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.

Wayne State University Law School’s Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights received a $350,000 grant to expand a disinformation tool, “VERDAD: Verifying and Exposing Disinformation and Discourse.”

The AI-powered tool monitors U.S.-based ethnic radio stations for disinformation in Latino media.

VERDAD Founder and journalist Martina Guzmán says the tool will expand to all 50 states in multiple languages and also globally.

“Oftentimes, people think there’s going to be like, this commercial that’s complete disinformation. And what happens is on Latino radio stations, on ethnic radio stations, people have talk shows. And on those talk shows, it is often those people that host the talk shows that are spreading disinformation,” she says. 

Guzmán says the tool began monitoring Latino radio stations in battleground states ahead of the 2024 election.

“We felt that the election would be won or lost in those states at the time. And that was the capacity we had that we could do these eight battleground states and maybe a few more,” she says. 

The grant was awarded to the Wayne State University Law School’s Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to expand its reach of languages and locations.

Guzmán says the tool works as a civil rights safeguard to empower voters.

“The tool records 24 hours a day, and once it hears misinformation, right? And it hears it based on hundreds and hundreds of disinformation keywords that we’ve uploaded into its system. And once it hears one of those words, it begins to really focus… it has an analysis component,” she says.

Since the VERDAD tool’s inception last year, more than 320 academics and journalists have registered to use the free tool on Verdad.app to write articles and research trends of LatinX voters.

The tool will add several languages, including Arabic, Haitian Creole, and Vietnamese to inform voters.

Colorism is defined in the Oxford dictionary as “prejudice or discrimination against individuals with a dark skin tone, typically among people of the same ethnic or racial group.” 

It’s one facet of discrimination that often goes without proper acknowledgment, and one that Professor Rogerio Pinto aims to shine a light on through his work.

Rogerio Pinto is a University Diversity Social Transformation Professor. He is a Berit Ingersoll-Dayton Collegiate Professor of Social Work and he’s a Professor of Theatre and Drama, School of Music, Theatre & Dance at The University of Michigan. 

Born in Brazil, Professor Pinto has dedicated his life to breaking the social constructs of colorism and other “-isms” that divide people. 

Earlier this year, Professor Pinto curated and hosted “Colorism,” a mixed-media installation that used video, photography, tactile elements and a montage to explore colorism. “Colorism” took a look at the term from its roots to where we are today in society.

Professor Pinto also curated a Secret Society of Twisted Storytellers live event on colorism.

Professor Pinto stopped by The Metro to explore the complexities of colorism and its impact on people immigrating to the U.S., and how to tackle identity in times of division.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

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More stories from The Metro

Detroit City Council’s Historic Designation Advisory board is nominating the Bagley-West Vernor commercial district in Southwest Detroit for the National Register of Historic Places.

The board will present to nomination to the neighborhood on September 11, and answer questions about the benefits of receiving the designation.

A spot on the register could open up many federal dollars for the area to restore and revive many of the buildings in the corridor.

Michael Gutierrez is a resident of the area and a journalist with the El Central Hispanic News. His family also owns Mexican Village Restaurant on Bagley.

“Mexican Village wasn’t just serving food,” Gutierrez said. “Upstairs they were also hosting labor union meetings in the 1950s where Latino workers were fighting for better conditions.”

 Gutierrez says many of the buildings and businesses in the area date back to 1800s. It’s been a cultural, social, and economic hub for the Latino community for a long time and recognition through this designation would provide a sense of validation.

“There’s something to be said, when you’re walking on the streets of your own neighborhood and you know that there’s this is kind of like, not just the beating heart of the Latino part of your city, but that you know that this place has roots, that that really go back for a long time.” Guiterrez said.

If approved, the designation would open the corridor up to financial incentives and tax credits up to 45% for renovations and restoration of the buildings.

It could also attract more visitors to the area, which can provide a boost for small businesses.