 grants

For more information, visit detroit.gov/opportunities
.

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Detroit Evening Report: Michigan receives federal approval for revised EV charging plan

✇WDET 101.9 FM
Hernz Laguerre

State to use $52 million in frozen funds to expand network

Michigan is moving forward with its revised electric vehicle charging plan after receiving federal approval. The US Department of Transportation approved the state’s plan under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program, allocating $52 million remaining from an original $110 million. The Trump administration froze the $52 million in February.

One of the biggest challenges for electric vehicles is the limited number of charging stations. Michigan plans to fund a total of 83 stations. Two are already operational and four more are under construction. The rest are still being planned.

Read more from the Detroit News

More details from MDOT

Additional headlines

Detroit’s economic outlook shows steady growth

The city of Detroit held its regular biannual revenue estimating conference this week to review its economic outlook. State law requires these independent revenue conferences to be held in September and February each fiscal year.

The Detroit Economic Outlook for 2024–2030 projects that the city will see an increase in jobs, wages, and resident employment in the next five years. The forecast also shows moderate growth for payroll jobs, while Detroit wages are expected to outpace the state average.

Read the city’s full economic outlook

Detroit Digital Empowerment Summit highlights innovation

The City of Detroit is participating in the Detroit Digital Empowerment Summit this weekend. The event will feature competitions awarding $175,000 in funding for new tech ideas.

The three-day summit is hosted by the organization Black Tech Saturdays and will showcase innovation and economic mobility. It will also include pitch competitions and opportunities for Detroiters of all ages to explore the power of technology.

The city’s Office of Innovation and Technology will present Youth Tech Fest at the summit to introduce technology to the next generation.

Learn more at DetroitMI.gov

Follow the summit at Black Tech Saturdays

Detroit Lions and Tigers weekend matchups

The Detroit Lions had a commanding performance on Monday against the Baltimore Ravens, beating them 38–30. According to ESPN, the game was one of the most viewed Monday night matchups in the last 20 years. This Sunday, the Lions face the Cleveland Browns at Ford Field with kickoff at 1:00 p.m.

In Major League Baseball, the Detroit Tigers will face the Boston Red Sox this weekend. The Tigers are currently in second place in the American League Central and could move back to the top with a series win.

Detroit Fiber Festival returns Sunday

The Detroit Fiber Festival takes place this Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event brings together fabric artists, makers, and vendors from across Metro Detroit. This year’s focus is sustainability in sourcing textiles and materials.

There will also be lectures and demonstrations on preservation, highlighting how period fabrics and textiles are used in costuming.

Learn more at Detroit Month of Design

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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Detroit Evening Report: Budget indecision continues, flood watch, and more

✇WDET 101.9 FM
Jerome Vaughn

Negotiations continue in Lansing in an effort to complete a state budget before an October first deadline.  Failure to do so would mean a partial government shutdown. 

Such an action could prompt a closure of state parks, including Belle Isle.  Secretary of State offices could close, and even Detroit’s casinos could be affected. 

The state has not yet said what its plans are if next week’s deadline is not met.  Democrats and Republicans have not been able to reach a deal on key issues such as road funding. 

Additional headlines from Wednesday, September 24, 2025

Flood Watch 

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties until Wednesday evening.  Steady rain is expected and could possibly be heavy at times. The weather service says some areas upstream could see one to four inches of rain. 

If you’ve experienced flooding in your area in recent months, it might be a good idea to check your basement periodically over the next few days.  Make sure to place important items out of reach of possible flood waters. 

Kimmel returns

Detroiters got a chance to see the Jimmy Kimmel show again last night.  WXYZ-TV aired the program. 

Kimmel’s show was suspended last week after the late-night comedian make remarks concerning political reaction to the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.  In response, several stations around the country decided not to air the show and the ABC network followed suit. 

The network says it temporarily suspended the show to keep from inflaming a delicate situation.   Kimmel said last night that he did not mean to make light of Kirk’s death. 

Kimmel’s show airs in Detroit weeknights at 11:30 p.m. on WXYZ-TV. 

Tigers collapse 

The Detroit Tigers are looking like they may have a hard time making the Major League Baseball playoffs. 

At one point during the summer, the team had a 14 game lead in the American League Central.  But now Detroit is on a seven-game losing streak, and has lost 9 of its last 10 games. 

Cleveland beat the Tigers 5 – 2 Tuesday night, allowing the Guardians to grab a share of first place in the division.  The Tigers and Guardians play again tonight and tomorrow in Cleveland. 

There are just 11 games left in the regular season. 

Lions celebrate victory

And the City of Detroit continues its celebrations after the Lions’ win on Monday Night Football this week.  The team posted a decisive 38 – 30 victory over the Baltimore Ravens.  After the game, Lions quarterback Jared Goff praised the team’s tenacity. 

“It was a good representation of what we want to do and I thought again being able to kind of springboard off of that last week and do it again –in a different fashion, though.  More running the ball.  More ground and pound.  Obviously, D-Mo having the night he had is incredible.  I think we displayed that we can win in different ways.” 

“D-Mo” is running back David Montgomery, who ran for 151 yards and two touchdowns in the victory.  The Lions now have a record of two wins and one loss. 

They host the Cleveland Browns at Ford Field on Sunday afternoon.  Game time is 1 pm. 

If there’s something in your neighborhood you think we should know about, drop us a line at DetroitEveningReport@wdet.org.  You know how much we love hearing about Detroit 

 

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Surging Guardians complete sweep with 3-1 win over slumping Tigers in Tarik Skubal’s return

✇The Oakland Press
Larry Lage

DETROIT (AP) — Jose Ramirez hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the seventh inning after Tarik Skubal was replaced and the surging Cleveland Guardians swept the slumping Detroit Tigers with a 3-1 win on Thursday.

Cleveland has won seven straight to close within 3.5 games of the AL Central-leading Tigers with a little more than a week left in the regular season. The teams are scheduled for three more games Sept. 23-25.

Detroit has lost six of its last seven games and 15 of 22, turning an 11.5-game cushion into a lead that isn’t comfortable.

Returning from an injury scare last week, Skubal gave up one run, seven hits and struck out nine over six innings.

The reigning AL Cy Young Award and pitching Triple Crown winner was replaced by right-hander Troy Melton in the seventh in a 1-all game. Nine pitches later, Ramirez broke the tie with a 368-foot shot to right.

Cleveland’s Jhonkensy Noel hit a game-tying solo homer in the fourth.

Tanner Bibee (11-11) gave up one run and four hits while striking out eight over six innings. Tim Herrin and Kolby Allard followed with two innings of scoreless relief and Hunter Gaddis pitched the ninth for his third save.

Melton (3-2) took the loss after allowing two runs on two hits and a walk in 1 2/3 innings.

Key moment

The Tigers started the second with three hits, including Colt Keith’s RBI double, and they failed to score another run after having two on and no outs. Keith left the game after the inning with back stiffness.

Key stat

The defending AL Central-champion Guardians are a season-high 10 games over .500, bouncing back from having a losing record on Sept. 4 by winning 12 of 13 games.

Up next

Guardians LHP Parker Messick (3-0, 1.84) and Twins RHP Pablo Lopez (5-4, 2.64) are to start Friday night in Minnesota. Detroit opens its final homestand Friday night with Tigers RHP Charlie Morton (9-10, 5.66) and Atlanta RHP Bryce Elder (7-10, 5.56).

Cleveland Guardians catcher Austin Hedges (27) tags Detroit Tigers’ Wenceel Perez out at home plate during the second inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, in Detroit. (PAUL SANCYA — AP Photo)

Tigers activate Paul Sewald; Jose Urquidy accepts option to stay in organization

✇The Oakland Press
Chris McCosky

DETROIT – The Tigers activated veteran right-hander Paul Sewald before the game Thursday.

Sewald, whom the Tigers acquired from the Guardians at the trade deadline, had been out since July 11 with shoulder soreness. He returned from his final rehab appearance on Wednesday.

In corresponding moves, right-hander Codi Heuer was released off the 40-man roster. He has been out with a shoulder injury.

Also, right-hander Jose Urquidy was technically designated for assignment, but he has agreed to accept an option to Triple-A Toledo to stay in the organization.

Procedurally, there is a 24-hour wait period before that part of the transaction can be completed.

“He’s demonstrated the positives in what he can bring,” Hinch said. “He’s creative. He’s got multiple pitches. He is undeterred by any big environment. He’s got a weapon for both sides of the plate.

But we are also seeing the difficulty in coming back from a second major surgery. He’s a little rusty, a little erratic and spraying the ball a little more than he normally does.”

With five years of big-league service time, Urquidy could’ve refused the option. But, with the Tigers holding a $4 million option on him next season and his stated desire to be part of this staff going forward, he signed off on it.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Jose Urquidy throws against the Cleveland Guardians during the eighth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025, in Detroit. (PAUL SANCYA — AP Photo)

Guardians win for 10th time in 11 games, beat Tigers 7-5 with 4 extra-base hits in 10th inning

✇The Oakland Press
Dave Hogg

DETROIT (AP) — Steven Kwan, Angel Martinez, José Ramírez and Kyle Manzardo combined to give Cleveland four extra-base hits an extra inning for the first time in 64 years, and the Guardians beat the Detroit Tigers 7-5 in the 10th on Tuesday night for their 10th win in 11 games.

Pinch-hitter Kerry Carpenter tied the score 3-3 with a two-out homer in the ninth against Cade Smith (7-5), who blew a save for the sixth time in 21 chances.

Cleveland extended a winning streak to five for the fifth time this season, matching its high. The Guardians began the night three games behind Houston for the last AL wild card and closed within 5 1/2 games of the AL Central-leading Tigers.

The Guardians’ first our batters in the 10th had extra-base hits off Will Vest (6-4), when Kwan doubled, Martínez tripled, José Ramírez and Kyle Manzardo doubled. Gabriel Arias added a one-out RBI single for a 7-3 lead.

Spencer Torkelson hit a two-run homer in bottom of the 10th off Jakub Junis.

C.J. Kayfus hit an RBI single in the second and Gleyber Torres tied the game in the third with his 16th home run. Arias’ homer put Cleveland back ahead in the fourth and Bo Naylor’s RBI double in the sixth built a 3-1 lead.

Dillon Dingler drove in a run with a grounder in the bottom half, beating a throw to first to avoid an inning-ending double play.

Key moment

Cleveland had not had four extra-base hits in an extra inning since May 10, 1961, when Tito Francona, Chuck Essegian, Woodie Held and Bubba Phillips achieved the feat in the 11th inning during an 8-2 win at the Chicago White Sox.

Key stat

Several players wore No. 21 in honor of Roberto Clemente Day, but the Tiger who normally wears the number, rookie pitcher Jackson Jobe, is sidelined for the rest of the season with a flexor injury.

Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) tags Cleveland Guardians first base Kyle Manzardo (9) out at home plate during the 10th inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

‘Everything felt good’: Tigers ace Tarik Skubal on track for Thursday start after pain-free bullpen session

✇The Oakland Press
Chris McCosky

DETROIT — Tarik Skubal is on track to make his scheduled start against the Guardians on Thursday, though manager AJ Hinch stopped short of saying it’s a done deal.

“We said we were going to go day by day and we have,” Hinch said before the game Tuesday against the Guardians. “He’s inching closer to his start day. Obviously we’re thrilled with the news that things were looking positive.”

Skubal on Monday threw his usual between-starts bullpen and felt none of the tightness in his upper rib cage area that forced him out of his start in Miami.

“Everything felt good,” Skubal said. “Just one of those weird things. I don’t really know how to explain it. But the bullpen went well, the scans came back good, so it’s on to the next one.”

He was asked if he held anything back in his bullpen session, just as a precaution.

“No, it was a normal working pen,” he said. “If anything, I probably worked a little harder just to make sure I was good to go. There was nothing there.”

Tigers Nation certainly gave a collective sigh of relief. Skubal, too.

“During the game, I was a little worried about it,” he said. “But once I came out and calmed down a little bit and ran through most of the tests with our trainers, I wasn’t too concerned after that.”

If the Tigers had taken care of business Tuesday (they lost in extra innings) and Wednesday, Skubal could have been on the mound with a chance to clinch the Central Division title Thursday.

“This series is going to be fun,” he said. “Cleveland is a good team and we tend to play good baseball games against each other. It starts (Tuesday) with Casey (Mize) and hopefully we win (Wednesday) with (Jack Flaherty) and hopefully sweep. That’s the division if the math works out. But it starts with (Tuesday), for sure.”

Tarik Skubal had a pain-free bullpen session, putting him on track to make his scheduled start on Thursday. (ROBIN BUCKSON — The Detroit News)

Judge homers twice to tie DiMaggio on Yankees list in 9-3 win over Tigers

✇The Oakland Press
Associated press

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge hit two home runs to tie Hall of Fame outfielder Joe DiMaggio for fourth place in Yankees history as New York beat the Detroit Tigers 9-3 on Thursday night to avert a three-game sweep.

On the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, President Donald Trump attended the game and watched from a suite on the third base side.

Judge homered off Tyler Holton (5-5) in the first inning and matched DiMaggio by launching his 361st career homer with a 434-foot drive to the back of the Detroit bullpen off Sawyer Gipson-Long in the third.

Judge had his sixth multihomer game this season and pulled even with DiMaggio two nights after passing Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra for fifth on the franchise list.

The two-time AL MVP had three hits and ended the night with a major league-best .322 batting average, three points ahead of Athletics rookie shortstop Jacob Wilson.

Giancarlo Stanton followed Judge’s second solo shot with his 449th homer, tying Hall of Famers Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Jeff Bagwell for 41st on the career list.

Including the postseason, it was the 56th time Judge and Stanton homered in the same game and fifth time this season.

Ben Rice hit an RBI double and José Caballero, Austin Slater, Cody Bellinger and Jazz Chisholm Jr. had run-scoring singles as the Yankees moved a half-game ahead of Boston for the top American League wild card heading into a three-game series at Fenway Park this weekend.

New York rookie Cam Schlittler (3-3) bounced back from his worst start and allowed one run on three hits in six innings.

Dillon Dingler homered and hit an RBI single, but the Tigers were unable to complete their first sweep of the Yankees in New York since 2008.

Key moment

After allowing Dingler’s tying single, Schlittler ended a 26-pitch second inning by striking out Parker Meadows and retiring Javier Báez on a groundout.

Key stat

The Yankees are 49-7 when Judge and Stanton homer in the same game.

— By LARRY FLEISHER, Associated Press

Detroit Tigers’ Kerry Carpenter reacts after striking out during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025, in New York. (ADAM HUNGER — AP Photo)

Discipline against former employees was appropriate, Tigers say

✇The Oakland Press
Chris McCosky

NEW YORK — The Detroit Tigers on Wednesday responded to an investigative article in The Athletic that detailed alleged incidents of sexual misconduct toward female employees and portrayed the organization as being a “boys club” where some women felt unsafe.

In a statement released through Ilitch Sports and Entertainment CEO Ryan Gustafson, the Tigers didn’t dispute the seven reported incidents against former employees. They took accountability for it, saying each was investigated promptly and each employee was terminated.

But the general culture of the organization, the club felt, was mischaracterized.

“We are committed to a culture of respect, safety, and inclusion,” the statement read. “We do not tolerate discrimination or harassment, and when concerns are raised, we investigate promptly and take decisive action, which has included terminating employees for misconduct, regardless of seniority or tenure.

“We are committed to accountability and to upholding the standards essential to our workplace.”

As the article mentioned, the seven employees cited for misconduct have either resigned, were fired or did not have their contracts renewed.

• Sam Menzin, former assistant general manager, cited for sending lewd photos to a female co-worker.

• Michael Lienert, former vice president of premium sales, accused of a number of things, including undisclosed dating of employees, bullying female employees, including an allegation of pushing a female down a flight of stairs.

• Josh Bullock, former vice president of business in Lakeland, cited for verbal and vulgar verbal attacks on men and women.

• Rob Gehring, former video content producer, cited for inappropriate conduct toward women.

• Peter Soto, former vice president of game presentation, accused of making inappropriate comments toward women.

• Also, former players and analysts Cameron Maybin and Craig Monroe were not brought back because of allegations of sexual misconduct.

More: Craig Monroe taken off Tigers’ TV minutes after sex-abuse claims came to light

“We are grateful to the employees who have spoken up here,” the statement read. “And to the more than 3,000 full- and part-time colleagues who contribute every day to ensuring a safe work environment.”

The Tigers contested one of the charges in the article, which claimed that Ben Fidelman, who is the vice president of communications and broadcasting, yelled at an employee and called her “stupid.”

The Tigers, like they did all the others, investigated the charges against Fidelman and found them unfounded.

“It is inaccurate and unfair to group Mr. Fidelman within a story about accusations of sexual harassment or related misconduct,” the statement read. “A concern unrelated to either was raised, and consistent with our process, it was investigated thoroughly, and no wrong doing was found.”

Ilitch Sports and Entertainment employs more than 3,000 people. The statement reiterated that each incident was taken seriously, investigated thoroughly and dealt with.

“We work hard every day to improve our workplace culture,” the statement read. “We encourage open dialogue and feedback, celebrate the contributions of our colleagues, and continue to invest in programs that support growth, well-being, and inclusion.

“Our colleagues have multiple channels to share input, supported by a strong human resources team that responds quickly to concerns. We also provide ongoing, company-wide training and education to prevent and address inappropriate behavior.”

The article also said Detroit is one of three MLB franchises that doesn’t offer maternity leave to pregnant employees. The Tigers were putting a 12-week maternity leave benefit in place before the article came out.

It is expected to be available before the end of the year.

A military flyover ends the opening ceremonies on Opening Day at Comerica Park in Detroit, with the giant new video scoreboard in the background on Friday, April 5, 2024. (JOHN T. GREILICK — The Detroit News)

‘I’d done everything I could’: Tigers’ Alex Cobb ends rehab, opts for hip surgery

✇The Oakland Press
Chris McCosky

DETROIT — He’s not ready to use the R word just yet.

But on Saturday, 37-year-old right-hander Alex Cobb notified the Tigers that he was going to shut it down for the remainder of the year and prepare to have a surgical procedure to alleviate the pain in his right hip.

“I’ve talked to some family about it and I can’t quite utter those words quite yet,” Cobb said of announcing his retirement. “Obviously, I realize that’s a big possibility.”

Cobb, who has valiantly tried to fight his way back from inflammation and pain in both his right and left hip all season, said he had his moment of clarity walking off the field Tuesday in Lehigh Valley, Pa.

After being shut down for seven days, he was scheduled to pitch two innings for the Toledo Mud Hens, his fourth Triple-A rehab outing. He made it through one.

“After the seven days I had off, I had a clear answer walking off the mound that it wasn’t going to work,” Cobb said. “I’d done everything I could and that was the best it was ever going to get and it wasn’t an acceptable product to put on the field or something where I could look to AJ (Hinch) or Scott (Harris) and tell them, ‘You can count on me.’”

Cobb talked to the media via zoom from his home in Arizona Saturday, his voice choking with emotion throughout. He was asked if he could take solace in the fact that he did everything humanly possible to get back — including getting multiple injections, platelet-based and steroidal.

“At some point I will,” he said. “I don’t have that right now. I’m disappointed. I knew with my mind the uphill battle I was going to have this year once I had (the inflammation) early in spring. But in my heart, I have envisioned being on the that mound pitching in the postseason and I just didn’t do it.

“It’s just been more of a gut punch not being able to do it and coming to that realization and knowing what comes next in my career and life.”

The next step, Cobb said, is to have a procedure called hip resurfacing. He had a more traditional surgery on his left hip in 2024.

“Guys who I’ve talked to who have had it, their eyes light up and they get a smile on their face,” Cobb said. “They say it’s the best thing you can ever do when you are in that type of pain and your hip isn’t working and you just want not to be in that pain and there is a solution.

“It’s very exciting to know that is going to be available to me.”

Cobb, who pitched 13 seasons in the big leagues and was an All Star in 2023, signed a one-year, $15 million contract with the Tigers in the offseason and went through his normal offseason training regimen without even a hint of an injury.

“Working out, throwing, I had zero pain,” he said. “I signed with the Tigers, passed the physical, everything looked great. Three or four weeks later, I was ramping up (for spring training), I was getting off the mound, full-go.

“Then I literally woke up one day and couldn’t walk.”

The surgeon who worked on his left hip had forewarned him that he would likely have similar issues with his right hip.

“When I sent him the images (of his right hip), I could hear it in his voice,” Cobb said. “He just said, flat-out, he told me, ‘I’m so sorry, the pain you are in.’ I told him I was fine but you could tell he knew I wasn’t going to be fine.”

Cobb said, unbeknownst to him, he had arthritis in the right hip all along. It wasn’t debilitating at first but the cartilage eventually collapsed and he was left with the ball joint scraping on bone.

“I can handle the pain, easily,” he said. “But it’s when the pain and stuff aren’t matched up and you are unable to overcome the pain and have quality outings. For me to be in a position to earn the right to be on this team, I would need to be reliable and I’d need to be effective. And I wasn’t.

“I wasn’t ever going to get to that point. But I wasn’t going to give up.”

He thanked the Tigers’ medical staff and the trainers for all the efforts they put in on his behalf.

“We didn’t leave any stone unturned,” he said. “We did a lot. We did some stuff that isn’t the norm of the baseball world and they went out on a limb and took care of me and tried to make it happen. It got me to a point where I was pitching again.”

Cobb said he plans to be back in Detroit before the end of the season to line things up for the surgery.

“It’s an exciting time to be in that organization and to be a fan of that organization,” Cobb said. “What they’ve done is such a short period of time, it’s why I wanted to sign there. I believe in Scott and I believe in AJ and what they’re creating

“The hardest part is not being able to put that uniform on and go out on that field be a part of what I’ve been watching for the last five months.”

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Alex Cobb reacts after walking New York Yankees’ Anthony Volpe during the third inning in Game 1 of the baseball AL Championship Series Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in New York. Cobb has missed the entire season for the Detroit Tigers and is now opting for hip surgery. (GODOFREDO VASQUEZ — AP Photo, file)

Detroit Evening Report: Family Wellness Fair offers health and safety resources

✇WDET 101.9 FM
Hernz Laguerre

Family Wellness Fair in Pontiac

The InterFaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit is hosting a Family Wellness Fair on Thursday, August 21, from 3:30 to 6:15 p.m.

This event is dedicated to family health, safety, and community resources. It is open to all parents, caregivers, and community members.

The fair will feature information on maternal and infant wellness, child safety and development, social services, and community support. There will also be raffles and giveaways.

Location: 76 Williams St., Pontiac, Michigan
More information: detroitinterfaithcouncil.com | Facebook page

Additional headlines

Maternal and Infant Health Resource Fair

The Maternal and Infant Health Resource Fair takes place Wednesday, August 20, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Islamic Center of Detroit.

The event promotes the Advancing Healthy Births program and will include:
• Resources and access to healthcare professionals
• Activities for children
• Lead testing and health screenings
• Giveaways

Location: Islamic Center of Detroit
More information: icdonline.org | Event details on Facebook

Detroit launches first food composting program

The City of Detroit is launching its first food composting program, funded by a one-year, $100,000 grant from Carhartt.

The pilot program will provide free five-gallon composting buckets to the first 200 residents who enroll. Participants will drop off filled buckets at Detroit’s People’s Food Co-op on Woodward, where food scraps will be processed and transferred to local farms.

The goal is to process up to 220 pounds of food scraps each day and reduce landfill waste. The program also ties into Michigan’s 2030 statewide goal of diverting 50 percent of food waste from landfills.

More information and sign-up: detroitmi.gov

Michigan prepares wildfire smoke resource site

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is creating an online resource to help residents cope with wildfire smoke.

So far this summer, Canadian wildfire smoke has prompted 31 air quality warnings across Michigan. By comparison, 2023 saw fewer warnings but higher smoke concentrations.

The state’s new webpage will include:
• Links to air quality readings
• A sign-up for air quality notifications
• Answers to common wildfire smoke questions

EGLE officials say that while residents cannot control wildfire smoke, they can take steps to protect themselves.

Resource page: michigan.gov/egle/wildfire-smoke

Detroit Tigers face Houston Astros in key series

The Detroit Tigers continue their strong season with a three-game series against the Houston Astros at Comerica Park, beginning tonight at 6:40 p.m.

The Tigers hold a commanding lead in the American League Central Division, but playoff seeding could be influenced by this matchup. If the Tigers sweep the series, they would secure a potential tiebreaker advantage.

Learn more from the Detroit News

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Detroit Evening Report: Early voting open for Detroit primary

✇WDET 101.9 FM
Jerome Vaughn

Early voting underway in Detroit’s primary election

Early voting is underway in Detroit’s primary election. Voters can use an absentee ballot or cast their vote at one of the city’s eight early voting centers. Those centers are open this week from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Nine candidates are on the primary ballot vying to become Detroit’s next mayor. The top two vote-getters will go on to face each other in the November general election. Several candidates for City Council also appear on the primary ballot.

Early voting ends on Sunday. Detroiters can also vote in person on Primary Day, which is one week from today — Tuesday, August 5.

Learn more about upcoming elections with WDET’s 2025 Detroit Voter Guide »

Heavy storms cause flooding across Detroit

Many Detroiters spent part of the evening cleaning up after heavy thunderstorms rolled through the area Monday afternoon. Rain amounts varied widely across the region, but some Detroit streets were temporarily flooded by heavy rainfall.

The I-96 westbound exit ramp to the Southfield Freeway was backed up with heavy traffic and closed for a short time after the storms passed. At Metro Airport, several roads were closed by flooding, forcing passengers to scramble to make their flights.

Meteorologists say an area near Romulus received nearly three inches of rain in just an hour.

Detroit launches first municipal start-up fund

The City of Detroit and the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation have launched the city’s first municipal start-up fund. The fund will award 20 grants of $15,000 each and six additional grants of $50,000 each.

Detroit Economic Growth Corporation CEO Kevin Johnson says the grants will give new non-retail businesses a better chance to survive.

“Being an entrepreneur is a battle to survive. Ideas mean one thing, but when you can’t cultivate it to a point where it becomes a reasonable business, then we’re recycling old things that cause them to fail,” Johnson said.

Entrepreneurs must have been in business for at least two years and be based in Detroit to be eligible for the grants.

Reporting by Bre’Anna Tinsley

Gas prices drop in Metro Detroit

Gas prices are falling in Metro Detroit. The average price of self-serve regular is now $3.19 per gallon. That’s down three cents from last week and seven cents lower than a month ago.

The national average for gas is just over $3.13 per gallon.

Tigers trade for two pitchers ahead of MLB deadline

The Detroit Tigers have completed a trade just a few days before the Major League Baseball deadline.

The team was looking to bolster its pitching staff and received right-hand pitchers Chris Paddack and Randy Dobnak from the Minnesota Twins. In exchange, the Twins received catcher Enrique Jiminez and a minor league prospect.

The Tigers needed pitching help with Reese Olsen missing the rest of the regular season due to a shoulder sprain. He could return for the playoffs.

Detroit currently holds a record of 62 wins and 46 losses and sits in first place in the American League Central.

Support local journalism.

WDET strives to cover what’s happening in your community. As a public media institution, we maintain our ability to explore the music and culture of our region through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.

The post Detroit Evening Report: Early voting open for Detroit primary appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

Detroit Evening Report: Sailing center seeks support

✇WDET 101.9 FM
Hernz Laguerre


In this episode of The Detroit Evening Report, we highlight a community sailing center that’s looking for help. Plus, a preview of this weekend’s sports and more.

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

Sailing center seeks assistance

The Detroit Community Sailing Center is looking for support for its youth programs. The center’s mission is to spread the joy of sailing to communities who otherwise may not have the opportunity.

For years, the Challenge the Wind youth sailing program has taught hundreds of youth to sail. Staff say increased rent at the Belle Isle Boathouse, hikes in insurance premiums and increased boat maintenance costs have created financial challenges for such programs. To help them continue these efforts, visit sailingdetroit.org.

Arab and Chaldean Festival returns

This weekend, the 52nd Arab and Chaldean Festival is taking place at Hart Plaza in Detroit. On Saturday, July 26 and Sunday, July 27 from noon to midnight, the public is invited to a free, family-friendly event that features a variety of ethnic foods, a cultural gallery and impressive Middle Eastern live performances. There will also be folk dancers, kid-focused activities and a fashion show. This is the largest Arab and Chaldean-American cultural event in North America. To learn more, visit arabandchaldeanfestival.com.

Shinedown to perform at LCA

Multi-platinum rock band Shinedown is stopping by the Motor City today with a performance at Little Caesars Arena. They are celebrating their album, Dance, Kid, Dance, that debuted earlier this year. English rock band BUSH and singer-songwriter Morgan Wade will open up the show. For more information, go to visitdetroit.com.

Tigers v. Blue Jays

The Detroit Tigers continue to face the Toronto Blue Jays tonight at Comerica Park as part of a four-game weekend affair. The Tigers lost to the Blue Jays 11-4 in a tough match up where the Jays turned up and didn’t look back in the 6th inning. The Tigers are still on top of the American Central Division with 60 wins and 44 losses. The Blue Jays are on top of the American Central East with 61 wins and 42 losses. First pitch for today’s game is at 7:20 p.m.

DCFC v. Westchester

The Detroit City Football Club faces the Westchester Soccer Club as a part of the USL Cup at Keyworth Stadium on Saturday, July 26. They are currently ranked third in Group D with two wins and one loss. The game starts at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN 2. For more information, visit detroitcityfc.com.

Public media loses federal funding

Government funding for public media has been eliminated. That means WDET will lose $500,000 in cash and in-kind support for 2026. If you believe in fact-based journalism, community voices and music with depth — now’s the time to stand up for it.

Become one of the 1,000 additional members we need to close the gap. You’ll be supporting programs like The Detroit Evening Report. Give now at wdet.org/support.

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

Support local journalism.

WDET strives to cover what’s happening in your community. As a public media institution, we maintain our ability to explore the music and culture of our region through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.

The post Detroit Evening Report: Sailing center seeks support appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

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