The city of Detroit is inviting residents to take part in a series of “policy workshops” this month as part of its master plan for the future.

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Plan Detroit is three-phase planning process informed by resident feedback that is expected to conclude with implementation of the new collaborative policies by 2026.

According to the city, the Michigan planning enabling act (MPEA) recommends cities update their master plans every 10 years, and Detroit’s master plan has not been comprehensively updated since 2009.

The upcoming events are intended to provide an “interactive” opportunity to work with city planners to create practical policies that address real concerns for Detroiters.

Sessions will take place at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, and at 5:30 p.m. April 14-16.  All sessions will be held at the Joseph Walker Williams Community Center at 8431 Rosa Parks Blvd., Detroit. Topics will include Neighborhoods & Housing, Open Space & Environment, Arts & Culture; and Mobility & Jobs.

For more information and to register to attend, visit plandetroit.com. 

Other headlines for Tuesday, April 1, 2025:

• Detroit firefighters are trying to find out what caused an apartment building on the city’s west side to explode. The Detroit Fire Department is also apologizing for an emergency alert that went out to cellphones throughout metro Detroit around 6 a.m. Monday morning notifying people about the blast. 
• American Forests says its urban tree planting partnership in Detroit has helped add more than 25,000 trees to the city since 2021.
• Billionaire Dan Gilbert’s real estate empire is growing. Rocket Companies has acquired competitor Mr. Cooper Group Inc. in an all-stock deal worth about $9.5 billion. Last week, Rocket bought another competitor, Redfin, for roughly $1.7 billion.
• Gas prices rose sharply overnight, with AAA Michigan reporting drivers paid an average of $3.25 a gallon for regular unleaded — 10 cents more than yesterday.

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

Organizers and volunteers of the Muslim Foster Care Association (MFCA) hosted a buffet-style meal and celebration for its third annual Ramadan iftar, bringing Muslim foster youth and families together.

Iftar is the meal where Muslims break their fast during Ramadan.

There was a row of savory food from the halal restaurant Sukho Thai in Dearborn Heights, and a table full of sweet treats like knafeh and enormous Macadamia cookies.

MFCA Co-founder Sameena Zahoor welcomed the attendees. 

“I want to thank the families and the foster parents and the families are helping the foster parents and the foster youth that are here today,” she said.

Many Muslims spend time fasting, praying, and doing extra worship with a community during Ramadan. However, many Muslim foster children in Michigan end up spending Ramadan in non-Muslim foster homes — alone. 

MFCA wanted to provide a space for the youth to be in community with others.

Salifu Mahmoud previously lived in a non-Muslim home as a foster youth since resettling from Ghana about three years ago. He now lives in independent housing in Canton. 

He says fasting during Ramadan is an important part of his religious practices.

“Living with someone who is not like Muslim, like foster care, it’s kind of hard in Ramadan,” he shared.

Mahmoud says his former foster care provider was unaware of his religion or obligations during Ramadan — such as waking up early to eat suhoor, the morning meal before fasting, or praying Taraweeh in congregation at a mosque during Ramadan nights. 

This year Mahmoud is staying with a Muslim family during Ramadan, allowing him to experience the familial and communal practices of the month.

“Since I moved to America, this is my best Ramadan,” he said, reflecting that it reminds him of his Ramadans in Africa. “They [his Muslim foster parents] treat me like their kids, showing me love.” 

At the iftar, Tonja Baker, a therapist who works for Whaley Children’s Center in Flint, came to learn more about MFCA.

“I was connected through this program for one of our youth at the campus, and managed to be able to bring her down and have her enjoy, you know, Iftar, and be able to just meet and greet with the other families that are here,” she said.

It’s important for the staff to learn culturally competent care to provide services or Muslim youth, Baker said, and the center tries to link Muslim youth to mosques in the area, but resources are scarce.

In addition to the iftar, MFCA passed out Ramadan 215 baskets filled with goodies like dates, halal marshmallows, and a Target gift card to Muslim foster youth in Michigan. 

Shereen Abunada, director of operations at MFCA, says she’s been working to increase the number of Muslim foster parents, but many are feeling burnout.

“That happens when parents have a placement that doesn’t go as well as they had hoped,” she said.

There are about 10 licensed Muslim foster families for the state’s 250 Muslim foster youth, 50 more than last year.

Abunada says the number of Muslim youth in the system has increased. In anticipation of potentially changing immigration policies, resettlement agencies recently expedited travel for Muslim foster youth from West African countries.

“So we’ve had an influx of about 50 to 70 youth that have just recently arrived in the in the past couple months,” she said.

Abunada says unaccompanied refugee minors feel vulnerable.

“A lot of them are also just the fear of being deported, the fear of being targeted. A lot of these kids are just by themselves, kind of going back to their own, their home countries, or trying to find other places to be,” she said.

Abunada says organizations and agencies are working to protect the children.

Hosting the iftar was one way to create a community for the foster youth, as they navigate the next steps in their journeys.

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Editor’s note: A previous version of the story incorrectly referred to Culture Crate as a nonprofit organization. Culture Crate is a for-profit social venture.

Woman-owned small business Culture Crate is working on a campaign to encourage education on Palestinian cultural traditions. The campaign is accessible through Kickstarter, where people can purchase Nabulsi saboon (soap) making kits.

“One fear with any cultural heritage practice is if you lose the practice, could we then lose the knowledge about it,” said Culture Crate CEO Nadine Zaza.

Saboon making did not just contribute a product to the world, but also advancements in chemistry and language. Zaza explained that Culture Crate’s mission is to preserve these cultural practices, and that her experience as a design educator helped her realize that the “most influential, most important ways for students, and for, really, people and anyone to really engage intentionally with culture and with knowledge is to do it yourself.”

In this way, the saboon making kit encourages preservation of Palestinian cultural traditions through an educational and interactive process.

Saboon making is a cultural practice that has existed in Nablus, Palestine for centuries. In 2024, it was inscribed in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This list recognizes non-physical heritage practices around the world as a way to highlight global culturally diverse creativity.

The saboon making kits include everything needed for the process, including silicone molds, gloves, safety goggles, sodium hydroxide and Palestinian olive oil, as well as educational pamphlets illustrating the history of saboon making and booklets explaining the importance of cultural preservation.

Palestinian soap making kits is Culture Crate’s first campaign, but they hope to expand by focusing future campaigns on other heritage practices from other parts of the Arab world.

Detroit City Football Club has called Hamtramck home since 2016. The team moved from its original grounds at Cass Technical High School and raised almost $750,000 to upgrade historic Keyworth Stadium.

Now, DCFC plans to build a new stadium in Corktown.

The club bought the vacant Southwest Detroit Hospital in 2024. Owners plan to demolish the building and clean up the property on Michigan Avenue near I-75 and I-96.

Co-owner Alex Wright says they want a modern facility.

“A lot of the stuff we’re doing is behind the scenes currently, but it’s something that we want to be a special place, a community place, and very much the next step in sort of the vision of building our ambition of being Detroit’s soccer team,” Wright said.

Soccer seeds bear fruit

A new stadium would be the next step in DCFC’s evolution. The club started in 2012, playing against regional teams in the amateur National Premier Soccer League. It quickly became one of NPSL’s most successful clubs. After moving to Keyworth in 2016, City was playing before sellout crowds.

Le Rouge went pro in 2020, joining the fledgling National Independent Soccer Association. After winning two NISA championships, the club moved up again, to the United Soccer League Championship division in 2022. It has qualified for the USL playoffs every year since joining the league.

In 2025, USL petitioned the U.S. Soccer Federation to create a new pro division that would compete on the same level as Major League Soccer. Alex Wright says building a new soccer-specific stadium would improve DCFC’s chances of promotion.

“A lot of that has to do with the facility you play in,” he said. “We feel confident that we will be eligible to be part of that inaugural class of USL Division One.”

Breaking ground, building the game

The first step is demolishing the old hospital, which could cost up to $6 million. The Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority voted unanimously to reimburse the club’s demolition costs over 21 years. Wright says while he expects some hiccups along the way, they should not derail construction.

“This isn’t something we want to drag out for a generation,” he said. “We want to have a stadium where we’re kicking a ball in 2027.”

Wright says the stadium campaign is the latest effort to grow soccer organically in Detroit. He says the owners will not be absentee landlords.

“The three of us that are working full-time for the club, we’re within biking and walking distance of this location,” he said. “Find me another ownership group in America that can walk to the stadium they’re building.”

Wright says the new stadium could have up to 15,000 seats — almost twice Keyworth’s capacity. He expects to break ground this summer with more details and designs to come.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Fashion in Detroit is more than just a trend, it’s a statement.

Many Detroiters use their attire to reflect their identity, their hustle and their roots. Iconic pieces such as gator boots, fur coats, and “buffs” signal to others where you’re from and the grit that defines you. Whether you’re from the east side or west side, your outfit tells the world who you are. 

For decades, Detroiters have taken pride in what they wear. The city’s fashion reflects a blend of ruggedness and celebrity influence. Legends like Aretha Franklin were known for wearing Dittrich mink fur coats, while rappers made Pelle Pelle jackets a staple of Detroit’s hip-hop scene. Today, young people and blue-collar workers continue to sport Carhartt gear and local sportswear. Gen Z, in particular, has embraced supporting Black-owned brands, further contributing to the city’s ever-evolving fashion identity.

Today on The Metro, we discuss how fashion in Detroit is not just about individual style, but also about the shared experience of living in a city with such rich cultural and historical roots. 

Guests:

• Kahn Santori Davison – A freelance journalist and contributing writer for The Metro Times.
• Monika Sinclair – Wayne State University assistant professor of teaching, fashion design and merchandising.
• Brooklynn Jackson – Owner of Form Fit clothing and a senior Wayne State business student. 

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

More stories from The Metro on March 18, 2025: 

• Adrienne Roberts covers Michigan’s cannabis industry, as well as jobs and unemployment for the Detroit Free Press. She joined the show to talk about Michigan’s cannabis industry and what it means for the state’s economy. 

• Staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan Jay Kaplan joined The Metro to discuss President Donald Trump’s campaign against transgender rights and why it’s relevant to everyone. Kaplan leads the LGBTQ Project at the Michigan ACLU. 

• Michael Ford’s Hip Hop Architecture Lecture Series is taking place from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19, at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture and Community Development. The panel discussion will dig into the impact of women on hip-hop. Ford is known as the Hip Hop architect and has designed Hip Hop Museums in The Bronx and Memphis. Ford and jessica Care moore — Detroit’s poet laureate and a panelist in the lecture series — joined the show to talk about the event and the impact of women on hip-hop and design. 

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

Editor’s Note: This story is part one of a new four-part series from WDET’s Nargis Rahman called, “Shustho: Mind, Body, and Spirit,” exploring health care and health care access for Bangladeshi women.

Michigan is home to the third largest population of Bangladeshis in the U.S., with a significant number living in the metro Detroit area.

Bangladeshi immigrants struggle with a number of challenges when trying to access health care, including language, cultural competency and adequate insurance.

Community organizations like the Detroit Friendship House in Hamtramck are working to bridge the language gap many Bangladeshi women in southeast Michigan face when trying to access health care.

The nonprofit provides health education workshops to help them understand and navigate the health care system.

Khurshida Hossain is the executive director. She says women are the lifeline to their families. 

“It’s the mothers that come to pick up food, and we need to understand that women, even though if they don’t have access to education or transportation, they’re the ones putting the meals together, they are the ones that have more autonomy over the nutrition and the well-being of their children, and that’s important to us,” she shared.

The organization holds workshops on topics like women’s health, nutrition, and chronic illnesses. But information alone isn’t enough to educate women about their health. Hossain says making health care more approachable is essential.

Workshops are paired with direct enrollment into health care services to help women navigate complex systems. 

“Having them enroll on the spot and explaining those medical terminologies, or having someone that can translate that on the spot makes it more accessible, rather than having just a workshop and saying, ‘Okay, now you have to go here, downtown somewhere, to enroll and speak to a certain person that’s very disconnected and very intimidating,’” she said.

In 2018, Detroit Friendship House partnered with Eastern Michigan University’s Racial Ethnic Approaches to Community Health program (REACH), to create more targeted workshops.

Hossain says a key goal was to help Bangladeshi women learn English so they could better advocate for themselves at the doctor’s office, instead of relying on a translator or their child to provide interpretation services. 

“Instead of taking the registration form and handing it to a translator or their child to fill out this sensitive information, they are empowered to answer those questions and fill out those forms themselves,” she said.

The organization also encourages women to sign up for free mammograms and pap smears to educate them about breast and cervical cancer.

Volunteers like Mst Begum, a student at Hamtramck High School, play an essential role. She serves as a translator.

“I was chosen because I’m also Bengali, and I had an easier time connecting with the patients,” she said.

She says part of her job is breaking down stigma.

“That is so necessary to have people who are Bangladeshi trying to get people who are Bangladeshi to sign up for these programs because they feel more comfortable and confident,” she explained.

The growing need for health care workshops for Bangladeshi women

A decade ago, providing culturally specific health education for Bangladeshi women was rare. Dr. Subha Hanif, a cancer rehabilitation fellow at the University of Michigan, started a similar effort in the metro Detroit area in 2012 through her organization Bangladeshi Americans for Social Empowerment.

“I felt this like, this disconnect between the resources being there and then the community, nothing really bridging them together,” she said.

She worked with Beaumont Family Medicine to create women-only health workshops. But gaining support for the program wasn’t easy.

Traditionally, men in the Bangladeshi community would gather information and relay it to their families. Hanif had to convince the elders that women needed their own space to acquire health education.

“I had to do a lot of sitting down with, you know, the uncles in our community and making them understand that if you send your wife here, she’s going to be more empowered to learn about her health,” she added. “She’s going to inadvertently help your family, your children and your health, and she’s going to be more empowered to take care of herself better as well.”

Hanif says many women said they benefitted from these spaces and learned how to ask more questions about their health care.

But language barriers go beyond just medical terminology.

Sylheti-speaking interpreters, health care workers, are in demand

Zak Ahmed is an interpreter for the U.S. Department of Justice and several Michigan hospitals. He says many Bangladeshis in the state speak Sylheti, a dialect used by 11 million people in the world. However, interpreters often speak Shuddo Basha at institutions, the standardized formal Bengali language.

“When I used to do the asylum cases and immigration court, we’ve seen so many people that they are denied or deported because of the language barrier. So we found out that they don’t understand these are, these are basically Sylheti speakers,” he said.

Ahmed says the U.S. Department of Justice added Sylheti as a separate unique language in 2018.

But he says there is still a need for more Sylheti-speaking interpreters, although many patients don’t realize they can request one.

“They do feel much better actually, when they speak their own dialect. They can feel better when they see someone that they can understand their needs,” he said.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says interpreters are available  at no cost for anyone who needs one, including in Bengali.

Last year the state also passed the Meaningful Language Access to State Services law to prompt government agencies to translate important documents in different languages.

However, more bilingual speakers in health care are needed.

There isn’t a formal health care language certification for Bangla or Bengali in metro Detroit, like the one offered in Arabic for health care workers at Wayne State University.

Khurshida Hossain from the Detroit Friendship House says it’s important to amplify efforts to increase the number of Bangladeshi Americans entering health care.

“Then you have doctors and nurses and pas that not only can speak and understand the language, but that look like the community, and it makes that doctor’s appointment that much less intimidating, that much more accessible,” she said.

Language access is a delicate balance between learning health care terminology, advocating for themselves, and finding resources like interpreters for Bangladeshi women in southeast Michigan.

Tonight on The Detroit Evening Report, we share news about the city of Detroit’s expansion to its private sewer repair program; a new area code for some Detroiters and more.

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Detroit expands sewer repair program

Detroit is adding 75 neighborhoods to its private sewer repair program. The city received $95 million from the federal government to help residents whose homes were damaged when heavy rain caused flooding in 2021.

The repair effort started last year in the 22 hardest-hit neighborhoods. Mayor Mike Duggan says city workers have helped more than 400 families through the program so far, with the expansion allowing them to reach another 1,000 homes.

The Water and Sewerage Department will clean and inspect lateral service lines and repair or replace them as needed.

Detroit adding 679 area code

Detroit’s getting another area code this fall after the Michigan Public Service Commission says the region is running out of available 313 numbers.

New phone customers will be assigned a 679 area code in November. It’ll cover the same area, which includes the city and some adjacent communities. People with 313 numbers won’t have to change them, but starting in October, they will have to dial all 10 digits to call anyone. 679 will be Michigan’s 13th area code. 

MiAble program boosts outreach

A savings program for Michigan residents with disabilities is ramping up efforts to promote its service.

MiABLE is teaming up with the Community Mental Health Association of Michigan to spread the word about the benefits of opening a MiABLE account, which allow people with disabilities to save and invest without jeopardizing essential benefits like Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income. MiABLE estimates only 1% of the people eligible for an account are currently enrolled.

Together, MiABLE and the Community Mental Health Association are kicking off a statewide roadshow to spread the word about the program. 

Detroit Disability Power hosts ‘DanceAbility’ workshops

Detroit Disability Power has hosted ‘DanceAbility’ workshops throughout March. DanceAbility is designed to provide a space where everyone — including people with disabilities — can feel comfortable to move within their capabilities.

Lead organizer Cara Graninger says that the workshops encourage people to challenge what they may consider limitations.

“It’s just normal, at DanceAbility, whatever body you have, however you move, that’s the new normal,” she said.

The last workshop will take place virtually on March 21.  Learn more at detroitdisabilitypower.org/danceability

–Reporting by Zahra Hassan, WDET

Detroit hires veterans affairs manager

Detroit has hired its first Veterans Affairs Manager, the city announced Thursday.

Kwesi Betserai spent 28 years in the military, serving in Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. In his new role,  Betserai will be connecting vets with benefits, jobs, housing, health care and other services. He previously held a similar position with Wayne County’s Veterans Services Division. 

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

Tornado season has arrived, and the National Weather Service has started its annual training sessions for Skywarn spotters.

Jackie Anderson is the warning coordination meteorologist at the NWS forecast office in White Lake Township. She says the information spotters provide is crucial during tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, and flooding rains.

“When we’re issuing warnings, we’re looking at what’s going on with radar,” she said. “Our spotters really provide us with that ground truth as to what severe weather is actually happening in their area.”

Anderson says meteorologists says spotter reports help keep the public informed during bad weather.

“We can actually update our warnings to say trained spotters have confirmed one inch hail, 60 mph winds, tornadoes,” she said.

What do spotters learn?

A typical spotter training session lasts up to 90 minutes. Anderson says NWS staff use that time to review the previous year’s severe weather.

“We talk about different events that have impacted southeast Michigan,” she said. “We talk about what to look for, and then how you can report it to us.”

Spotters learn how to identify the early indications of a severe thunderstorm or tornado, such as the difference between wall clouds and shelf clouds.

Southeast Michigan saw a few tornadoes in 2024, including one that struck Livonia without warning in June, killing a 2-year-old boy. A rare February twister touched down in Grand Blanc, and a weak tornado spun up briefly in Holly in November.

Safety comes first

Spotting storms does not mean chasing them. Anderson encourages spotters to be careful.

“While we want to know what’s happening and get that ground truth information, the safety of all our spotters is the most important thing,” she said.

The White Lake office trains about 100 people a year and offers classes in several counties. Anderson says they do not need any background in meteorology to become a spotter.

More: NWS seeks winter weather spotters in Detroit

“We welcome anybody who’s interested in helping us provide that ground truth information,” she said. “People can also attend if they’re just generally interested in severe weather safety information.”

Spotters are always needed

Anderson cannot comment on recent layoffs at the National Weather Service, but she says spotters — who are not paid — are vital to the agency.

“We always rely heavily on spotters regardless of the time of year, whether it’s winter or severe weather season,” she said. “Having that ground truth support really helps us in the warning process.”

More: Local meteorologist says NWS layoffs risk public safety

The agency has several spotter training sessions coming up. You can find one here.

March 16-22 is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Michigan. NWS will conduct a statewide tornado drill at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19.

Tonight on The Detroit Evening Report, we share the latest news on cleanup efforts in Southwest Detroit after the water main break; highlight special events planned for 313 Day and more.

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Cleanup continues in Southwest Detroit

The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department said Wednesday it’s making good progress on repairing damage from a major water main break in Southwest Detroit. DWSD Director Gary Brown says fixing residential furnaces, hot water tanks, electrical and plumbing issues are a priority.

“We’re addressing [those issues] first so that we can get people back in their homes while we take care of a punch list of other smaller things while they’re still in the home,” he said.

Brown says he hopes to meet his goal of getting the neighborhood back to normal within six weeks. Dozens of families are still staying in hotels until repairs are completed. 

Michigan report shows unemployment uptick

Michigan gained jobs in January, but not enough to rein in an increase in the state’s monthly jobless rate — which is now 5.3%. The new state jobs report was released on Thursday by the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics. Michigan’s January unemployment rate is 1.3% higher than the national rate. Part of that is due to turbulence in the manufacturing sector of the economy.  

–Reporting by Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network

Pensole Lewis College of Business launches annual Light School 

The Pensole Lewis College of Business – formerly known as Lewis Business College – has started an annual “Light School” program. The school is offering free night classes across multiple design disciplines such as apparel, footwear and graphics. The experience is funded by the Detroit Pistons, Stock X and the college. Each of the classes runs for six weeks. 

–Reporting by Michale Coffey, WDET

Michigan gas prices steady

Gas prices remain steady in metro Detroit, according to AAA Michigan. The average price for a gallon of self-serve unleaded is $3.01.  Last week, gas was $3.02 per gallon. Prices are down about 14 cents per gallon from the average a month ago. 

Detroiters celebrate 313 Day 

Happy 313 Day Detroit! Named for the city’s legendary area code established in the 1940s, and taking place each year on March 13, 313 Day offers an opportunity for residents to celebrate all things Detroit. There are several events and activities planned around the city, including at the Masonic Temple, Robert C. Valade Park, Baker’s Keyboard Lounge, the Joe Louis Greenway and more. Several small businesses like City Bird, Atwater Brewery, Buddy’s Pizza, Mezcal Mexican Restaurant and others have special deals for the day. Many Detroit area McDonald’s locations are also offering a 313 Day meal, which includes a double filet-o-fish, four-piece McNuggets, medium fries and a Vernors Boston Cooler ice cream drink. 

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

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

You’ve probably heard the saying “small businesses are the backbone of the economy.” 

It’s true, and they’re also so much more, including places to connect with the community.

Locally-owned businesses can only succeed if people shop local. Nowadays, that often means choosing not to shop for convenience or bottom dollar bargains from mega-stores and companies like Amazon, Walmart or Target.

With all this in mind, some people are using their wallets to show where they stand. The grassroots group The People’s Union USA urged people to participate in an “economic blackout” last week, with the goal of uniting Americans to ​​regain control of the economy, the government and the country’s future, according to its website.

Today on The Metro, we’re talking to local small business owners about the importance of supporting local economies and independently owned stores. 

Guests: 

• Catharine Batsios: Member-owner/community programmer at Book Suey Bookshop Co-op in Hamtramck.
• Rachel Lutz: Founder/owner of The Peacock Room, a place where you’ll find dresses, accessories, jewelry and so much more in inclusive sizes.
• Dan Radomski: He leads Centrepolis Accelerator at Lawrence Technological University. The program supports small to mid-sized manufacturers and people creating hardtech – products that combine hardware and software to solve a problem.

We also asked listeners:

“How often do you shop at locally-owned businesses? Is it a question of cost, convenience, or something else?”

Alberta in Detroit said: “My first priority is to shop Detroit and to shop Black Detroit. Anything else is akin to cutting my nose to spite my face. We must support where we live.”

Use the media player above to listen to the full conversation.

Also on The Metro, we revisited conversations with local businesses in Detroit: 

• Source Booksellers owners Janet Webster and Alyson Jones Turner joined the show in January to talk about the bookstore’s programming, author discussions and other events where avid readers and new readers can connect. Listen to the conversation below at the 01:41 mark.

• Temple Bar owner George Boukas joined The Metro to discuss the restoration process after the popular community spot partially collapsed in May. Temple bar reopened in December.

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

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) issued an advisory this week warning people of a possible travel ban by the Trump administration for Arab, Muslim-majority countries and others.

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

The advisory says nationals from Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Venezuela or Yemen should not leave the U.S.

If people need to travel, they should check with an immigration attorney before traveling. The advisory also says individuals living or traveling in one of those countries should return to the U.S. immediately, saying U.S. citizens may be able to reenter but may undergo a vetting process.

People can contact ADC’s legal intake hotline at 844-ADC-9955 for further assistance.

Other headlines for Monday, March 10, 2025:

• A Detroit Youth Mobility Summit is planned from 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. March 22 at Newlab, Michigan Central.
• The Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps) is looking for volunteers to join a network that collects and shares surface water quality data throughout Michigan.
• Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says nearly 60,000 students are receiving the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, saving families $252 million in tuition costs.
• The charity organization Mercy-USA for Aid and Development is hosting its second annual book drive, Lanterns for Literacy. Last year, 8,000 books were donated to families in Detroit through the program. The organization is looking for book donations, volunteers or financial gifts to create literacy kits.

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

WDET kicked off its 2025 Spring Fundraiser on Thursday, and our hosts, reporters and staff have some extra special incentives planned to encourage listeners to make a gift of support to Detroit public radio.

As a member-funded, nonprofit radio station, everything we do — from our fact-based, community-focused reporting to our diverse music programming — is made possible because of listeners who become members.

Located in the heart of Midtown Detroit, WDET has been deeply rooted in Detroit for over 75 years. If you are someone who appreciates the work we do, please consider supporting it.

Listeners who make a gift to the station can choose from an array of thank you gifts, ranging from exclusive WDET swag to one-of-a-kind experiences.

All new members who make a gift during the Spring Fundraiser, which ends Sunday, March 15, will also receive a limited edition WDET skyline water bottle.

Additionally, gifts made during specific shows and programs throughout fundraiser will be entered into “chance to win” drawings.

Listen daily, visit wdet.org, check your email, and follow @wdetdetroit on Instagram to find out during which shows your donation will act as an automatic entry to win the following prizes:

• Weekend passes to Movement Festival 2025, held over Memorial Day weekend
• JaZZ PAZZ bundle to the Detroit Jazz Festival, held over Labor Day weekend
• Wristbands for the Hamtramck Blowout, held March 20-22
• Vinyl records pressed at the iconic Third Man Record store and pressing plant in Detroit
• Vinyl records handpicked and bundled at Found Sound in Ferndale by Modern Music host, Jon Moshier
• Detroit Historic Society “Streets of Detroit” tour with take-home Detroit Monopoly game
• The Vault Package
• Achatz Pies on Pi Day March 14
• Gift card to Basan in District Detroit
• Suite tickets to a Pistons game, with parking and Players Club passes
• One-year digital subscription to the Washington Post or the New York Times
• And more!

Membership has its benefits, too!

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WDET and the Detroit Evening Report have collected Black History Month stories from listeners as a part of its Black History Listening Project.

Here are the stories we aired in February 2025:

Wyatt Tate made headlines in 1894

Detroiter Brenda McGadney grew up hearing stories about her great-grandfather.

Wyatt Tate, a farmer from Alabama, was made infamous after an incident with police arising from an animal being stolen from him while he was away on a business trip. After Tate successfully retrieved the animal, the town sheriff accused him of theft, and during his attempted arrest, Tate killed the sheriff, an assistant and one of the sheriff’s horses. After going on the run and evading police for months, Tate was eventually killed on May 12, 1894. 

Using the internet and genealogical tools for research, McGadney found the story was a very big deal at the time.

“He is documented in more than 80 newspapers in 1894,” she said. “So, it went viral.”

McGadney says growing up, it was important to her mother, Annie Tate McGadney, that they knew of Tate’s story. She had learned it from her own father, Felix Tate, who witnessed the events in 1894.

“My mother brought us up to speak up, not only for yourself, but for other people who are disenfranchised, who you see are being harmed,” she said.

McGadney also found references to Wyatt Tate in Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ and in books about Lee who grew up in Monroeville. A cousin, actor and boxer Bill Tate, wrote a fictionalized account, “Little Wyatt Tate: Fiction Based on Fact.”

“When you travel in Africa, the question that Africans ask you, ‘Where do you come from?’” McGadney says, “I tell them that is a very painful question to ask an African American, and they don’t really understand it. We don’t know where we came from.”

McGadney says she has become her family’s griot, holding the stories of both sides of her family.

“This history is rich, and it covers both my mom’s side, which would be the Tates and the Clarks, and my dad’s side, which would be the Baldwins and the Jacksons and the McGadneys,” she said. “You need to be telling your story, and it empowers your children. It empowers our family.”

Iola Corbett witnessed the rise of Detroit’s Muslim community

Iola Corbett, also known as Sister Ameeda, was born and raised in Detroit.

Corbett’s family was a part of the Nation of Islam when she was a child.

Over the years she met Malcolm X, who visited her family’s restaurant in Detroit often.

“My mother was an excellent cook, so he had dinner with my dad every day, so I got to hear him, and I would serve him. He was a big influence in my family’s life,” she said.

Corbett says the Nation of Islam made her a part of something bigger.

“It…gave me a purpose of who I was, who I wanted to be…close with my community,” she explained.

Corbett would go on to become a union leader and to write the book  “Growing Up Muslim and the Journey Continues.”

Carolyn Clifford tells her mom’s story

WXYZ TV reporter and anchor Carolyn Clifford tells the story of her mother often. She says she wants to inspire women dealing with domestic violence to leave, and to prove to children in Detroit that they can succeed despite hardship.

“I always tell Detroiters, especially young kids, when you see me, you see you,” Clifford said. “ So if your mom was on drugs, or your daddy on drugs, or, you know, somebody’s drinking alcohol…don’t be ashamed. There’s always a way out of a crazy situation, as I learned from my own mom.”

“And she would always say, you know, with God on her side, she could do anything.”

Bruce Simpson remembers Barbara-Rose Collins

Bruce Simpson’s grandmother was the first Black woman to represent Michigan in the U.S. House of Representatives. Barbara-Rose Collins served in Congress from 1991 to 1997. She also worked in politics at the city and state level.

But Simpson says he wasn’t really aware that Collins was the “distinguished lady from Michigan.”

“I always just looked at her as grandma,” Simpson said.

Simpson has also entered public service. He is the Ombudsman for the City of Detroit.

WDET listeners are invited to share Black history stories about their families, friends and neighbors throughout the year via email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org or by leaving us a voice memo in the WDET mobile app.

About 190 families displaced by last week’s water main break in Southwest Detroit are still in hotels as repairs and cleanup continues.

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City officials say repairs to the most-damaged homes should be completed within the next six weeks.

Jose Poprawa, a Southwest Detroit resident who lives down the street from the break, says he’s been impressed by the city’s response so far.

“From what I seen and me having them being ground zero of it, it’s gone as planned. Said Monday, they would be here to clean up. Everything is clean. Now it’s just cleaning the outside, and now the next phase is for them to come in to replace the appliances,” he said.

Todd King, chief resiliency officer at the Great Lakes Water Authority, said they’re hoping to have the water main back in operation within the next two weeks, but noted that there’s no way to inspect all 300,000 miles of water mains in the city.

“I mean, there are tools that are available, but they’re…they’re on the innovative side of things,” he said. “There’s no standard practice for inspecting this type of pipe.”

For those looking to support those affected by the water main break, Detroit Deputy Mayor Melia Howard said residents could use some every day items.

“Hygiene kits, feminine products, diapers in all sizes going up to size seven, toilet paper, paper towel, new underwear, new socks,” she said.

Howard said Spanish-speaking volunteers would also be appreciated. The American Red Cross is set up at the corner of Lisbon and Green streets in Southwest.

Reporting by Russ McNamara, WDET News

More headlines for Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025:

• The nonprofit Michigan Immigrant Rights Center is applauding the Trump administration’s decision to rescind a freeze on funding that pays for attorneys to represent unaccompanied migrant children.
• Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan spoke to students at Central Michigan University on Monday, hoping to win over young voters who don’t like Republicans or Democrats. 
• Nominations for the Detroit Office of Neighborhoods 313 Community Day Awards close on Saturday, March 1. The city wants to acknowledge residents who exemplify the Spirit of Detroit through work in or with neighborhoods, nonprofits, schools, faith-based organizations, community groups or other work. 
• Detroit’s Parks and Recreation Department is looking for young golfers ages 11-14 to take part in Youth Golf in the D, a four-week course each Tuesday in March, teaching the fundamentals of the game.  The cost is $20. For more information visit dprdathletics.com. 

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

Detroit Water and Sewerage will begin repairing damage caused by the massive water main break in Southwest Detroit next week.

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The department will clean out and sanitize basements, as well as perform hot water heater, furnace and electrical repairs.

DWSD Director Gary Brown says residents whose water has been restored will still be under a water boil advisory.

“When we put a service line back in service, we must test the water for bacteria twice, 24 hours apart,” he said. “So it will take 48 hours for the testing to take place.”

Southwest Detroit residents who were affected by the water main break on Monday can now file a claim for losses on the city’s website. DWSD will work to cover deductibles and any losses outside of what insurance will cover, Brown said.

The city hopes to get all homes repaired and families moved back in within six weeks, he said.

Residents who need assistance to make a claim can call the city at 313-774-5261.

Other headlines for Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025:

• Reverend Solomon Kinloch Jr of Detroit-based Triumph Church launched his campaign for Detroit’s mayor Wednesday night.
• The Islamic Center of Detroit is hosting a deep dive into Malcolm X’s Wayne State speech and how his commitment to Islam shaped his activism at an event titled “100 years of Malcolm X: A Legacy Unfinished,” taking place at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, at the Islamic Center of Detroit.
• Detroit Parks and Recreation will continue its Winter Fest festivities this weekend with events planned at Rouge Park from noon to 4 p.m. and at the Butzel Family Center from 1-5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22.
• Detroit is looking for talent to perform at Detroit Parks and Recreation events. The city is looking for DJs, poets, singers and rappers, bands, dancers, and artists. Auditions for performers will take place from 1-5 p.m. on March 8 at the Northwest Activities Center.

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