Over the holidays, we’re sharing some of the stories Detroit Evening Report hosts produced for the radio this year. Today we hear a story from Nargis Rahman.   

Journalist Martina Guzman has created an AI-powered tool to monitor disinformation aimed at Spanish speakers via radio. 

The project is a part of Guzman’s work for the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights at Wayne State University’s Law School. They recently received a $350,000 grant to expand VERDAD which stands for Verifying and Exposing Disinformation and Discourse. 

Guzmán told Nargis Rahman the tool will now expand to all 50 states, into multiple languages and also globally. 

Additional headlines for Friday, Jan. 2, 2026

Women’s Hockey League returns

The ladies come to hockey town tomorrow as the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) returns to Little Caesars Arena for their Takeover Tour. The Vancouver Goldeneyes play the Boston Fleet Saturday at 7 p.m.

Detroit audiences have broken PWHL attendance records at previous games. 

The league will play in Detroit again March 28 when the New York Sirens and Montreal Victoire play.

The league expanded last year from 6 teams to 8 – adding Vancouver and Seattle. No Detroit team has been announced yet. 

Fullmoon Party

The Euphoria Flow Sisters will host a Fullmoon Party Saturday evening at the Congregation. The event offers a chance to de-stress, release negative energy and shove in some self-care after the holidays.

It is free and will include an “ecstatic dance.”

Windsor tarot reading

Start the new year with appreciation for our international border and a psychic reading. GQ Tarot and Celestial Spirit Tarot are hosting Beyond Resolutions! New Year Psychic Readings at Celeste’s Café in Windsor starting at 10 a.m. Saturday.

The event is scheduled to fall on the Full Wolf Supermoon – a time for emotional release and profound clarity.

Celeste’s Café is at 1295 Ottawa Street in Windsor. Pre-booking is strongly encouraged. Call 519-256-9859.  

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Over the holidays, we’re sharing some of the stories Detroit Evening Report hosts produced for the radio this year. Today we hear a story from Jerome Vaughn.   

October 2025 marked the 20^th anniversary of Rosa Parks’ death. She was 92 when she died in her Detroit home in 2005. WDET’s Jerome Vaughn covered the story at the time and WDET aired that story this fall to commemorate Parks’ life and passing. 

This is just part of Jerome Vaughn’s story commemorating the life and passing of Rosa Parks. You can hear the full story at wdet.org. 

Adults have a lot of options for ringing in the New Year. But we have some events to help little ones get in on the fun.

The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Legoland in Auburn Hills and United Skates in Lincoln Park are just some places with Noon Year’s Eve festivities for the whole family offered mid-day on Wednesday.

Find a link to Little Guide Detroit’s roundup of kid-friendly parties at littleguidedetroit.com. (https://littleguidedetroit.com/kid-friendly-new-years-eve-events-in-metro-detroit-2025/)  

The Detroit Film Theatre will screen three documentary shorts about Anishinaabe Food Sovereignty on Saturday, Jan. 3. The films will explore modern and historic gardening practices, an effort to restore the whitefish population and one woman’s journey to reconnect with her own heritage through the experience of harvesting wild rice.

The screening is at 2 p.m. on Jan. 3 and is scheduled as the DIA’s exhibit, Contemporary Anishinaabe Art: A Continuation, is on display until April 5^th. The film and exhibit are free to residents of Wayne… Oakland and Macomb Counties – or free with museum admission. For more information, visit dia.org/events. 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Great Lakes Water Authority says a new tunnel will divert excess stormwater from a sewer line along the Rouge River to an under-used wastewater treatment plant in southwest Detroit. The $87 million project is expected to take at least two years to complete. 

The agency expects the new tunnel will reduce the risk of flooding and sewage backups during heavy rains. State and federal grants are paying for the project, along with sewer rate revenue. 

Additional headlines for Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025

Blight removal update

A voter-approved initiative that helped fund an expedited blight removal program in 2020 will end next year. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan gave his final update on the program Monday. 

Duggan announced there are fewer than 1,000 abandoned homes left. That’s down from 47,000 in 2014. Of those remaining, 240 are scheduled to be demolished with the other 702 in the pipeline to be sold. 

Duggan says the final steps will focus on addressing contaminated soil from sites where contractors used polluted backfill. He says there is still a $15 million reserve to address backfill contaminated sites. 

Demolition begins for new DCFC field

Demolition work has begun on the old Southwest Detroit Hospital which has been abandoned since the early 90s. The site along Michigan Avenue is being cleared to make way for a new 15,000 seat soccer stadium where Detroit City Football Club will play its home games. 

AlumniFi Field, as the stadium will be known, is expected to host its first match in 2027. 

Renovations to prepare Little Caesars for WNBA

Detroit Downtown Development Authority has approved up to $5 million in cash toward the cost of renovations at the Little Caesars Arena for Detroit’s incoming WNBA team. 

Renovations include a new locker room, modifications of game officials’ locker rooms and visitor space. Work is expected to start in 2028. 

Detroit’s WNBA franchise will be the fifth professional team to play downtown – joining the city’s NBA, NHL, NFL and MLB teams. 

Sheffield names David Bowser as chief of staff

Detroit Mayor-Elect Mary Sheffield has named David Bowser as her Chief of Staff.

Bowser was her senior policy advisor during her campaign and is the director of her transition team. 

Bowser served as deputy director of the Housing and Revitalization Department, deputy director of the Community Health Corps and director of Human Services in the for Mayor Mike Duggan. 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

The scents of the season will be the focus of a pop-up event at Source Booksellers this weekend.

Terees Western is a “scent docent,” artisan perfumer and the owner of FragranTed. She says she explains the cultural, historical and emotional experience of scent the way a docent in a museum might explain a work of art.

Saturday, December 20 from 2-4 p.m. at Source Booksellers, Western will offer visitors a chance to craft a personal holiday scent.

She spoke to WDET’s Sascha Raiyn about the scents of the holidays and winter, and the event.

Detroit mayor-elect Mary Sheffield has chosen her deputy mayor.

Brian White has been her chief of staff during her time as city council president. White says he’ll help Sheffield deliver on her promises to spread Detroit’s growth into the neighborhoods. 

Sheffield has also announced she will keep Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison in his position. In a press statemen the Sheffield transition team credited Bettison with a record drop in violent crime across the city. Sheffield said the chief has the “respect of his peers…the loyalty of the rank and file… and the hearts and trust of the people.” 

Additional headlines from Tuesday, December 16, 2025

Federal childcare assistance

New federal bills would replicate a Michigan program to help with childcare in every state.

The “tri-share” childcare program splits the cost of childcare between income-eligible families, employers and the state. Republican Representatives Hillary Scholten and John James co-sponsored the bill.

If passed, the legislation would give states enough funding to run the programs for three years. 

Whitmer aims to improve reading scores

Governor Gretchen Whitmer says improving Michigan’s student reading skills will be her number one priority next year.

She told the Michigan Literacy Summit in Detroit that last year’s reading test scores show the need for urgent action. “Today, we’re 44th in the country in fourth grade reading. Just four in 10 third graders in Michigan read at grade level, and almost one in three Michigan students tests below average, and that’s what would call a crisis and the vast majority of the people of our state would agree.”

Whitmer says school districts need to focus on a small number of proven strategies to build reading skills, such as phonics.

She says she will share more details about her plans during her final State of the State address early next year. Kids Count ranked Michigan among the ten worst states in 4th and 8th grade reading scores. 

Detroit attorney joins the race for District 13 Representative

Detroit attorney Maurice Morton has announced he is running for Michigan’s 13^th Congressional District seat. Morton will challenge Democratic Representative Shri Thanedar as an independent. 

Financial aid information

The state’s last virtual FAFSA webinar of 2025 is this week.

The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education Advancement and Potential’s Student Aid and Access Outreach team offers online information sessions for students and families preparing to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form. 

The FAFSA is used by colleges and funding organizations to determine financial aid for students. The MiLEAP webinars also offer information on federal financial aid programs, state financial aid programs and resources for finding scholarships. The last FAFSA webinar of the year is Thursday, Dec.18 at 6:30 p.m. 

To register or to find a recording of a previous webinar, go here.

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

This year the Detroit School of the Arts will offer its Kwanzaa celebration to the public for the first time.

The program Seven Seeds, One Harvest: The Chronicles of Kwanzaa will feature African drumming, spoken word performances, visual art and a student-led fashion show.

The DSA has celebrated Kwanzaa since the 1990s. The annual event is sponsored by the dance department,  but incorporates the work of all seven arts majors at the school.

“Typically our Kwanzaa program is a school assembly because it’s designed as a cultural learning opportunity for students,” says DSA principal Mayowa Reynolds.

Reynolds introduced Kwanzaa to DSA when she was a new teacher at the school in 1999.  She credits current West African dance instructor Imani Ma’at AknhmenRa Amen Taylor with building the program to a level that’s ready for the masses.

Ma’at AknhmenRa Amen Taylor is a Kresge Arts Fellow and teaches West African dance to all of the dance majors and as physical fitness to all DSA students.

“The significance here at DSA is that as students who are going to go out into the world as artists, that they are deeply rooted in their own culture,” says Principal Mayowa Reynolds.

The event is also a fundraiser for dance students who have been invited to travel and train with the National Ballet of Guinea next year.

Seven Seeds, One Harvest: The Chronicles of Kwanzaa is Friday, December 12 at 7 p.m. at the Detroit School of the Arts at 123 Selden Street in Detroit.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan gave his exit interview at the Detroit Economic Club Monday.

He says he doesn’t plan to align himself with either party’s congressional races during his campaign for governor in 2026. Duggan was a lifelong Democrat until he decided to run for Whitmer’s seat. He says he’s not worried about how Michiganders vote in the U.S. House races.

“I am going to work with the people in both parties to get results that won’t get reversed every two years as the state flips back and forth. I’m going to try to do what I did in Detroit, convince people that actually solving problems is better politics than tearing each other down.”

Duggan says he plans to run his campaign for governor just like he ran his campaign for mayor—by meeting with voters directly.

His term as mayor ends in January. 

Additional headlines from Tuesday, December 9, 2025

Mayor-elect Sheffield gets married

Detroit Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield got married over the weekend. Her transition team confirmed social media chatter, saying she and Ricke Jackson, Jr. tied the knot in a private ceremony at The Godfrey Hotel on Sunday.

Jackson works for the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. He runs a youth sports program. 

Menorah in the D

Hanukkah starts Sunday and that means Menorah in the D! This will be the 15^th annual lighting of the 26 foot menorah. The event begins at 4:30 p.m. with the menorah lighting at 5:30 p.m.

There will be musical performances, strolling street performers, the Detroit Pistons Extreme Team, a chance to take photos with the Chanukah Mensch and Dreidel Man & the dancing Dreidels, and free soup and hot chocolate.

Pontiac welcomes new businesses

The City of Pontiac will celebrate several new additions to its downtown business community tomorrow with a “mass ribbon cutting.”

Eight new businesses will be welcomed to North Saginaw Street with ceremonies starting between noon and 4:00 p.m. Several of the new offices are opening in the building at 91 North Saginaw Street, including an emergency health training services organization, a salon, and a multicultural community center.

At 4:30 p.m. there will be a celebration of the one year anniversary of interior design firm Designed Mindfully. 

Free admission to history museums

Admission to the Dossin Great Lakes Museum and the Detroit Historical Museum is free Sunday, Dec. 14 and Dec. 21 this month.

The Dossin on Belle Isle highlights the maritime history of Michigan and the U.S. The Detroit Historical Museum is focused on the comprehensive history of Detroit.

You can find information about exhibits at both museums at detroithistorical.org.

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Merchants and organizations in the midtown area have organized a holiday event to keep the spirit of Noel Night going. The annual event’s 51^st run has been canceled. But almost 60 shops, restaurants, and community organizations have come together to launch “Merry Midtown” in the spirit of Noel Night.

City Bird’s Andy Linn says there will be concerts at the Detroit School of the Arts, exhibits at Wayne State, DJs at several sites and more.

“And there’s going to be pop up markets at about a dozen of the larger businesses including a really cool vintage and flea market at the majestic. And then there’s going to be live music at a number of locations including Red Hook and Motor City Brewing Works. There’s going to be so many little surprises.”

Business owners say Noel Night is often one of the most lucrative of the whole year – and also when many people discover small businesses in the area. They hope it returns next year, but Merry Midtown may also be here to stay.

For more information about Merry Midtown events visit citybirddetroit.com/events. 

Additional headlines from Tuesday, December 2, 2025

New Detroit lions

Detroit has welcomed three new lions at the Detroit Zoo.

A 9 year-old African lioness named Amirah gave birth to the cubs late last month. A fourth cub did not survive. The kitty cats are expected to meet the public in a few months.

Go Lions!

Pontiac’s Holiday Extravaganza

Pontiac is hosting its 44^th Holiday Extravaganza Saturday. There will be a 5K Elf Run, a “Run, Little Elf” Run, a holiday parade, pony rides, winter festival, a visit from the Clauses and more.

The event is a holiday celebration for Pontiac, Auburn Hills, Waterford and White Lake. It starts at 8 a.m. and runs until 2 p.m. around Saginaw Street in downtown Pontiac.  

Dry autumn

This fall was metro Detroit’s driest autumn since 1998. The National Weather Service’s preliminary data show we got just over four inches of rain, the least amount of precipitation for any fall this century.

That also ranks as the tenth driest autumn in southeast Michigan since the government started keeping records in 1874. 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Detroit Department of Transportation will be adding 53 new buses to its fleet thanks to a $50 million federal grant. That’s in addition to the 76 busses DDOT purchased in the last two years.

Mayor Mike Duggan says the new purchase will replace more than 40% of Detroit’s bus fleet. Many of the new buses will operate out of the $160 million rebuilt Coolidge Terminal on Detroit’s west side.  

Additional headlines from Tuesday, November 25, 2025

Gun Violence Prevention Task Force

Michigan’s Gun Violence Prevention Task Force is making its final recommendations, including giving out free gun locks and banning certain types of weapons.

Members say the changes would help the state enforce its existing gun safety laws more effectively. Other recommendations include creating a statewide school safety tip line and standardized training for school resource officers.

Pro-gun lawmakers have resisted supporting some of the goals, such as raising the firearms purchase age and banning high-capacity magazines. 

Billups pleads not guilty in sports gambling scheme

Former Detroit Pistons star Chauncey Billups is pleading not guilty to charges that he conspired with the Mafia to help rig poker games. 

The federal government accuses Billups of being part of a criminal ring that used celebrity athletes to draw in poker players, then manipulated the games to make them lose. Prosecutors say the scheme de-frauded victims of roughly $7 million, and claim Billups and other sports stars received a portion of the proceeds.

Billups, a hall of fame player and coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, denies the allegations. 

His attorney calls Billups a “man of integrity” who would not risk his reputation or freedom for anything—let alone a card game. He is currently free on a $5 million bond.

Both the money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy charges against Billups carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. 

Merry Midtown

Noel Night has been canceled this year, but midtown businesses are working together to make sure the first Saturday in December remains festive – and lucrative – for the area.

Businesses are working together to host Merry Midtown on Dec. 6. Stores, restaurants and organizations will have performances, crafts, special deals and other offerings in the afternoon and evening.

Merry Midtown – a festive evening in the spirit of Noel Night starts at 5 p.m. throughout the Midtown area.

A Noel Afternoon

The Detroit Public Library has its own alternate programming to replace its annual Noel Night festivities.

A Noel Afternoon will offer crafting, performances from the Nutcracker ballet, Dickens-themed carolers, the Detroit Youth Choir, Dutch Girl donuts, Good cookies, hot cider, a visit by Mr. and Mrs. Claus and more.

A Noel Afternoon is Saturday, December 6 from 10:30 a.m. til 6 p.m. at the Main Library at 5201 Woodward Avenue.

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

The March of Dimes says Detroit has the most premature births among the 100 U.S. cities with the highest birth rates. The study found 1 in 6 babies in Detroit are born before the 37th week of gestation.

The organization points to high rates of chronic illness as one of the reasons for that high rate, as well as disparities in healthcare for Black people.

This summer, the National Institutes of Health canceled a study of premature births in Detroit as part of the Trump administration’s crackdown on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.  

Additional headlines from Tuesday, November 18, 2025

Wayne County wrongful convictions

A new report released by the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office details ways it can avoid wrongful convictions. 
The study specifically looks at the case of Eric Anderson—a Detroit man convicted of robbery in 2010 who was wrongfully imprisoned for nine years.

The report was conducted through the Wayne County Sentinel Event Review Team which is made up of law enforcement, judges and innocence projects at Michigan State and the University of Pennsylvania.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy says the investigation was successful because it sought to find ways to avoid wrongful prosecutions, not hold anyone accountable. 

“This process was not a process that assigned and assessed blame or finger pointing. It was very important to me and I think everybody that that be done, so we can have honest discussions and have honest recommendations and honest vehicles to make these changes.”

The report lists 25 ways for police, prosecutors and judges to improve, including reducing reliance on a single eye-witness and improving funding for public defenders.

So far, 43 people have been released from prison based on the efforts of the Wayne County Sentinel Event Review Team, most of whom were sentenced to mandatory life sentences.  

Riverwalk construction

Part of the Riverwalk between Beaubien and Rivard will be closed Thursday through the spring for utility improvements on 1-375. Pedestrians and cyclists wit be rerouted to Atwater Street until mid-December. After that, they will be directed to Franklin Street.

The Michigan Department of Transportation says a new storm sewer along Schweizer Place down to the river is being installed. MDOT says the updates will support cleaner water being discharged into the Detroit River and relieve pressure on the city’s sewer system. 

Thanksgiving food collection

Midtown coffeeshop Simply Roasted and Mindful Bakery Yumaste are partnering with Gleaners to collect food ahead of Thanksgiving.

They invite the community to drop off unexpired and non-perishable food items at 4240 Cass Avenue through Thanksgiving Day. Canned chicken, tuna, beans, soups, vegetables and fruits as well as oatmeal and cereals are especially needed.

For information on how to give, other organizations collecting food and food distributions visit gcfb.org. 

Train party

Carbon Athletic Club is hosting its annual Holiday Train Party Saturday.

The CPKC Holiday Train starts its 27^th annual trek through Canada and the U.S. Wednesday and makes a stop in Windsor Saturday before passing through Detroit.

The Windsor event will feature live performances by Smash Mouth and JJ Wilde. The train does not stop in Detroit but is expected to roll by the Carbon Athletic Club sometime between 6 and 11 p.m. on Nov. 22.

The Carbon Athletic Club is a members-only social club founded in the Delray neighborhood in 1947. The Holiday Train Party is its biggest fundraiser of the year. Tickets are $10 and available at carbonathleticclub.com or at the door. 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Advocates push back on candidate’s Dearborn march

A Muslim civil rights organization is advising Dearborn residents to ignore what it calls an “Islamophobic publicity stunt” by a Republican gubernatorial candidate. Anthony Hudson says he plans to march through Dearborn Tuesday “to protect Americans from Sharia law.” At an October debate for Republicans running for Governor, the Genesee County man said he would deploy the National Guard to Dearborn if elected.

The Michigan chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations says it has responded to a number of threats against Michigan Muslims and mosques lately. This week, an Illinois man who allegedly made threats against a Dearborn Heights mosque was arrested. A Virginia man faces terrorism charges for allegations he threatened to kill Muslims at a Michigan mosque and law enforcement officials identified a Texas man they say made threatening calls to the Islamic Institute of America in Dearborn Heights.

The national CAIR office says it distributed a formal memo to every member of Congress last month, warning of the “anti-Sharia hoax” as a part of anti-Islamic propaganda.

Additional headlines for November 14, 2025

DTE seeks gas rate increase

DTE is asking to raise residential gas rates by almost 8 percent. Planet Detroit reports the request comes a year after the utility raised prices more than 2 percent and as federal money to help utility customers is in doubt. The Michigan Public Service Commission has 10 months to decide on the rate hike.

https://planetdetroit.org/2025/11/dte-gas-rate-hike-proposal/ 

Michigan launches MIVeteran app

The state has launched a tool aimed at supporting veterans and service members transitioning back to civilian life. MIVeteran is an app designed to help veterans navigate benefits and resources available to them. Resources and information on the app include: DD-214 requests, state benefits, employment, education, housing, and healthcare resources, and a guide to benefits for transitioning service members. The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency says it created the app as a part of its work to make Michigan a great place for veterans and their families. The MIVeteran app is free and can be downloaded from the Apple and Google app stores.

State seeks input on services for older adults

The state is wrapping up its series of community conversations around gaps in services for older adults next week. None of the remaining events are in Southeast Michigan, but a survey will be live until December 15th. The Bureau of Aging Community Living and Supports is collecting input for a new state plan on aging. The survey can be completed online or downloaded and mailed in.

Download and mail the survey about older adults in Michigan

Complete the survey online

Threads of Time market returns to the Fisher Building

More than 20 vendors will offer their wares at the Threads of Time: Vintage Market Saturday. The free event is set against the backdrop of the Fisher Building’s timeless beauty. Visitors can shop for apparel, accessories and housewares. Food and drink will also be for sale. The event runs from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. It is hosted by the Peacock Room.

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

It’s Election Day, and voters in Detroit will have a new mayor and city council members.

Dearborn voters decide whether to keep Mayor Abdullah Hammoud or elect Nagi Almudhegi, and whether to change how city council members are elected.

Hamtramck will have a new mayor. The city’s former Mayor Amer Ghalib was nominated by President Trump to be Ambassador to Kuwait. Pontiac voters choose between Kermit Williams, Mike McGuinness and a couple of write-in candidates to lead their city.

Some cities also vote to fund schools, parks and public safety. 

Additional headlines from Tuesday, November 4, 2o25

Full SNAP funding stalled in federal government shutdown

People lined up in the rain at a food pantry in Pontiac Monday as SNAP benefits were set to run out.

Forced by a court order, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released some money for the federal food assistance program. Full funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is unavailable due to the ongoing government shutdown. 

Speaking at Lighthouse, a non-profit food pantry in Pontiac, Michigan U.S. Senator Gary Peters says he doesn’t understand why Republicans are willing to have people starve as a part a negotiation tactic. “Why there’s suddenly this turn to now cut these funds off and make people hungry? I think is outrageous, and the American public needs to speak out about that.” 

In the new budget to fund the federal government, Republican leadership—and President Trump—want to make more cuts to social safety net programs and governmental agencies. Democrats have refused to sign off on a compromise bill that doesn’t include a continuation of tax breaks for people on Medicaid. 

Health care advocates raise alarm on rising insurance rates

Health care advocates worry that rising Affordable Care Act insurance rates may put the health of tens of thousands of Michigan residents at risk. More than a half million people in the state get their coverage through the ACA marketplace. But rates for next year are jumping by double digit percentages. 

Doctor Aisha Harris practices family medicine in Flint. She fears many of her patients will drop their coverage because they can’t afford it. “I know what America’s health status is and it’s not as healthy as people think. And so this is going to be detrimental to like how we’re thriving as a country because now people can’t take care of themselves.”

Democrats want Congress to restore the tax credit that reduced prices in the ACA system as part of a deal to reopen the federal government. Republicans say they are willing to negotiate, but only after Democrats vote to end the shutdown. 

MDHSS encourages COVID vaccinations

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is urging people to get their COVID shots this fall.

COVID-19 shots are recommended for all infants 6–23 months, and kids ages 2–18 years old, all pregnant women, and adults between 18 and 50—especially for those with any risk factors, including those who have never been vaccinated before.

COVID-19 vaccines are available at local health departments for free of charge to Michigan residents. 

Local organization makes soup weekly 

Together We Eat will offer soups made from local ingredients to the community on Fridays throughout November.

The event is presented by the East Warren Development Corp in response to SNAP benefit cuts. Soup, bread and water will be provided from 4-6 p.m. at the East Warren Kitchen at16835 E Warren Ave.  

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Syrians in the U.S. under Temporary Protected Status may no longer be able to live and work in the U.S. as soon as next month. 

The Department of Homeland Security says since the civil war in Syria ended last year, people who sought TPS status here no longer face life-threatening danger if they return. 

Jad Salamey, civil rights and immigration attorney for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Michigan chapter, says “Current administration and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem determined that the conditions for TPS no longer exist in Syria, and that essentially, it’s safe enough and there’s no serious threat for Syrians to be kept away from returning to Syria.” Salamey says the change in status will affect about 6,000 Syrians. 

Michigan is home to about 15,000 Syrian Americans. 

He says Syrian TPS holders must apply for a different immigration status or prepare to self-deport by November 21. “The Trump administration has offered Syrians, who leave voluntarily, a free airline ticket and $1,000 departure bonus, if that is what they want to do. But if not they want to stay here, maybe they have family connections. I strongly recommend getting legal assistance as soon as possible.” 

Salamey says CAIR Michigan is getting calls from people about TPS and other immigration assistance. 

Additional headlines from Tuesday, October 28, 2025

Solar neighborhoods begin construction

Construction on the first of five solar neighborhoods has officially begun. It started on approximately 42 acres of blighted land in the Van Dyke/ Lynch area on Monday. 

Two years ago, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced the plan to convert 165 acres of vacant and blighted land into solar farms to offset the electricity used at 127 municipal buildings. Duggan says demand for energy continues to rise and the solar project will help mitigate those demands. “We’re still importing energy, and the demands being placed are enormous. We’re going to need every source of energy that we can get, and to be able to do it with renewable energy is such an important step forward.” 

The first solar neighborhood is expected to be completed early next year. The Houston Whittier/ Hayes neighborhood will break ground in the Spring of 2026. All five neighborhoods are expected to be up and running by the first quarter of 2027. 

Sno-City film screening at WSU

A film screening on Wayne State’s campus next week supports ski programs for students at Detroit’s University Prep and Hamtramck High School.

Sno-City is a film by Warren Miller and will be screened at Wayne’s Community Arts Auditorium Saturday November 7. The event is sponsored by SOS Outreach and Crystal Community Ski Club.

Money raised will go toward a 3-day ski trip for students at Crystal Mountain in March. For more information and for tickets, go here.

Indigenous representation in media

The Henry Ford will host journalist and Cherokee Nation citizen Rebecca Nagle for a discussion on representation and erasure of indigenous people in the news and other media.

“We’re Still Here: Fighting Indigenous Erasure in the Media” is Saturday November 8 at 1 p.m. in the Anderson Theater. For more information and tickets go to thehenryford.org/current-events. 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

The state health department is working with Forgotten Harvest to make sure people in Southeast Michigan have access to healthy food.  

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services launched On-the-Go pantries last month. MDHHS offices across Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties host pantry days and accept individuals and families by appointment to pick up fresh produce, grains and proteins.

Pantries may also have halal and kosher items available at some sites.

The Madison Heights office hosted an On-the-Go pantry today. The agency is reminding residents about the pantries and other food resources after the U.S. Department of Agriculture told states that the government shutdown may keep families from accessing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – or SNAP – support in November.  

Forgotten Harvest has many more resources for families looking for food assistance. For information about food distribution locations or to donate visit forgottenharvest.org/find-food. Appointments to shop at the Forgotten Harvest Community Choice Market can be made by calling 248-268-7756. 

Additional headlines from Tuesday, October 21, 2025

Funding cuts impact educational TV service

The new state budget cuts funding to the Michigan Learning Channel.

The project was a statewide collaboration between Michigan public television stations and one station in Indiana. It was founded in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic to provided educational content to students and families at a time when most children were learning at home. 

The 3 million dollars the Michigan Learning Channel requested from the legislature was a part of both state senate and house plans going into final budget talks. The network says it has the funding to continue broadcasting through fiscal year 2026. It’s not clear whether the cuts will result in layoffs for the channel’s 5 staffers located at several stations throughout the network or how individual stations will be impacted.

Congress voted to cancel funding to public television and radio stations in August. 

‘Hocus Pocus’ movie night

The Pontiac Youth Recreation and Enrichment office is hosting a drive-in movie night at City Hall Saturday. Attendees will be treated with a double feature: Hocus Pocus and Hocus Pocus 2. Popcorn and beverages will be available.

Festivities start at 7 p.m. Saturday night at 47450 Woodward in the City Hall parking lot. More information at pontiacrecreation.recdesk.com.

Halloween ice skate event Saturday

The Dearborn Ice Skating Center is inviting the community to a Halloween Skate Saturday. 

Younguns can come in costume to win prizes. Old ones are welcome too. There will be interactive on-ice games and Halloween-themed music and decorations. Tickets are $13 and include skate rental.

Costumes with loose items that obstruct vision or that may otherwise be unsafe for skaters will not be allowed on the ice. Get tickets at disc.activityreg.com. 

Dogs in costume for Palmer Park parade

You can let the dogs out this Sunday. Palmer Park’s Doggie Fashion Parade and Howl-O-Ween Party is from 2-4 p.m. at the Palmer Park Dog Park at 1655 W 7 Mile Road.

Participants get doggie bags full of goodies and humans get refreshments, too. To register in advance go to palmerparkunleashed.com. 

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

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A startup competition is soliciting business proposals from Indigenous entrepreneurs in Michigan. It’s called IndigiPitch, and it’s organized by 20 Fathoms, a tech startup incubator in northern Michigan.

Chief Financial Officer and Tribal Liaison Shiloh Slomsky says Native communities face more barriers to getting a business off the ground than other groups. “Number one is capital or access to representation at pitch events, or in front of venture capitals and even banking.”

IndigiPitch will place entrepreneurs in front of investors. A panel of Indigenous judges will choose the winners in December and award cash prizes.

-MPRN

Additional headlines from Tuesday, October 14, 2025

Daring Ideas for the Future

Urban Consulate’s Daring Ideas for the Future series will bring 3 MacArthur “geniuses” to Detroit this fall.

Pulitzer Prize winner and creator of the 1619 Project Nikole Hannah-Jones will speak with Outlier Media CEO Orland Jones on October 22. Jones will lead a discussion with author Jason Reynolds and opinion writer Tressie McMillan Cottom on November 19.

The Daring Ideas for the Future conversation series invites the community to “imagine and shape” a more just and equitable future. Both events will be held at the Garden Theater.

Admission is free but registration is required. For more information visit urbanconsulate.com/daringfuture 

Detroit Free Press Marathon 

The Detroit Free Press Marathon is this Sunday and organizers are inviting the community to come out to cheer the runners on.

Runners in the International Marathon, the International Half-Marathon and the Motor City Half-Marathon versions of the race will wind through parts of Midtown, the Cass Corridor, Eastern Market and downtown.

Police will start towing cars along the marathon route at around 2 a.m. Sunday morning and keep streets blocked until 2 p.m.

Check marathon routes and get more information at freepmarathon.com/marathon/ 

Halloween at Michigan Central Station

Michigan Central is hosting Halloween at the Station. The free family events includes an Outdoor Festival on the Michigan Central Lawn and LaCombe Street with an interactive science station arts and crafts, a selfie station, airbrush tattoos, cider, doughnuts and more.

Inside, DJ Dez Andres will be holding down the Halloween edition of Fridays at the Station with Gabriel Duran Band and percussionist Dez doing a bachata set, DJ Cisco spinning Detroit classics and global grooves, Motor City Street Dance Academy performing and teaching, and live painting by demaciiio.

Costumes are encouraged but masks are not allowed. Both events are free. No registration is required for the outdoor festival. Register for Fridays at the Station at michigancentral.com/events/ 

No Kings rallies this weekend

People in more than a hundred Michigan communities plan to join nationwide protests against the Trump administration this Saturday.

That includes a “No Kings” rally at Roosevelt Park in Corktown, at Parkwood Plaza in Oak Park, and at Lathrup Village City Hall. Millions attended similar demonstrations across the country in June.  

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

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The Detroit Police Department and Mayor Mike Duggan say crime dropped during the first three quarters of this year. Carjackings, homicides, and non-fatal shootings are all down.

President Donald Trump has deployed the National Guard in several cities across the country to help reduce what he perceives as high crime. Duggan says he wouldn’t support the National Guard being sent to Detroit. He says he doesn’t think they would be effective, and used the example of a shooting early Monday morning where a teenager was killed.

“Had you deployed the National Guard again in this city? You’re talking about 144 square miles, I doubt anybody would have had the National Guard at 7:30 on a Monday morning at Littlefield in West Chicago. That’s not a practical way to do it. But I can assure you that right now, our CVI groups are figuring out who might be looking to retaliate against somebody and intervening.”

Duggan praised efforts from community violence intervention programs as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration. 

Additional headlines from Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Count Day attendance increases

Chalkbeat Detroit reports almost 500 more students showed up on October first than on Count Day last fall. Those numbers may still get a bit higher since the district can count students who show up for school up to 10 days after the designated day.

The final count will be used to determine how much money the district will get from the state.

Interfaith educational tour showcases Detroit’s Muslim community

The Interfaith Leadership Council of Metro Detroit is inviting Metro Detroiters to An Educational Tour of Metro Detroit’s Muslim Faith Communities later this month. Attendees will visit the Muslim Center Mosque and the Islamic Center of America. Lunch and transportation are provided.

The tour is October 23 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Neighborhood Vitality Index survey

Congress of Communities is encouraging residents to take the Neighborhood Vitality Index survey.

The survey takes about 20 minutes and collects information about the experiences and concerns of Detroit residents – from safety to healthcare to community resources. Survey takers will receive a $25 gift card.

For more information, and to see data from the 2024 survey, go to nvidetroit.org/survey. 

Legacy Tour celebrates Detroit’s Black professionals, HBCU alum

The Legacy Tour will spotlight Black professional excellence and historically Black college and university culture at events in Detroit this weekend.

Attendees will dress to impress at Suits and Stilettos at Fixins Soul Kitchen Friday night. On Saturday, HBCU alum are invited to ‘rock’ their school colors and Greek gear for the Rep Your Legacy Day Party at the Locker Room Lounge.

For tickets and information go to thelegacytour.myle.com.  

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Detroit Outdoors has taken a group of students and teachers to Yosemite National Park for the second time.

The Detroit to Gloryland journey is designed to introduce youth to outdoor activities like camping and rock climbing and pick up on some history.

The group travels to Yosemite in late July so they are in there during National Buffalo Soldier Day, and within reach of the park system’s expert on the history of Buffalo Soldiers in the park.

Shelton Johnson is a native Detroiter, an alum of Cass Technical High School and a park ranger. He has worked to collect the narratives of the Black and other non-white soldiers who served as Yosemite’s first rangers and share their individual and collective stories.

WDET’s Sascha Raiyn got to travel with the students both years. You can hear stories from the first Detroit to Gloryland trip and learn more about Shelton Johnson in 2024 here.

‘Gloryland’ veterans speak

It was Cass Tech High School Junior Tiffany Orr’s first-time camping and first-time in Yosemite. She interviewed the three students who came on the trip for a second time: Jaiden Nedd, Cameron Thomas and Arcia Quinn.

Expressing Yosemite: a poet’s guide to being in nature

Poet and author Jacqueline Suskind traveled with the students. Suskind’s work focuses on her relationship to nature – and on teaching others to explore their own relationships to nature — through writing.

Students had an inside guide to Yosemite this year

Robel Fessehatzion is a landscape photographer who works at and with Yosemite National Park.

He met the students who traveled from Detroit to Yosemite on the 2024 trip.

This year, Fessehatzion introduced the students to the people, places and history that shape his relationship to Yosemite.

He also gave them a little lesson in landscape photography.

A look at how Detroit Outdoors gets it done

Moving more than 20 people across the country to camp — many for the first time — is a big undertaking. We take a look at the logisitcs of the trip.

‘Gloryland’ first-timers speak

Sascha Raiyn gave her recorder to Pershing student Eva Effinger and Hamtramck High grad Nora Algahaim. They interviewed each other — on the one night the campers had very loud neighbors. They talked about their first camping experience and starting the trip not feeling so well.

To learn more and see photos of the experience, check out the Detroit Outdoors Instagram account. 

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.

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Michigan’s teachers’ unions will gather in Lansing Wednesday in an effort to get lawmakers to pass a budget.

The American Federation of Teachers-Michigan and Michigan Education Association “lobby day” happens just a week before the state deadline to pass a budget. Public schools, community colleges and public universities have started the academic year without information about their funding. 

If the Republican House and Democratic Senate don’t agree on a budget by October 1, the state government could shut down.

AFT President Randi Weingarten will discuss state and federal education issues at a public education town hall at Eastpointe High School Monday.

Additional headlines for Tuesday, September 23, 2025

Detroit schools recognized for reducing absenteeism

Pulaski Elementary-Middle School in Detroit has had the biggest decrease in chronic absenteeism in the state. Chalkbeat Detroit is reporting that chronic absenteeism at the school has dropped more than 47.5 percentage points in the last six years.

In a report released last week, 14 of the top 15 schools with the most success in addressing the problem were Detroit schools.

The state considers students who miss about 18 days of the typically 180 day school year chronically absent.

Applications open for entrepreneurial Trailhead program

The Arab American Chamber of Commerce Tejara Innovation Hub has opened applications for its Trailhead program. The 6-week course provides support for new and aspiring entrepreneurs with up to a thousand dollars in funding and $2500 in support services.

Applications close October 7.

National Public Lands Day

Entrance to Michigan’s National Parks is free on Saturday in honor of National Public Lands Day.

National Parks in Michigan include Isle Royal and Pictured Rocks in Lake Superior and Sleeping Ber Dunes on the shores of Lake Michigan. River Raisin National Battlefield Park in Monroe is the closest national park to Detroit.

Mountain Bike Ramble

The Friends of Rouge Park are hosting the third annual Mountain Bike Ramble October 11 from noon to 5 p.m. at Tireman and Outer Drive.

Rouge has the only mountain bike trail in the city and started the event in 2023 to give youth and inexperienced riders a chance to learn from seasoned mountain bike riders.

The event is free. Bikes and helmets are provided, as are hot chocolate and snacks.

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