The Detroit Evening Report

Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield gave her first state of the city address last night at Mumford High School. She announced a new program starting today for Detroit Public Schools students. 

"Any K-12 student in the city can ride the bus for free, seven days a week, 365 days a year." Sheffield said some of the school budget money for bus fare will be rerouted into after-school programs. 

And she announced a plan to lure businesses to economic corridors in the city, with a new position: the Director of Retail Attraction. 

"For too long, the city has waited for retailers to come to them. My administration will go out and compete for that investment, because strong neighborhoods need more than housing and infrastructure. They need vibrant commercial corridors where people can shop, work and gather close to home." 

Sheffield also said she was working with billionaire Dan Gilbert and the Move Detroit Coalition to entice more people to move to the city. "Our first program will support 313 current and future Detroiters with real resources, $15,000 to support home ownership and business growth, and $1,000 in relocation assistance to make it easier to come home to Detroit." 

The mayor also highlighted some of the things she's already done since taking office, such as raising the minimum wage for city workers, and bringing the program Rx Kids to the city to help new mothers. 

The Michigan Treasury Department is kicking of a new initiative today called Mi Money Matters Financial Empowerment.

According to the Treasury department, nearly 80% of metro Detroiters earning below 125,000 report never receiving formal education in personal finance. Roughly 25% of Detroiters do not have access to a bank.

The initiative includes a website that links to free tools and courses on credit, banking, and student loans. 

Detroit City Council debated the value of Neighborhood Enterprise Zone tax incentives yesterday, questioning whether they are a useful tool for relieving the tax burden on residents.

NEZ tax incentives cap the city and county millage rate at 50%. Under the current structure, a $300,000 home would be taxed $6,000; in the suburbs, the same home’s taxes would be less than $2,000.

Councilmember Scott Benson says the city needs to be competitive with neighboring cities, which the NEZ does by lowering taxes—even if they aren’t as low as a suburb's. 

Detroit City Councilmember At-Large Mary Waters has dispatched a crew to clean up trash at a site on the city’s northwest side.  Garbage has been gathering at an empty apartment building near Six Mile and Greenfield.  Neighbors have been complaining about the mess, which has gained the attention of the media.  

Waters says Greenfield between Six Mile and Puritan should be permanently cleaned up, adding that Detroit’s neighborhoods should be as clean as “corporate downtown.” 

Another brewery has closed in Midtown.  Jolly Pumpkin announced on Facebook that it has closed after 11 years of operation.  The restaurant was located on Canfield, just west of Cass Avenue.  

The Motor City Brewing Works on the same block  closed earlier this year.  

The Detroit News reports a new Mediterranean-themed restaurant will open in the Jolly Pumpkin space this summer. 

Fifth Third Bank is moving its regional headquarters in Detroit.  

The Free Press reports the bank will leave its offices at One Woodward Avenue and move a couple of blocks north to One Campus Martius.  A number of employees at other locations in Metro Detroit will also move into the new headquarters.  

Fifth Third completed its acquisition of Comerica Bank in February. 

Many Detroiters woke up in the middle of the night to the rumbling of thunder.  Rising temperatures overnight created the right conditions for brief thunderstorms.  High temperatures near 70 degrees today, coupled with an approaching cold front, will bring another round of storms this afternoon and evening.  

Some of those storms could be strong or severe.  The National Weather Service says the threat of severe weather is a level two on a scale of five.  High temperatures Wednesday are expected to be in the 40s.  

Fans of the University of Michigan’s women’s basketball team are feeling a bit down today.  The team lost to Texas 77 – 41 last night in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA women’s tournament.  

Texas led the game 22 – 9 at the end of the first quarter.   

Michigan basketball fans are celebrating after a good weekend of March Madness.  

The University of Michigan’s men’s team beat Alabama on Friday night to make it to the “Elite Eight.”  The team then turned around and beat Tennessee 95 - 62 Sunday to advance further in the NCAA tournament.  

Michigan takes on Arizona in Indianapolis Saturday night at 8:49 p.m.  Both teams are No.1 seeds. 

The U.S. war with Iran continues to keep gas prices high.  AAA Michigan says the average price of a gallon of gasoline is $3.92.  That’s down a penny from last Monday, but it’s still 92 cents higher than a month ago.  

Wayne and Macomb counties have some of the lowest prices in Michigan.  Industry analysts say higher gas prices are driven by higher costs for crude oil.   

Despite the higher prices, AAA says demand for gasoline is rising across the country as spring break season continues. 

Michigan Republicans held their state endorsement convention on Saturday.  Delegates selected candidates for Secretary of State and Attorney General at their meeting in Novi.   

Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini was picked to be the Republican candidate for Secretary of State.   The GOP also endorsed Eaton County Prosecutor Doug Lloyd to become its nominee for Attorney General.  

The party says on the convention website that it’s holding its endorsement event early to give candidates more time to raise money and prepare for the general election on Nov. 3.   

Thousands of metro Detroiters attended “No Kings” marches across the region on Saturday, protesting the policies of the Trump administration.  

Marches were held at Clark Park and Grand Circus Park in Detroit, as well as in Ferndale, Livonia, Dearborn and several other locations in the area.  More than 100 events were held across Michigan.   

Metro Detroiters will see temperatures rise to around 70 degrees Tuesday, bringing a chance of strong thunderstorms. 

The National Weather Service says Metro Detroit has a marginal chance of severe weather tonight.  That’s a level one on a scale of five.  

That risk increases to “slight” Tuesday.  That’s level two out of five.  There’s a chance of winds of 58 mph or higher, one inch hail and tornadoes.  

Storms Tuesday are most likely to occur between 4 p.m. and midnight. Keep up with the weather on 101.9 WDET FM. 

President Trump announced on Thursday that he will sign an executive order to pay TSA officers during the ongoing shutdown impacting the Department of Homeland Security.

On his Truth Social platform, he said his order will instruct the Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin to pay the TSA agents in what he calls an emergency situation.

A senior administration official said the money provided by President Trump’s Reconciliation Act, also known as the Big Beautiful Bill, will be used to pay TSA officials.

This comes as the president signed an executive order asking federal contractors to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. Since the beginning of his presidency, Trump has targeted public and private organizations over DEI practices despite multiple experts and advocates showing DEI practices help address historic inequities for marginalized groups.

Netflix is raising U.S. Prices for the second time in less than two years. The new pricing was on their website on Thursday.

The standard plan with ads will go from $7.99 to $8.99. The standard plan without ads will go from $17.99 to $19.99. And the premium plan is going from $24.99 to $26.99.

According to Variety, the higher pricing shows Netflix is confident that they that this increase won’t turn away too many subscribers from the biggest subscription-streaming platform in the world with 325 million customers.

The increased pricing will be applied for both existing and new members.

March Madness

Both Michigan and Michigan State have made it to the sweet 16. Things will be even sweeter if they make it
to the elite 8.

But first No. 1 Michigan will face No. 4 Alabama at 7:35 p.m. EST at the United Center in Chicago. And No. 3 Michigan St. Will face No. 2 UConn tonight at 9:45 p.m. at Capital One Arena in Washington DC.

NBA

The Pistons dominated the New Orleans Pelicans with the score 129-108. Now all they need to do is win at least five more games to clinch the No. 1 seed of the Eastern Conference.

They are 4.5 games ahead of the Boston Celtics. Cade Cunningham, who is out because of a collapsed lung, is projected to get back by mid April according to reports.

The Pistons play again tomorrow against the Minnesota Timberwolves at 5:30 p.m. EST at the Target Center.

MLB

The Detroit Tigers opened up the season with a dominate win over the San Diego Padres. Final score was 8-2. They play again today at 9:40 p.m. EST at Petco Park.

Soccer

Detroit City FC face off against the Charleston Battery tomorrow at 4:00 p.m.

And tomorrow, March 28th 2026 is HipHop night at Big Pink. DJs Mobeatz, Auset, and Stardust are on the line up to play some of the best hip hop hits that are circulating playlists.

The event starts at 10 p.m. tomorrow and it’s for folks 21 and up.

The state of Michigan and the city of Romulus have filed a lawsuit seeking to block a proposed ICE detention center near Detroit Metro Airport. The lawsuit states that ICE failed to consult Michigan officials and didn’t consider alternative buildings, such as existing prisons.

Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement a warehouse is not an appropriate place for a large scale detention center. The lawsuit comes after Nessel wrote a letter demanding that ICE halt the project and filed a FOIA request to see records on the purchase and plans for the warehouse. 

FORCE Detroit, a community violence intervention (CVI) organization, is hosting an activation for the newly launched CVI Athletics Program.

The program is starting a youth flag football league with Detroit PAL and Detroit’s Occupy the Summer initiative. The league will have two age divisions: ages 11-13 and ages 14-17.

The event is being held Friday, March 27 from 6-8 p.m. at the Chandler Park Fieldhouse Dome. 

The Interfaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit is hosting a Sacred Paths of India Bus Tour. The tour will take participants to three houses of worship for the Jain, Hindu, and Sikh faiths. The tour aims to explore the traditions and experiences of each faith community.

Each location will showcase how the religious traditions are practiced today and explore the meaning behind the sacred spaces and rituals.

Tickets are $90 and include a seat on the bus, all three faith experiences and lunch. Seating is limited. The tour is on April 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The non-profit group Reparation Generation is hosting a virtual house meeting on Tuesday, April 14 at 8 p.m. The meeting will discuss what they call their “reparations in action” approach, the broader reparation movement, and ways to engage.

The group holds these meetings every other month to share the mission and goal of the organization.

To register visit reparationgeneration.org/events. 

Non Profit BasBlue is celebrating five years with the 2026 Bold Women Summit on March 31. The summit title is “The Power of Us: Celebrating Women Shaping the Future” and will feature keynote conversations with fashion designer Tracy Reese and Motown Museum CEO Robin Terry.

Since BasBlue launched in 2021, the organization has more than 600 members, with 125 participating annually in its Trailblazer Scholarship program.

For more information visit basblueus.com/summit.

Gas prices continue to rise in metro Detroit.  AAA Michigan says the average price of a gallon of self-serve regular hit four dollars today.  That’s up just over a penny from Tuesday and it’s 17 cents higher than a week ago.  You could get a gallon of gas for $2.95 in Detroit just over a month ago.  

Analysts say two factors are causing the price hikes.  The war in Iran is pushing up the price of crude oil,  which is used to make gasoline.  Refineries are also changing over to the summer blend of gas, which is more expensive to produce. 

Metro Detroiters might experience some severe weather Thursday.  

The National Weather Service has placed much of Southeast Michigan in a category for a “slight” risk of severe weather.  That’s level 2 on a scale of 5.  

Warm air will move into town,  raising temperatures into the mid-60s Thursday afternoon.  But a cold front will quickly follow, bringing rain and thunderstorms Thursday evening. 

Some of those storms could be strong or severe.  A thunderstorm is categorized as severe if it has wind gusts of more than 58 miles per hour or produces hail of one inch or larger.  

Remember, a watch means conditions are such that a severe thunderstorm is possible.  A warning means severe weather conditions exist now and you should take cover.  

Make sure to stay tuned to local media outlets throughout the day to get the latest weather updates. 

The NAACP announced today that Kristen Clarke will become the organization’s new general counsel.  She’ll direct the organization’s legal strategies.  

The NAACP says Clarke’s legal expertise will help it protect voting rights and continue its efforts to secure civil and human rights for people across the country.  

She previously served as the assistant attorney general for civil rights at the U.S. Department of Justice. 

Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield is preparing to give her first State of the City address next week.  

She’s scheduled to speak to a crowd at Mumford High School in northwest Detroit next Tuesday evening.  

Sheffield is expected to talk about several initiatives she’s launched in recent weeks including Rx Kids, which provides cash prescription support for pregnant women and newborn mothers.  Sheffield has also been active in ways to create new affordable housing for Detroiters.  

The State of the City speech takes place Tuesday night at 7 p.m.  You can hear it on 101.9 WDET FM, at wdet.org, or on the City of Detroit’s YouTube channel or Facebook page. 

March Madness continues to occupy the attention of many Detroiters.  Michigan and Michigan State both have “Sweet 16” games on Friday in their respective quests for a national championship.  

No. 1-seed Michigan faces 4-seed Alabama Friday night at 7:35 p.m.  No. 3-seed Michigan State plays 2-seed UConn Friday night at 9:45 p.m.  Both games will be televised. 

The state has released a new strategic plan to address sickle cell disease. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says it developed the plan with input from those affected by it.

Its six strategic goals include ensuring access to high quality services, improve patient outcomes, changes to implementation of disease-modifying therapies and increasing awareness of best practices and available resources. 

Sickle cell is an inherited blood disorder that causes red blood cells to form in a sickle or crescent shape that can block blood flow. The disease may cause pain, infections, strokes and organ damage. An estimated 4,000 people in Michigan are diagnosed with sickle cell disease.

African Americans are most likely to have the disease, but people of Middle Eastern, South Asian, Hispanic and Mediterranean descent are also affected in significant numbers. 

The MDHHS Lifecourse Epidemiology & Genomics Division leads implementation of the 2026-30 Sickle Cell Strategic Plan. For more information, visit Michigan.gov/sicklecell. 

A developer has submitted a proposal to build a data center on Detroit's east side. The Detroit News reports the project would cover more than 14 acres of city-owned property on Shoemaker Street between the Coleman A. Young Airport and the Jeep plant.

The report cites members of City Councilwoman Latisha Johnson's staff. Last week, the council passed a resolution urging Mayor Mary Sheffield to put data center proposals on hold for two years.

A "No Kings" rally is planned for downtown Detroit this Saturday. The local event is organized by a coalition of labor, civil rights, community and grassroots organizations calling itself No Kings Detroit.

Saturday’s rally is scheduled to run from 3-5 p.m. in Grand Circus Park and to coincide with rallies across the country protesting a range of Trump administration policies and actions, including those related to immigration, voting, the environment, economic issues and the war in Iran.  

The Professional Women’s Hockey League returns to Little Caesar’s Arena this week. The New York Sirens face the Montreal Victoire Saturday at 1 p.m.

This week’s game will be the first nationally televised PWHL game in the U.S., airing on ION and available to more than 126 million households. 61 PWHL players competed in the recent Winter Olympics – earning 41 medals, including the women of Team USA who got the gold. 

The three year old league has broken its attendance records each time it has played in Detroit—with an enthusiastic crowd —often expressing its desire to have PWHL team based in Hockey Town.  

The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights is looking for volunteers and advocates to assist unaccompanied minors during deportation proceedings in Michigan. People must be 21 and up to volunteer.

The organizations need volunteers who speak multiple languages, including Spanish, French, Haitian Creole, Arabic, Mayan and other languages from Central America. The Young Center is hosting virtual online informational sessions on March 24 and March 31. In-person training will be held on April 11 and 12.

To volunteer, fill out the application at mobilize.us/theyoungcenter.  

The Michigan Poll on Healthy Aging found 31% of Michigan residents 50 and up are providing caregiving for an adult relative with health issues or a disability. About 33% of those caregivers say that also creates financial struggles.

Caregivers may have to take time away from work or spend money on transportation to provide care without much support from insurance or government sources. The poll also found that caregivers 50 to 64 years old face higher financial challenges compared to those who are 65 and older.  

However, the poll finds that many caregivers do not know about resources available to them, such as adult day and respite programs for people 60 and up. A majority of caregivers say financial assistance would provide the most relief in their duties.  

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says there is a measles outbreak in Washtenaw County with four linked cases reported since March 12. The initial cases are linked to travel to Florida. 

Measles is a contagious disease that may cause a high fever of 104 degrees, cough, and runny nose, with tiny white spots on the inner cheeks, gums and the roof of your mouth. It may also cause a rash with flat red spots on the hairline, legs, and other areas.

There have been over 1,300 measles cases recorded across 31 states in 2026. Health officials encourage families to get vaccinated. They say two doses of the MMR vaccine offer 97% protection against measles.  

Michigan’s chief medical executive, Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian says, “measles cases are spreading like wildfire this year.” The numbers are increasing due to travel during spring break.

People who think they may have measles are encouraged to call their health care provider before seeking testing or treatment in person to prevent spreading the disease.

Visit michigan.gov/measles for more information.  

The James Beard Foundation has launched a Climate Solutions for Restaurant Survival Campaign. That includes a roundtable discussion today with Anne McBride, Vice President of Impact at the James Beard Foundation, and Senator Elissa Slotkin.

They discussed the growing climate threat to the restaurant industry, small businesses, and agriculture. The organization says extreme weather has caused supply chain disruptions, increased costs, and strained profit margins.

The event featured chefs, business owners, and farmers from the region. 

Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania introduced the bipartisan Advanced Wastewater Treatment Assistance Act. It helps communities upgrade wastewater systems to address PFAS and other contaminants. Stevens says clean water is essential for our health and the future of the Great Lakes. 

An EPA study says as of 2022, Michigan needed an estimated $181 million for improvements.  

If passed, the legislation creates a $1 billion budget for a five-year federal grant program to help water utilities treat water for contaminants. That would cover half of the project costs. It would also allocate 49% of funding to communities without financial assistance, with 1% of EPA and admin costs. Additionally, a national study to evaluate the effectiveness of the advanced technology to remove contaminants would be launched. 

The Office of Immigrant Affairs and Economic Inclusion has a new director. Mayor Sheffield named Elizabeth Orozco-Vasquez as the leader to integrate the voices and needs of Detroit’s large immigrant population into the policies and strategies of the city.

Orozco Vasquez’s office will also focus on creating greater opportunities, equity and economic mobility initiatives to underserved Detroiters. Serving as the Chief Executive Officer at Freedom House, Detroit Orozco-Vasquez led the only agency in the state that provides shelter and wraparound services to refugees, asylum seekers and others seeking humanitarian support. She said in a statement that it is an honor for her to be a advocate for immigrants and she will work to make Detroit a place where all residents feel at home.

She begins her new position April.

There is a nationwide recall for children’s ibuprofen. It is being recalled because the liquid contained unidentified black particles according to the FDA. The 4 fluid ounce bottle named Children's Ibuprofen Oral Suspension is an anti inflammatory drug to relieve moderate pain. Health officials have advised consumers to stop using it immediately.

If you have that medication and want to be sure it is not affected check the number on the back. The affected bottle numbers are 7261973A and 7261974A with an expiration date of January 31, 2027.

NCAA

We are in the madness of march and both Michigan State and Michigan had dominate performances beating their respective teams by about 20 points a piece. Michigan State (#3) will go on to play Louisville (#6 ) tomorrow, March 21 at 2:45 p.m. Michigan (#1) will go on to play St Louis (#9) tomorrow at 12:10 p.m. They both play at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY.

NBA

The Pistons will be playing the Golden State Warriors tonight without their leader Cade Cunningham who sustained a a collapsed lung during the Tuesday game against the Wizards. Even without the all start the Pistons are the favorite team to win. Tip off is at 7:30 p.m. at Little Caesars Arena.

NHL

The Red Wings beat the Montreal Canadiens 3 to 1 yesterday and stay in the fight for a wild card spot in the playoffs. The next two opponents are also in the Atlantic Division and could determine the chances for the Red Wings to make it to the playoffs. They face the Boston Bruins tomorrow at 8:00pm at Little Caesars Arena.

Local high school basketball

The boys high school basketball season ended last weekend at Michigan State’s Breslin Center. As DER’s high school sports correspondent Lex Walker reports, the girls teams are in the finals this weekend.

As the high school basketball season comes to an end, two teams have already journeyed to Breslin. The boys teams at U Prep lost to Hudsonville Unity Prep in the semifinals and Douglass made it to the finals but lost to Concord.

At the time of this taping, the girls from Renaissance face Dewitt in the semifinals for the chance to win the state championship Saturday.

About 10,000 registered nurses at Corewell Health East hospitals voted to authorize a strike, saying they have been unable to negotiate their first contract despite months of bargaining with the hospital system. Nearly 90% of members voted for the strike. 

Members are asking for better nurse-to-patient ratios, wage increases, affordable health insurance coverage and improved workplace safety. The nurses voted to unionize in November 2024 and began negotiations in June 2025.

They are represented by Teamsters Local 2024 and work at Corewell Health East hospitals in Dearborn, Farmington Hills, Grosse Pointe, Royal Oak, Trenton, Troy, Wayne, and Southfield. 

In a statement, a Corewell spokesperson says it has already agreed to raise wages. 

Detroit is having a city-wide block club meeting. The Department of Neighborhoods is inviting all Detroit neighbors, community leaders, and block clubs to engage with city leaders. The event will be held Tuesday March 24 at the Northwest Activities Center. The event runs from 5:30 pm to 7:00. Residents and community leaders can find resources and meet with various city departments. 

The Arab American Women’s Business Council is hosting a Digital Marketing, SEO, and AI Seminar. Learn about business strategies, search engine optimization, AI tools and tips for running an effective digital campaign.

The seminar is open to all. It will be held March 28 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 13846 Michigan Avenue in Dearborn. Tickets are $25. 

The Interfaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit is hosting a workshop called "Bridging the Divide: From Division to Belonging." The workshop focuses on exploring practical ways to find connection with people, understanding the need for belonging and nurturing community.

The event will be held Saturday, March 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at Madonna University Welcome Center in Livonia. Tickets are $35.