Tonight on The Detroit Evening Report, we cover the rise of Michigan influenza infections, efforts to improve the city’s homeless services and upcoming community events.

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Michigan flu levels hit 15-year high

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced Friday that two children in Michigan have died from the flu.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it’s been 15 years since influenza infections were this high in the state. Joe Coyle, the state’s epidemiologist, says it’s not clear why flu rates are so high this year.

“The flu virus is slightly different every year. The flu vaccine is slightly different every year. And the pattern and severity of influenza, in terms of how it impacts the population, is a little bit different from year to year,” Coyle said.

Coyle says vaccine effectiveness data from the CDC will provide more insight, but has not yet been released. There’ve been nearly 10,000 flu-related hospitalizations in Michigan since Nov. 30, 2024.

Duggan calls for review of city’s homeless services

Funeral services are set for two children who appear to have frozen to death in a Detroit parking structure last week. The tragic incident has shone a light on the city’s ability to help homeless families during extremely cold weather.

Officials say two-year-old A’millah Currie and nine-year-old Darnell Currie Jr. were staying with their mother in a van parked in the Hollywood Casino garage. The van lost heat and the mother took the children to a hospital after one stopped breathing.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan says the mother had reached out to homeless advocates months before, but officials did not follow up. Duggan has ordered a full review of Detroit’s homeless services, and wants the city to better publicize what shelters are available and have workers conduct on-site visits when minors are involved.

The city is helping coordinate the Currie children’s funerals, which are being paid for by donations.

NAACP publishes pro-DEI spending guide

The NAACP wants Black Americans to steer their buying power toward corporations that have not pulled back from diversity programs. The Associated Press reports that the nation’s oldest civil rights organization is listing which brands have stood by or reversed their DEI commitments. The list can be found in the NAACP’s Black Consumer Advisory.

Wayne State to hold event highlighting migration stories

Wayne State’s MENA employees are hosting an event to highlight the contributions made by Middle Eastern North African immigrants. The Employee Engagement Group event is called “Migration Stories: MENA Immigration to America, Past and Present.”

Panelists will discuss the trials, tribulations and achievements of MENA immigrants with a specific focus on their experiences and impact on Metro Detroit. Featured speakers represent the Center for Arab Narratives, the Arab American National Museum and the Center for Arab American Studies at U-M Dearborn.

The panel will be held on Thursday, Feb. 20 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Hilberry AB in the Student Center Building at 5221 Gullen Mall. The event is free and open to the public. Those interested can RSVP online at getinvolved.wayne.edu.

Ramadan Market to return this weekend

The Muslim Community of Western Suburbs (MCWS) in Canton will have its Ramadan Market this weekend. The market will include multiple vendors selling clothes, foods and other goods traditionally used during the month of Ramadan. Offerings include abayas, groceries imported from the Middle East, Ramadan decor, Islamic jewelry, Islamic books and more.

The event will also offer creative workshops throughout the day, including Ramadan storytime for children, cookie decorating, lantern building and designing your own iftar plate.

The Ramadan Market will be held on Feb. 22 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the MCWS Gymnasium at 40440 Palmer Rd. in Canton. Admission is free, but those interested are encouraged to RSVP on Eventbrite.

Skilled Trades Task Force to meet

The City of Detroit’s Skilled Trades Task Force will meet Wednesday, Feb. 19. Attendees can learn how to apply for tuition-free skilled trades apprenticeships in construction industries.

The event is from 4-6 p.m. at the Union Carpenters & Millwrights Skilled Training Center at 11687 American Street in Detroit. For more information, call 313-628-2363. 

WDET’s Bre’Anna Tinsley, Quinn Klinefelter, Pat Batcheller and Zahra Hassan contributed to this report.

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