Michigan’s September jobs report delayed by federal shutdown

Michigan could not publish its September jobs report because of the federal government shutdown.

The monthly jobs report shows the unemployment rate, the number of unemployed people, and other workforce information. It indicates which sectors of the economy are losing or gaining jobs — information important to academics, economists, government policymakers, and businesses.

The September data exists, but it hasn’t been shared because the employees who handle the report are furloughed.

The August report showed Michigan’s jobless rate was down slightly, largely because fewer people were looking for work.

Additional headlines for October 17, 2025

AB Ford Park reopens after $12 million renovation

The 34-acre AB Ford Park reopened this week after $12 million in renovations and cleanup.

The East Riverfront park now includes two new playgrounds, environmental remediation, a basketball court, riverwalk replacement, a nature meadow, and more. The park is next to the Community Center at AB Ford, which opened in 2023.

During the Cold War, AB Ford Park was a site for missile radar towers. The bases of two towers still stand in the park. Detroit City Walls plans to beautify those towers with a mural in spring 2026.

Detroit water aid program runs out of funds

A fund that helps Detroit water customers pay their bills has run out of state and federal money.

The Detroit Free Press reports the Water and Sewerage Department is restructuring its Lifeline Plan, which has helped thousands of customers since launching in 2022. Until now, most households on the plan paid as little as $18 a month for water.

The revised plan will raise monthly rates and serve fewer people in need.

Hamtramck councilmember to stand trial for election fraud

A Wayne County judge says enough evidence exists to try a Hamtramck City Council member for election fraud.

Prosecutors charged Mohammed Hassan with forging a woman’s signature on an absentee ballot in 2023. The Detroit News reports the woman did not vote in that election.

No Kings protests planned across Metro Detroit

A second round of No Kings protests is happening this Saturday, October 18, across the country — including several in Metro Detroit, such as at Roosevelt Park.

The protests are organized by the group 50501, which stands for “50 protests, 50 states, one movement.” Participants are protesting President Trump’s executive orders on immigration, foreign policy, federal spending cuts, civil rights, and more.

Organizers are asking people to wear yellow as a symbol of unity and hope.

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Southeast Michigan’s streams and rivers are studded by shadows of our industrial past. Henry Ford brought mass production of vehicles to the world, and he needed energy to power his industry. 

Old hydroelectric dams are still installed along the Rouge and Huron Rivers, but they’re crumbling and it’s becoming time to repair them, or remove them. 

In Michigan, the fate of these aging dams is still hotly debated in town halls and city council meetings. One of those place is Flat Rock, MI, where residents and local officials urged Huron-Clinton Metroparks not to remove the dam.

While the fate of Flat Rock Dam is still uncertain, 120 dams have been removed in Michigan, according to a database published by American Rivers, a river restoration nonprofit.

And dam removal brings a number of benefits for the waterway and surrounding areas, including: biodiversity and fish passage, water quality, and mitigation of catastrophic flooding in the case of dam failure.

So, what’s next for Michigan’s dams and rivers? What options do residents and lawmakers have? And, what opportunities are ahead for the Great Lakes state?

Elizabeth Riggs, the Great Lakes Regional Director for American Rivers, joined Robyn Vincent on the Metro to discuss.

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