A new affordable housing project celebrated its grand opening this week. The Benjamin O. Davis Veterans Village on Detroit’s eastside holds 50 units designed to help homeless and disabled veterans.

Vouchers from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority and the Detroit Housing Commission will guarantee rents at 30 percent of the resident’s income. Building amenities include a media room, common dining room and kitchen, exercise room, and an exclusive outdoor dog park.

The complex was named after Brigadier General Benjamin O. Davis, Sr., the Army’s first African American general and a trailblazer who helped lay the foundation for the integration of the U.S. military. 

Additional headlines for Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026

Water bills increase 

Metro Detroiters will pay higher water bills next year. The Great Lakes Water Authority’s board of directors voted to raise rates by an average of almost 6 percent. Customers would pay about 4 percent more on average for wastewater service. The agency says it needs the money to fix aging infrastructure and reduce water main breaks. 

Project Clean Slate earns $200,000 grant 

Detroit’s Project Clean Slate has received a 200-thousand-dollar grant from the Michigan Justice Fund…allowing the program to run for another 2 years. Project clean slate helps Detroiters with legal services for expungement of eligible criminal convictions. The service has expunged more than 19 thousand records. PCS expects the grant to allow for another ten thousand expungements.  

Detroit Women of Comedy Festival searches for acts 

The Detroit Women of Comedy Festival is looking for comedy acts for this year’s show. Organizers are seeking acts of all kinds such as stand up, improv, sketch, and more. The festival is inclusive of all genders and identities.

The mission of the event is to celebrate and elevate women, trans, and non-binary comedy makers in the metro Detroit area. The festival will be held at Planet Ant Theater on May 15 and 16. For more information about submitting an act, email DWCFsubmissions@gmail.com.  

State of Highland Park

The City of Highland Park has announced the date Mayor Glenda McDonald will give the State of the City address. The mayor will give a public update to residents on Wednesday, March 18 from 6-7p.m. New Grace Missionary Baptist Church will host the event at 25 Ford Street. 

Detroit Disability teach in

Detroit Disability Power is hosting a “teach-in” in March, focused on threats to immigrants and people with disabilities. 

Care not Cages: Meeting the Moment with Disabled Detroiters will take place over 2 days – the March 13  event will focus on context; March 20 will be centered around action.

The event is free and dinner is provided.  

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…the Detroit Evening Report team is sharing some of the stories we produced for the radio this year. Today, we hear a story from WDET’s Bre’Anna Tinsley.

A survey by the Entertainment Software Association found that 86% of veterans turn to gaming to reduce stress and anxiety. Bre’Anna Tinsley spoke to Stephen Machuga, who founded a nonprofit that supports mental health for veterans through gaming. Before creating Stack Up, Machuga spent eight years in the army.

That’s just part of Bre’Anna Tinsley’s interview with Stephen Machuga who founded the veteran support nonprofit Stack Up. You can hear the full story at wdet.org.

Additional headlines for December 31, 2025

First Day Hike

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is encouraging Michiganders to spend the first day of 2026 outdoors. The “First Day Hike” is an option for state and national parks. The Friends of Maybury State Park host a New Year’s Day hike every year. Recreation passes are required for vehicles entering state parks. You can find Michigan trails close by or across the state at michigan.gov/dnrtrails.

New year wishes

Decked Out Detroit’s “Create” program is offering a holiday crafting workshop tomorrow (Thurs). The Shadow Boxing New Year’s Wishes Workshop is a chance to make a shadow box and fill it with wishes for 2026. The workshop is from 1 to 3 p.m. at 1413 Woodward Avenue. Search for “create by decked out Detroit” on Eventbrite to register.

Markets open until January 4

Shopping at the Downtown Detroit Markets and warm drinks at the Cadillac Lodge at Cadillac Square are also available New Year’s Day and through January. For more information, visit downtowndetroit.org.

Pistons at home

The Pistons host the Miami Heat at Little Caesars Arena New Year’s Day. The game starts at 7 p.m.

Stay safe

And of course, there will be plenty of New Year’s Eve celebrations tonight.  Make sure to select a designated driver if you plan to drink. 

Diana Ross

If you’re staying home tonight, Motown legend Diana Ross will headline Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve.  The live New York based show featuring several artists starts at 8 p.m. on ABC television.

Happy New Year!

The Detroit Evening Report will take a break for the holiday, but we’ll be back on Friday – ready to bring you all things Detroit in 2026. 

From all of us here at WDET, Happy New Year!

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