The Detroit Evening Report

Detroit’s Department of Transportation is installing new boarding platforms on East Jefferson for bus riders.  

It’s part of a pilot program to enhance safety and efficiency for bus passengers. 21 new elevated platforms will extend from the curb across bike and parking lanes to provide faster boarding for passengers.  

Buses will stay in the right lane to pick up riders instead of pulling to the curb and moving in and out of traffic. 

 The platforms will have ramps on each side to allow for bikers to seamlessly pass over the platforms without leaving the bike lane. 

 New shelters will be placed at each of the platform locations. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of next month. 

The Detroit City Council Historic Designation Advisory Board is nominating a section of the Bagley and West Vernor highway commercial district for a listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

The designation would honor Southwest Detroit’s century old legacy of Latin American culture.

The Board will present the nomination at its public monthly board meeting on September 11th at 4 p.m. Attendees will be able to comment on the proposed historic district designation, ask questions about the process, and learn more about the benefits of a National Register historic district.

The meeting will be held at the Mexicantown Community Development Corporation offices at 2853 Bagley. 

Labor Day Weekend is here and there are several events happening across the Metro Detroit Area. 

Michigan’s state park campgrounds are almost fully reserved this Labor Day weekend. Last minute campers can check the Michigan Department of Natural Resources digital dashboard map which tracks the booking status of state parks.

State forest campgrounds offer camping on a first-come, first-serve basis, meaning campsites can’t be reserved. 

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

The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department says it has surpassed its goal for enrolling residents in its new Easy Pay program. The program is designed to help residents who have fallen behind in their water bill payments.  

Detroiters can sign-up by calling 313-267-8000 or use the DWSD Customer Self-Service Portal. 

Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter and Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel wrote a joint editorial to the Detroit Free Press saying the state needs to do more to improve roads. 

Legislators have not reached a deal for long-term road funding. The trio of executives calls for bi-partisan efforts to find money for roads before the current funding runs out. 

The Dearborn Education Foundation has a new member.  The non-profit organization announced the addition of Mary Hammoud to the board in a news release. The Dearborn Education Foundation’s mission is to fund programs and projects that benefit public school students in the city. 

On August 28th, 1963, nearly 250,000 people from around the country marched to the Mall in Washington D.C. to hear remarks from civil rights activists.  The climax of the event was Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior’s “I Have A Dream” speech. 

Detroit was well-represented at the March – with hundreds of area residents attending the event.  Among them was the Reverend Nicholas Hood, Senior – then pastor of Plymouth United Congregational Church.  Back in 2013, he shared his memories of the day with me. 

“We endured all of the speeches leading up to Doctor King…and ‘what could he say?’  Well, I’m telling you, he just mesmerized the audience.  He electrified the audience," said Hood.  "And when he got to the ‘I have a dream’ portion, there was a rhythm to it.  And when he got into the rhythm, people all throughout the mall got into the rhythm with him. ‘I have a dream.  I have a dream.’  And he was saying something.”

Reverend Hood worked with Doctor King and other civil rights leaders in the 1950’s when he lived in New Orleans.  Hood died in 2016. 

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

The Michigan Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) declared Wayne State University as a hostile campus for free speech Monday, August 25. 

The announcement comes in response to how the institution handled a series of protests against Israel’s attacks on Palestinians in Gaza. 

CAIR Michigan Executive Director Dawud Walid accused Wayne State of systemically silencing the free speech rights of students.  

“Students should be able to freely raise their voices without fear of not just simply being doxed, but administrative and even law enforcement measures taking place against them while they are attending a university that they paid tuition for and a place that's supposed to be a haven for liberal arts education.” 

Wayne State said in a statement it’s committed to supporting free speech, as long as conduct on campus does not violate any laws or disrupt university operations. 

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at [email protected].

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has launched a program to assist residents with Medicare. MI Options is a statewide system that offers free counseling for people who need long-term care.

MDHHS director Elizabeth Hertel says in a press release that the resource hub will provide information about Medicare enrollment and prescription costs, while empowering people to make choices for their health and wellbeing, including aging in place.

People can call 800-803-7174 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Monday through Friday, to speak with an agent. More information is available at Michigan.gov/MDHHSMIOptions.

Reporting by Bre’Anna Tinsley

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is urging state leaders to pass a budget soon to prevent road closures.

Officials warn the I-96 and Southfield Freeway interchange in Detroit is in poor condition and at risk of becoming too dangerous to use. MDOT spokesperson Diane Cross says that without a funding plan, closures can be expected within the decade.

“Which sounds like a long time, but it is not really. When it comes to road projects, you have to design them, you have to do safety studies, you have to do traffic counts, you have to do updated environmental things. There is a lot you have to do when you plan and design and do any major rebuilding,” Cross said.

She adds that the department has already completed as much maintenance and made as many repairs as possible, and the only next step is a full rebuild. Many other bridges across the state are facing the same risk if funding is not approved soon.

Reporting by Bre’Anna Tinsley

Students across Metro Detroit are returning to class for the first day of school. That comes as school officials remain uncertain about how much money they will actually have to spend this year.

The Michigan House and Senate are still divided over how much funding to allocate for schools in the state budget.

Michigan's overall education system is under scrutiny amid high absenteeism in many classrooms and low student performance in state and national testing.

Some educators also remain concerned about the Trump administration's possible cuts in federal school funding. And some students say they worry that immigration enforcement could cause classmates to be forced to leave school.

Reporting by Quinn Klinefelter

Detroit’s Senior Task Force is hosting a movie day for seniors this week. The free event will be held on Wednesday at the Bel Air Luxury Cinema starting at 10 a.m.

The first 500 people ages 55 and older will receive free entrance, popcorn, and a drink.

The City of Detroit is hosting a Film Detroit Outreach and Resource Fair. The networking event will include food and conversations with Detroit’s film community.

Attendees can learn about film permits and local resources to access Detroit’s cable channels. The event will take place on September 10 at the community center at AB Ford Park, located at 100 Lenox in Detroit, from 4 to 7 p.m.

As COVID-19 cases rise in Michigan this summer, it’s still unclear when residents will be able to get the updated vaccine at local pharmacies, clinics and doctors’ offices.

Differing recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and other federal health officials have created confusion over who should get the vaccine. Michigan health leaders have also diverged from federal guidance, which could mean some people may need to pay out of pocket or face co-pays this year.

CDC COVID-19 data tracker
Detroit Free Press coverage

The Kent County Health Department has confirmed the first West Nile virus–related death of the year, involving a West Michigan man. Five other cases have also been reported in the state.

Most people infected with the virus never develop symptoms, though about 20% may experience mild, flu-like illness. Serious complications are rare, but Michigan resident Jerry Feldman says his infection in late November was “life altering.”

Health officials recommend protecting yourself by wearing long sleeves and pants at dusk and dawn and using insect repellents containing DEET.

The City of Detroit is rolling out a new notification system to warn drivers when emergency vehicles are approaching. The Haas Alert Safety Cloud connects with navigation apps to alert motorists when an ambulance, fire truck, or police cruiser is nearby.

Detroit Fire Commissioner Chuck Simms says all city emergency vehicles will be equipped after a successful year-long pilot program. City leaders hope the technology, developed with NewLab in Detroit, will reduce the thousands of crashes each year involving police and fire vehicles.

MLB: The Detroit Tigers take on the Kansas City Royals this weekend at Comerica Park. The Tigers lead the American League Central, while the Royals sit 10 games back. Tonight’s first pitch is at 7:10 p.m.

NFL: The Detroit Lions wrap up their preseason tomorrow at Ford Field, with kickoff at 1:00 p.m.

MLS: Detroit City FC faces the Tampa Bay Rowdies tomorrow at Keyworth Stadium. Game time is 7:00 p.m.

Detroit’s South West Fest is back for its fifth annual celebration on Saturday, August 23, from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Senate Theater. The event features food, music, and family-friendly activities, with organizers calling it a beacon that highlights the tapestry of Detroit’s culture.

More details at Senate Theater

Paratransit ridership in Detroit has increased. That’s according to the Detroit Department of Transportation. Trip requests have nearly doubled since the launch of DDOT NOW, a same day paratransit service to help mobilize residents with a disability in the city.

The service is available from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and can be requested as quickly as an hour ahead. D-DOT is now exploring hybrid vehicles for the service, cashless payment options, and app-based trip booking alternatives.

Detroit will equip some police and fire vehicles with cloud technology designed to improve public safety. The devices transmit signals over cellular networks to alert motorists when an emergency vehicle is nearby.

The goal is to remind drivers to move over when they approach a fire truck, police car, or ambulance.

The Detroit Planning and Development Department is holding a community benefits ordinance meeting tonight. The Detroit City Football Club, also known as DCFC, has announced plans to build a new soccer stadium in Southwest Detroit on the site of an abandoned hospital.

The 11-acre development is expected to open in 2027. The community benefits ordinance process ensures residents have input into major development projects through a neighborhood advisory council.

Tonight’s meeting takes place at the Mexicantown CDC Mercado on 2826 Bagley. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the meeting starts at 6 p.m.

Michigan State Police are cracking down on drunk driving through Labor Day. Officials have created a task force to increase enforcement and messaging through the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign.

The effort is a collaboration between state police and local law enforcement agencies. Officials say between mid-August and Labor Day there is an increase in crashes involving drivers under the influence. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports one person is killed about every 45 minutes in a drunk driving accident.

Catch the new documentary Islam’s Greatest Stories of Love on Detroit PBS Saturday at 9 p.m. The film chronicles Ariella Gayotto Hohl’s journey grieving the death of her father.

An Islamic religion scholar, she travels the world interviewing members of the Muslim community about how their faith and culture help them navigate love and grief.

Gayotto Hohl spoke with One Detroit’s Chris Jordan about the film. Watch their conversation tonight at 7:30 p.m. on Detroit PBS.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan has endorsed City Council President Mary Sheffield in her run to become Detroit’s next mayor. 

Sheffield won just over 50 percent of the vote in this month’s primary election.  She’ll face Pastor Solomon Kinloch in the November general election. 

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at [email protected].

A new city-wide alert system aims to notify the public more quickly about missing persons cases. The Detroit Police Department introduced the Emerald Alert Monday. It’s meant to provide emergency notifications for missing persons cases which don't meet the requirements of an Amber Alert.

Police can send an Emerald Alert for cases where they suspect foul play or to look for someone with special needs. The city will transmit them through its Detroit Alerts 365 system.

Qualified renters and homeowners have until September 30th to apply for the Home Heating Tax Credit.

Last year eligible applicants received an average of $180 to use toward utility bills. Health and Human Services Director Elizabeth Hertel says applying might get residents a credit and connect them to other resources like monthly energy discounts and expanded food assistance.

Some utilities offered claimants a $20 monthly credit last year. Anyone can apply using the state’s free tax preparation services. Renters or homeowners must meet income requirements.

Connect to this resource by calling 211 or at Michiganfreetaxhelp.org. 

Invest in MI Kids is kicking off its Wayne County campaign at Clark Park Friday.

The project is collecting signatures in an effort to change the state constitution to raise taxes on people who make more than 500-thousand dollars who file taxes as single filers or a million dollars for joint filers to better fund schools in the state. Critics have said the change would affect small businesses. Organizers say the language of the petition and amendment only target individuals. Friday’s event will include food trucks, music and “fun.”

It runs from 5pm to 8pm at Clark Park. 

City Council Member Gabriela Santiago Romero is inviting residents from the area where Detroit City Football Club is developing its new stadium to join an educational event tomorrow to learn about the Community Benefits Ordinance and the Neighborhood Advisory Council.

The law requires developers to engage with the community about the impact of large projects and to identify benefits to the community. A Neighborhood Advisory Council is created to represent the community in discussions with developers.

DCFC’s AlumiFi Stadium in Southwest Detroit is expected to cost $150million to build. Projects over 75 million trigger the CBO requirement.

Wednesday’s meeting starts at 6:30 on Zoom. Register here

Chandler Park is hosting a free sports clinic sampling event Wednesday. Youth are invited to come to check out a variety of sports, including golf, pickleball, ultimate frisbee, rugby, lacrosse, soccer, track, volleyball, flag football, tennis, baseball and yoga.

The event runs from 1pm to 6pm with sports scheduled in particular time slots throughout the afternoon. Participants must wear closed toe shoes and parents must stay if children will be participating in any sport.

The event also celebrates the indoor sports facility the Parks and Rec department has opened at Chandler Park. Vendors, DJs and food trucks will be on hand.

Set your GPS to 12300 Chandler Park Drive. 

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at [email protected].

The InterFaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit is hosting a Family Wellness Fair on Thursday, August 21, from 3:30 to 6:15 p.m.

This event is dedicated to family health, safety, and community resources. It is open to all parents, caregivers, and community members.

The fair will feature information on maternal and infant wellness, child safety and development, social services, and community support. There will also be raffles and giveaways.

Location: 76 Williams St., Pontiac, Michigan
More information: detroitinterfaithcouncil.com | Facebook page

The Maternal and Infant Health Resource Fair takes place Wednesday, August 20, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Islamic Center of Detroit.

The event promotes the Advancing Healthy Births program and will include:
• Resources and access to healthcare professionals
• Activities for children
• Lead testing and health screenings
• Giveaways

Location: Islamic Center of Detroit
More information: icdonline.org | Event details on Facebook

The City of Detroit is launching its first food composting program, funded by a one-year, $100,000 grant from Carhartt.

The pilot program will provide free five-gallon composting buckets to the first 200 residents who enroll. Participants will drop off filled buckets at Detroit’s People’s Food Co-op on Woodward, where food scraps will be processed and transferred to local farms.

The goal is to process up to 220 pounds of food scraps each day and reduce landfill waste. The program also ties into Michigan’s 2030 statewide goal of diverting 50 percent of food waste from landfills.

More information and sign-up: detroitmi.gov

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is creating an online resource to help residents cope with wildfire smoke.

So far this summer, Canadian wildfire smoke has prompted 31 air quality warnings across Michigan. By comparison, 2023 saw fewer warnings but higher smoke concentrations.

The state’s new webpage will include:
• Links to air quality readings
• A sign-up for air quality notifications
• Answers to common wildfire smoke questions

EGLE officials say that while residents cannot control wildfire smoke, they can take steps to protect themselves.

Resource page: michigan.gov/egle/wildfire-smoke

The Detroit Tigers continue their strong season with a three-game series against the Houston Astros at Comerica Park, beginning tonight at 6:40 p.m.

The Tigers hold a commanding lead in the American League Central Division, but playoff seeding could be influenced by this matchup. If the Tigers sweep the series, they would secure a potential tiebreaker advantage.

Learn more from the Detroit News

If you want to understand how government works from the inside out, the City of Detroit’s Shadow Program might be for you. This city-run program gives youth ages 18–25 a one-day immersive experience alongside Detroit professionals in fields such as health, urban planning, business, media, and more.

Participants must attend the orientation and all program dates — Sept. 19 and 26, and Oct. 3 and 10. A virtual info session will be held Wednesday, Aug. 20, and applications are due Aug. 27. Visit detroitmi.gov/departments/department-neighborhoods/youth-affairs for more information.

On Saturday, Sept. 6 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., the Detroit Health Department will host the Maternal Child Health Safe Sleep Walk-n-Rally, followed by its fourth annual Block Party.

The rally raises awareness about safe sleep practices for babies. The block party will include health screenings, back-to-school vaccinations, games, giveaways, and live music. Details at detroitmi.gov/departments/police-department/block-party 

Tomorrow, Aug. 16, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Detroit Riverfront Youth Sports Showcase takes over Cullen Plaza and Milliken State Park. Youth can try basketball, tennis, soccer, chess, and more, plus enjoy group fitness classes and demonstrations. Find more information here.

Weekend sports preview

MLB: The Detroit Tigers face the Minnesota Twins at Target Field in the second game of a three-game weekend series. With a record of 71–52, the Tigers remain at the top of the American League Central as they push toward a playoff run. First pitch tonight is 8:10 p.m. EST.

NFL: The Detroit Lions take on the Miami Dolphins tomorrow at Ford Field. Kickoff is 1 p.m.

Soccer: Detroit City FC meets North Carolina FC at First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park. Game time is 7:30 p.m.