The Detroit Evening Report

Detroit’s candidates for mayor are in their final weeks of campaigning.  And a new poll shows voters are making up their minds.  

A Detroit News/WDIV-TV poll shows City Council President Mary Sheffield with a commanding lead in the race over Pastor Solomon Kinloch.  The survey…conducted from October 16-18 shows Sheffield supported by about 65% of those surveyed, Kinloch with 14%, and about 20% undecided.  

The Glengariff Group conducted the poll of 500 respondents.  The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.

Just a reminder: a poll is a snapshot in time of the people surveyed.  Polls don’t vote – people do.  Early voting starts on Saturday.  Election Day is Tuesday, November 4. 

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].

Over ten thousand people rallied in Detroit on Saturday for the No Kings Protest. 

The event started in Roosevelt Park in front of the Michigan Central Depot. Kassandra Rodriguez spoke at the rally. Rodriguez is with the Detroit Community Action Committee. She says many Latinx people stayed home. 

“A lot of them are very sacred, you know, they are view these big movements, big protests, as a place where they might get targeted. So its important, even more important that so many of us come out there and are able to like elevate their voices and share their stories.” 

Following the rally, protesters marched to the Customs and Border Protection field office in Downtown Detroit. The event was peaceful, although Detroit Police arrested one pro-Trump counterprotester. 

- Reporting by Russ McNamara 

Oct. 19 through Oct. 26 is Microplastics Awareness Week. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is inviting people to learn about the impact of microplastics, cleanups and prevention to reduce plastic use at home.

On Oct. 22  a free virtual Great Lakes Microplastics Summit will bring together scientists, policymakers and community members who will discuss microplastics and drinking water. 

For more details visit michigan.gov/egle 

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is recognizing Fire Prevention Month. Part of that is raising awareness about vaping play that creates fire risk along with health concerns. 

MDHHS is sharing resources to educate Michiganders about a variety of topics  including reducing fire risks from smoking materials and e-cigarettes, protecting residents from secondhand smoke and aerosol exposure and lowering cleaning and maintenance costs for home owners and renters. 

More tips can be found at michigan.gov/smokefreehousing.  

ProsperUs Detroit is hosting a Business 101 Workshop in Highland Park next week.

The in-person event will take place at Avalon Village at 24 Avalon Street, Highland Park, MI on Wednesday, Oct. 29th from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. 

Dearborn public health director awarded

The Dearborn Department of Health’s public health director Ali Abazeed, has been recognized as part of 40 under 40 in Public Health.

The award is given by de Beaumont Foundation and it is the first of its kind to recognize and elevate leaders in public health. It honors people who work in leadership and community impact across institution through health departments, universities, nonprofits or in the private sector. 

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

Michigan could not publish its September jobs report because of the federal government shutdown.

The monthly jobs report shows the unemployment rate, the number of unemployed people, and other workforce information. It indicates which sectors of the economy are losing or gaining jobs — information important to academics, economists, government policymakers, and businesses.

The September data exists, but it hasn’t been shared because the employees who handle the report are furloughed.

The August report showed Michigan’s jobless rate was down slightly, largely because fewer people were looking for work.

The 34-acre AB Ford Park reopened this week after $12 million in renovations and cleanup.

The East Riverfront park now includes two new playgrounds, environmental remediation, a basketball court, riverwalk replacement, a nature meadow, and more. The park is next to the Community Center at AB Ford, which opened in 2023.

During the Cold War, AB Ford Park was a site for missile radar towers. The bases of two towers still stand in the park. Detroit City Walls plans to beautify those towers with a mural in spring 2026.

A fund that helps Detroit water customers pay their bills has run out of state and federal money.

The Detroit Free Press reports the Water and Sewerage Department is restructuring its Lifeline Plan, which has helped thousands of customers since launching in 2022. Until now, most households on the plan paid as little as $18 a month for water.

The revised plan will raise monthly rates and serve fewer people in need.

A Wayne County judge says enough evidence exists to try a Hamtramck City Council member for election fraud.

Prosecutors charged Mohammed Hassan with forging a woman’s signature on an absentee ballot in 2023. The Detroit News reports the woman did not vote in that election.

A second round of No Kings protests is happening this Saturday, October 18, across the country — including several in Metro Detroit, such as at Roosevelt Park.

The protests are organized by the group 50501, which stands for “50 protests, 50 states, one movement.” Participants are protesting President Trump’s executive orders on immigration, foreign policy, federal spending cuts, civil rights, and more.

Organizers are asking people to wear yellow as a symbol of unity and hope.

The Detroit Fire Department received new fire and emergency medical services vehicles thanks to a nearly $11 million dollar investment from the city. This is part of the city’s efforts to upgrade their fleet and keep response times well below the national average.

The department received 10 new fire engines, 13 new ambulances, 3 battalion chief vehicles, and 3 new EMS Supervisor vehicles. Each vehicle is equipped with HAAS Alert Safety Cloud that sends real-time digital alerts to nearby drivers when emergency vehicles are approaching or stopped at an incident.

According to the city, these investments help improve a fleet in comparison to the decades old vehicles that were prone to break down.

Additional headlines from Thursday, October 16, 2025

Detroit voters will have an opportunity to see the two candidates for mayor debate each other tonight.  City Council president Mary Sheffield and Pastor Solomon Kinloch will take part in the televised event at the WXYZ-TV studios in Southfield. 

Michigan Chronicle Executive Editor Jeremy Allen says many Detroiters have already made up their minds about who they’re voting for. “It’s pretty clear that people are either for Mary Sheffield or for Solomon Kinloch.  And there are – there’s really no in-between.  And so, what I’m seeing from the community is folks who are invested in this race are fully invested on one side or the other, and there’s no in-between.”

Tonight’s debate will be broadcast on WXYZ-TV 7 at 7 p.m. and streamed online. Citizen Detroit will hold a debate watch party beginning at 6 p.m. at UFO Bar – that’s 2110 Trumbull in Detroit.   

A startup competition is soliciting business proposals from Indigenous entrepreneurs in Michigan. It's called IndigiPitch, and it's organized by 20 Fathoms, a tech startup incubator in northern Michigan.

Chief Financial Officer and Tribal Liaison Shiloh Slomsky says Native communities face more barriers to getting a business off the ground than other groups. "Number one is capital or access to representation at pitch events, or in front of venture capitals and even banking."

IndigiPitch will place entrepreneurs in front of investors. A panel of Indigenous judges will choose the winners in December and award cash prizes.

-MPRN

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

A startup competition is soliciting business proposals from Indigenous entrepreneurs in Michigan. It's called IndigiPitch, and it's organized by 20 Fathoms, a tech startup incubator in northern Michigan.

Chief Financial Officer and Tribal Liaison Shiloh Slomsky says Native communities face more barriers to getting a business off the ground than other groups. "Number one is capital or access to representation at pitch events, or in front of venture capitals and even banking."

IndigiPitch will place entrepreneurs in front of investors. A panel of Indigenous judges will choose the winners in December and award cash prizes.

-MPRN

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

Detroit’s mayoral candidates have their only scheduled debate this week.

The Reverand Solomon Kinloch faces City Council President Mary Sheffield in the general election. Kinloch, a political newcomer, says city leaders haven’t done enough to increase affordable housing in Detroit. He votes to do that and continue pastoring his church if voters elect him.  

“All of us got a responsibility, not to just do something from a spiritual perspective, but to do something social and political. That’s my rearing and my raising. I believe that this is a great opportunity to inspire an entire city that ordinary people can do some extraordinary things.”

Sheffield argues dealing with Detroit’s housing and financial issues demands someone with the kind of experience she’s gained over a dozen years on Council.

The debate will be on Channel 7 starting at 7 p.m this Wednesday, October 15. 

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

If you’re interested in how you can be a part of a clean energy future, this event might be for you. The Resilience and Equity in the Clean Energy Sector Summit is happening next week, October 13 through 15, at the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center. Organizers say this is the largest clean energy gathering with Black and Brown folks in mind — not as the footnote but the headline.

The summit will offer hands-on workshops, tech showcases, career pathways, funding opportunities, and more. Plus, the featured speaker is national political activist Stacey Abrams.

For more information, visit therecessconference.com.

The City of Pontiac is announcing 100 completed home improvement projects at a press conference on October 14. This is all part of its Houses Through Home Repair Program, which aims to fix homes that need key repairs and upgrades.

City leaders will highlight improvements to plumbing, HVAC, roofing, porches, and more at the press conference at 1159 Eckman Ave. in Pontiac.

For details, go to pontiac.mi.us.

Before we get to the weekend activities, let’s check out sports.

MLB
The Tigers face the Seattle Mariners tonight in a winner-take-all matchup. The American League Division Series is tied 2-2, and the winner of tonight’s game moves on to the American League Championship Series to face the Toronto Blue Jays.
First pitch is at 8:08 p.m.

NFL
On October 12, the Detroit Lions face the Kansas City Chiefs in a Sunday night matchup you don’t want to miss. The Lions are 4-1 and leading the NFC North, while the Chiefs are digging their way out of the AFC West.
Kickoff is at 8:20 p.m. at Arrowhead Stadium.

Wayne State University is partnering with the Consulate of Mexico in Detroit to host a film festival of Mexican-based films on Wednesday, October 15, at noon. The event is free and will be held at La Plaza del Norte Building, 2835 Bagley Street.

It will feature conversations about political and social implications, history, and more. For more information, go to las.wayne.edu.

Beacon Park is hosting Cider in the City this weekend, October 11 and 12, and next weekend, October 18 and 19, from 1 to 5 p.m. both days.

There will be cider and donuts, cocktails, football on LED screens, and more.
For details, visit ciderinthecity.com.