The state health department is working with Forgotten Harvest to make sure people in Southeast Michigan have access to healthy food.  

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services launched On-the-Go pantries last month. MDHHS offices across Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties host pantry days and accept individuals and families by appointment to pick up fresh produce, grains and proteins.

Pantries may also have halal and kosher items available at some sites.

The Madison Heights office hosted an On-the-Go pantry today. The agency is reminding residents about the pantries and other food resources after the U.S. Department of Agriculture told states that the government shutdown may keep families from accessing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – or SNAP – support in November.  

Forgotten Harvest has many more resources for families looking for food assistance. For information about food distribution locations or to donate visit forgottenharvest.org/find-food. Appointments to shop at the Forgotten Harvest Community Choice Market can be made by calling 248-268-7756. 

The new state budget cuts funding to the Michigan Learning Channel.

The project was a statewide collaboration between Michigan public television stations and one station in Indiana. It was founded in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic to provided educational content to students and families at a time when most children were learning at home. 

The 3 million dollars the Michigan Learning Channel requested from the legislature was a part of both state senate and house plans going into final budget talks. The network says it has the funding to continue broadcasting through fiscal year 2026. It’s not clear whether the cuts will result in layoffs for the channel’s 5 staffers located at several stations throughout the network or how individual stations will be impacted.

Congress voted to cancel funding to public television and radio stations in August. 

The Pontiac Youth Recreation and Enrichment office is hosting a drive-in movie night at City Hall Saturday. Attendees will be treated with a double feature: Hocus Pocus and Hocus Pocus 2. Popcorn and beverages will be available.

Festivities start at 7 p.m. Saturday night at 47450 Woodward in the City Hall parking lot. More information at pontiacrecreation.recdesk.com.

The Dearborn Ice Skating Center is inviting the community to a Halloween Skate Saturday. 

Younguns can come in costume to win prizes. Old ones are welcome too. There will be interactive on-ice games and Halloween-themed music and decorations. Tickets are $13 and include skate rental.

Costumes with loose items that obstruct vision or that may otherwise be unsafe for skaters will not be allowed on the ice. Get tickets at disc.activityreg.com. 

You can let the dogs out this Sunday. Palmer Park’s Doggie Fashion Parade and Howl-O-Ween Party is from 2-4 p.m. at the Palmer Park Dog Park at 1655 W 7 Mile Road.

Participants get doggie bags full of goodies and humans get refreshments, too. To register in advance go to palmerparkunleashed.com. 

If there’s something in your neighborhood you think we should know about, drop us a line at [email protected].