Flu cases are on the rise across Michigan. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control say the state has a “very high” level of doctors’ visits for respiratory illnesses. That’s the top category in the country.
Doctors recommend children and adults over 65 get a flu vaccine to prevent serious illness and limit the risk of hospitalization. Officials say only about a quarter of Michigan residents have received a flu vaccine this season.
The state says 8% of emergency room visits last week were because of flu-related illnesses.
Additional headlines for Jan. 7, 2026
Homicides fall
The number of homicides in Detroit continues to fall.
The city had 165 murders last year. That’s the lowest number since 1964.
The police department says other crimes, such as non-fatal shootings and carjackings also fell last year.
DTE introduces new fee
DTE Energy will soon begin charging a fee for customers who pay their bills by credit or debit card. That’s according to the Detroit Free Press. Residential customers will pay $2.99 per transaction. Business customers will be charged $9.99 per transaction when they pay by debit or credit. The Detroit utility says the fee will go directly to third party vendors who process those payments. The change is set to take effect on March 2nd.
Gas prices
Gas prices have risen slightly in metro Detroit over the past week, but they remain below $3 per gallon. Triple A Michigan says the average price of a gallon of self-serve unleaded is $2.83. That’s up about five cents from a week ago. Last year at this time, Detroiters were paying an average of $3.!0 per gallon.
Temperature rising
Detroiters can expect a bit of a weather warm-up in the next couple of days. The National Weather Service says temperatures will rise into the upper 40s tomorrow and we might even break a record with a high forecast to be in the upper 50s on Friday.
The reality of winter returns on Sunday and Monday though, with highs in the 30s.
Morton fired
The Detroit Lions have fired offensive coordinator John Morton after a disappointing season. The team failed to make the playoffs this year with a record of nine wins and eight losses.
Morton called plays for the offense in the first 10 games of the year, but head coach Dan Campbell was not pleased with the team’s inconsistent performance. Campbell took over offensive play-calling duties in game 11.
Morton became offensive coordinator last year after the departure of Ben Johnson, who left the Lions to become the head coach of the Chicago Bears. Chicago won the NFC north division this season and is headed to the playoffs. The Lions finished last in the division this season.
Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.
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.
Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield took office on New Year’s Day. But she’s celebrating her achievement with a public swearing-in ceremony this week.
Detroit City Council members, police commissioners and the City Clerk will also take part. The ceremony at the Detroit Opera House features poetry and music performances as well.
Sheffield is the first woman ever elected mayor of Detroit. She says her team is developing an action plan for her first 100 days with input from the community. But she’s also retaining several key officials from the past mayoral administration including the corporation counsel—the city’s top lawyer—and Detroit’s fire commissioner.
Sheffield also announced today that the city will join a program that gives financial support to pregnant women and infants. The city has already raised 9 million dollars to participate in RX Kids. It’s looking for $2 million to fund the program for 3 years.
Sheffield says she hopes to secure the funding to launch the program within her first 100 days.
Additional headlines for Monday, Jan. 5, 2026
State utility regulators demand more transparency
DTE Energy, Consumers Energy, and other regulated utilities in Michigan must do more to inform customers about potential rate hikes. This is because of a new order by state utility regulators.
The Michigan Public Service Commission wants to increase customer participation in utility issues, including cases that set new rates. After March, regulated electric utilities must inform customers when they asked for higher rates, and how much their bills would go up if that amount is approved.
There’s concern that this could confuse people, since rarely do utilities get their full requested amount. But supporters of the change say advance notice will let more people find out about and comment on potential rate hikes before the cases are resolved.
Gas prices
Michigan gas prices have dropped 11 cents since last week. According to the auto group AAA, you can get regular unleaded for $2.70. This new price is 18 cents less than a month ago and 44 cents less than this time last year, making this new price the lowest since February of 2021.
The US strikes in Venezuela this weekend don’t seem to have impacted oil prices just yet, according to AAA. The organization also says Venezuela crude oil exports have been limited due to the sanctions in the last couple of years.
Sports updates
NFL
The Lions beat the Chicago Bears 19-16 yesterday with a walk off field goal kick from Jake Bates, ending the season with a winning record. Now all eyes are on the off season, the NFL draft and seeing how they will bounce back for the 2026 season.
NBA
The Pistons beat the Cleveland Cavaliers yesterday 114-110 and remain on top of the Eastern Conference. Their next game is today at Little Caesars against the New York Knicks and again at Little Caesars on Wednesday against the Chicago Bulls.
Tip off for both is at 7:00 p.m.
NHL
The Red Wings play against the Ottawa Senators tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Canadian Tire Centre. The Red Wings are currently third in the Atlantic Division.
Carl Thomas performs
And R&B singer Carl Thomas known for his smash 2000 hit “I Wish” will be performing at Sound Board on Sunday Jan. 11, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
The artist from Illinois hit the Billboard Top Hot 100 and peaked at 20. And this year marks the 26th anniversary of his debut studio album “Emotional.”
Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.
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.
Tenants of Detroit’s historic Leland House plan to rally Saturday afternoon, accusing city officials of blocking them from retrieving their belongings after a sudden evacuation earlier this month and raising alarms about what they call a “hostile takeover” of the troubled and storied downtown building.
The first floor of the historic Leland House in downtown Detroit felt as cold as the street outside. That’s where Dianne Lamb stood on a recent morning, bundled in a hooded winter coat, her breath visible in the unheated air. She’d slept two hours and was worn out from packing. For the past 12 years, […]
State energy regulators heard from people last night who oppose a large data center project near Saline. The Michigan Public Service Commission held a virtual hearing on DTE Energy’s request to fast-track contracts with the project’s developers.
The data center would require DTE Energy to substantially increase its peak electrical load. The company says that won’t raise customer’s rate.
Cadillac resident Cody Gilbert spoke at the hearing. Gilbert is concerned about how the data center would affect that state’s goal to be carbon neutral by 2050.
“A project that uses thousands of gallons of water and tons of electricity, enough for thousands of home is not advancing that goal.”
Opponents say the facility would draw almost as much power as the city of Detroit.
Protestors rallied Wednesday in Beacon Park near DTE Headquarters.
Elijah Williams lives in Detroit but is originally from Mississippi.
He says he feels his home state and Michigan are attractive to data companies because they have access to the large amounts of water needed to cool a data center.
“The access to the Great Lakes… they’re definitely taking advantage of whatever God-given resource in order to just implement whatever quantum…. whatever new level of science and technology that they haven’t got consent from the people on if they even want it in the first place.”
Sarah Brabbs is from York Township, next to Saline. While she is not totally opposed to the data center, she says she isn’t a fan of DTE trying to keep the public out of the process.
“Putting rate payers in a situation that you know we will be paying for…probably on multiple levels…is disingenuous, dysfunctional…and unacceptable.”
DTE said the data center’s operators would pay for the energy they use, almost 1.5 gigawatts.
Additional headlines from Thursday, December 4, 2025
VERDAD tool
Wayne State’s Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights received a $350 thousand grant for its AI powered tool “VERDAD”, which stands for Verifying and Exposing Disinformation and Discourse.”
VERDAD founder and journalist Martina Guzman says the tool started monitoring ethnic radio stations for disinformation in Latino communities.
“The tool records 24 hours a day… And once it hears misinformation… And it hears it based on hundreds and hundreds of disinformation keywords that we’ve uploaded into its system… once it hears one of those words, it begins to really focus and it has an analysis component.”
Since VERDAD launched last year, more than 320 academics and journalists have registered to use the free tool. It will expand to all 50 states in multiple languages, including Arabic, Haitian Creole, and Vietnamese.
Robocop statue
A long awaited 11-foot-tall bronze sculpture of Robocop has finally taken its permanent place in Eastern Market. The statue is located at 3434 Russell St.
Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.
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.
Michigan residents demanded more scrutiny of the plan to provide electricity to a proposed data center in rural Washtenaw County on Wednesday night.
They also expressed frustration and distrust with DTE Energy. The utility is asking the state for expedited approval of the company’s contracts with Oracle Corp. for a data center planned in Saline Township, near Ann Arbor.
The facility would require 1.4 gigawatts of power from the electricity provider. The data center is part of Stargate, OpenAI’s $500 billion investment in AI infrastructure around the United States.
DTE Electric has asked the Michigan Public Service Commission to fast-track approval for its plan with Oracle to power the data center. That would bypass a process called a “contested case” that requires the commission to consider evidence and testimony from a variety of sources. Michigan’s Attorney General expressed alarm about the process, calling the hearing “performative listening” in a rebuke last month.
Protest
A small group of protesters gathered Wednesday afternoon across the street from DTE Energy’s Detroit headquarters. They were unhappy that DTE has tried to push plans for the data center through without public hearing.
Sarah Brabbs is from York Township, next to Saline. While she is not totally opposed to a data center, she said she’s not a fan of DTE trying to push the project through without allowing the public in on the process.
“Putting rate payers in a situation that you know we will be paying for, probably on multiple levels, is disingenuous, dysfunctional, and unacceptable,” Brabbs said.
Others at the protest said they’re concerned about the potential environmental impact, like how much water the facility could use and the amount of energy it would need to function.
“The access to the Great Lakes, they’re definitely taking advantage of whatever God-given resource in order to just implement whatever quantum, whatever new level of science and technology that they haven’t got consent from the people on if they even want it in the first place,” said Elijah Williams.
Michigan Public Service Commissioners Katherine Peretick, Daniel Scripps, and Shaquila Myers listen to public comments about a proposed data center near Saline, Michigan on Wednesday, December 3.
A virtual hearing Wednesday evening drew almost 90 participants. About 45 people spoke over the two and a half hours, with more in queue when the meeting ended at 9 p.m.
Appealing to Michigan’s workforce
A few speakers voiced support for the project. Most of the supporters represented trade unions or business associations who supported the project for creating jobs.
Randall Whitaker is the president of the Washtenaw County Skilled Building Trades Council. He said the project was an investment in Michigan’s workforce.
“A project like this is huge for workers,” he said.
Constructing the data center would create about 2,500 union jobs, according to DTE’s application. Other supporters argued that the facility would generate millions in tax revenue and attract talent to Michigan.
Burdening the electric grid?
DTE has said it expects the facility to increase its current peak electrical load by about 25%, but building out the capacity to accommodate that demand would not affect current ratepayers. DTE argues in its application that the data center won’t impact existing customers’ rates because of safeguards they’ve placed in the contracts with Oracle.
“The project strengthens Michigan’s long-term competitiveness in the fast-growing AI and advanced computing sectors, helping ensure our state remains a destination for innovation and talent,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement supporting the project.
But most participants opposed DTE’s request, citing the same concerns as the protesters – future electricity costs, how much water the facility would use, and whether the data center would actually benefit the local community.
A lack of transparency
Nichole Biber is a member of the Little Traverse Band of Odawa Indians, one of the 12 federally recognized tribes in Michigan. She said she doesn’t trust DTE or Oracle to do what’s best for residents.
“These ‘meaningful guardrails,’ from what I’ve heard so far, are all on the assurances of DTE and the multibillion dollar corporations that are pushing AI and data centers on us,” she said. “That does not reassure me.”
DTE’s application, which includes the contracts with Oracle, is partially redacted.
Maggie Kaercher, who runs a small fish farm in Dexter and also attended the hearing, said she wants the commission to deny DTE’s request and have the application available for a more thorough review.
“You can’t pretend that there’s transparency when there is so much redacted out of the papers that we’ve been able to see,” she said.
“What we are asking, and what many other people are asking for as well, is that the Commission give DTE’s proposal the proper scrutiny and ensure transparency,” said Katie Duckworth, an attorney with the Environmental Law and Policy Center. “Because this is the largest data center to be proposed in Michigan, and it’s one of the largest in the nation.”
Renewable energy or more fossil fuels?
Duckworth said the organization is concerned with how the data center’s power load will impact DTE’s ability to comply with Michigan’s climate change plans.
“It would also significantly increase the company’s renewable energy obligation under Michigan’s clean energy laws,” she said.
DTE is prepared for that challenge, the company said.
“Bringing on a data center of this size means more renewables, and more battery storage,” DTE said in a statement. The company also said the data center’s operators will finance the energy generation and storage needed to run the facility.
Duckworth said that solution would be “transformational” for DTE’s grid – if it happens.
“It raises a lot of questions including as to how those batteries would be charged and whether they will be charged by renewable energy, or whether it would involve prolonging the life of polluting fossil fuel plants or even building additional fossil fuel plants in the future,” she said.
Oracle expects the facility to open in December 2026. It won’t reach its maximum capacity of 1.4 gigawatts until December 2027, according to DTE’s application to the commission.
In October, DTE asked the commission to issue a decision by Friday, December 5. The commission is meeting at 1 p.m. that day.
At the virtual hearing, commissioners encouraged members of the public to attend a hearing on December 18 about the facility’s wetland impact permit, hosted by the state Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.
This story was initially published on Michigan Public Radio’s site and was produced in partnership with WDET.DTE is among WDET’s sponsors.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
Residents in Saline Township are hoping to create a “critical mass” of concerned citizens at a virtual public hearing Wednesday night over a proposed $7 billion data center backed by tech giants OpenAI and Oracle.
The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) is holding the hearing to review DTE Energy’s application to supply power for the 1.4-gigawatt facility. DTE is also seeking approval for an additional $300 million substation dedicated to the project.
Saline Township resident Tim Bruneau is helping mobilize local residents to stop the project’s construction. He says he fears the plan is being pushed through too quickly and worries about how the data center could influence future policy.
“This is going to affect every DTE customer and it might set a precedent for other utilities in our state and possibly even nationally,” Bruneau said.
Bruneau says he had a disturbing conversation with a DTE spokesperson at a recent Saline Township board meeting regardingt how the company would prioritize power during outages.
“He told me that number one priority is hospitals, fire and police stations, and number two would be senior citizen facilities,” Bruneau said. “I asked him if data centers would be number three and he refused to reply.”
In a press release, MPSC Chair Dan Scripps said Wednesday’s hearing will “add an important element of transparency in evaluating DTE Electric Co.’s proposed special contract.”
Find a link to join the virtual public meeting here.
Michigan is racing toward the data center boom that powers artificial intelligence and cloud computing. Lawmakers have approved generous tax breaks, and utilities are courting multi-billion-dollar projects, including a proposed $7 billion “hyperscale” campus in rural Saline Township, backed by tech giants OpenAI and Oracle.
Supporters promise investment and new tax revenue. But critics warn that these vast, windowless buildings could come with higher electric bills, heavy demands on local water supplies, and pressure to keep fossil fuel plants running long past Michigan’s clean energy deadlines.
So who really pays for Michigan’s data-center gold rush, and who gets to decide?
Brian Allnutt, a senior reporter and contributing editor at Planet Detroit, has been following Michigan’s data center deals from the state capitol to township board meetings and courtroom settlements. He joined Robyn Vincent to help make sense of the choices Michigan faces.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.
Login
