The Detroit Evening Report

Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey is pushing back against the Trump administration's decision to send Justice Department operatives to monitor the August primary election. The DOJ says it will be watching the voting in Detroit, Lansing, and East Lansing, which are Democratic strongholds. Trump has falsely claimed that fraud in Detroit cost him the 2020 election. Justice officials say they're worried about compliance with election law and long lines at polling places. Winfrey says no such delays happened in 2024 because the state had adopted early voting.

-Reporting by Pat Batcheller

The state health department says an outbreak of a parasitic infection has grown to almost 1 thousand cases. Cyclosporiasis causes severe diarrhea and other symptoms. Investigators have not found the cause of the outbreak, but people usually get it by eating contaminated fresh produce.

Health experts advise washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly and seeking medical attention if symptoms persist. They can last for weeks without treatment.

Republican House Speaker Matt Hall says he doesn’t want a state program that pays new mothers to get the 20 million dollars it is expecting from the new state budget. R-X Kids gives women 15 hundred dollars during pregnancy and 500 dollars a month for the first six months of a newborn’s life. Studies show it has reduced infant mortality in Flint, where it began. Republican Speaker Matt Hall says more traditional social safety net programs with tougher eligibility requirements should get the money.

"I'm hopeful that we'll have a WIC program, that our child protective services will be well funded, that the cash assistance program will be well funded."

R-X kids serves all eligible mothers in designated coverage areas regardless of individual family need.

Reporting by Michigan Public Radio Network's Colin Jackson

Efforts to reform Detroit's rental housing remain stalled... and advocates blame the city's largest court for some of the gridlock. A lawsuit by the Detroit Tenants Union accuses 36th District Court's Chief Judge of failing his legal duty by allowing landlords without a certificate of compliance to continue collecting rent.

Right now, only 14 percent of Detroit landlords are compliant with city safety inspections. Donovan McCarty represents the union.

"If landlords can keep going in to collect rent that's not lawfully collected, then they have no incentive to actually come into compliance, and that I4 percent number will not grow to where we need it to be."

The 36th District Court didn't reply to a request for comment.

You can hear the full conversation at WDET.org or on The Metro podcast.

City officials kicked off the 12th annual Grow Detroit's Young Talent
Summer Employment Program Wednesday.

The program will provide over eight thousand summer jobs for kids in the city. It's Mary Sheffield's first year leading the effort as Mayor. Over 90 thousand positions have been extended to Detroit's young people since the program began in 2014.

Police say a 5-year-old boy was shot in the arm while riding his bicycle in front of his home in northwest Detroit. Investigators say a teenager fired several shots near Fargo-Oakfield Park when a stray bullet hit the boy.

Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield says the young victim will recover. She called the shooting senseless gun violence and said children deserve to feel safe in their neighborhoods. She says anyone with information about the shooter should call the police or CrimeStoppers. 

-Reporting by Pat Batcheller

The Justice Department plans to send election monitors to Detroit, Lansing and East Lansing for Michigan’s August primaries. Those are mostly Democratic cities. President Trump has falsely claimed that fraud in Detroit cost him the 2020 election.

Phil Mayor is the deputy legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan. He says the DOJ can, and has, used election monitors before. But he says Trump’s plan is troubling.  

“Given this administration’s election denialism and many of the other ways the administration has sought to discourage voting or spread false narratives, we’re certainly concerned. We’ll be watching the conduct of DOJ’s monitors carefully to ensure that they comply with the law, that they don’t interact with or harass voters.”

The chairman of the Michigan Republican Party—and a 2020 election denier—suggested this could be a trial run for placing federal agents at the polls in November. 

Faith leaders in the state are calling on legislators to pass a Michigan Voting Rights Act to fight against discrimination and protect access at the polls. 

-Reporting by Rick Pluta and Sascha Raiyn

A new training is available for people who’d like to be Poll Chaplains or Peacekeepers at polling locations. 

Poll Chaplains are faith leaders who wear clerical attire at election sites and peacekeepers are religious community leaders. The training teaches both how to maintain peace and de-escalate potential conflict at polling locations to encourage voter participation.  

Faiths United to Save Democracy is a nonpartisan, multifaith and multiracial voter protection campaign.  

The training will be held on Zoom on Monday July 13 from 7-8:30 p.m. Additional training will be offered on September 28 and October 15. People will receive official credentials upon completion of training.  

People can register at turnoutsunday.com. 

Wayne County has launched a food truck to increase access to affordable, healthy food options for residents. The Well Wayne Fresh Truck Mobile Market is a “farmers market on wheels.”  

It’s an effort to feed people who are facing food insecurity. That’s 1 in 5 people in the county. 

The food truck is also a way to reduce barriers to accessing food due to limited transportation and food prices. The food truck is sponsored by a multi-million-dollar investment to address social determinants of health through community work. The mobile food truck accepts SNAP, EBT, Double Up Food Bucks, cash, and credit or debit cards. It will operate across several cities including in Highland Park, Hamtramck and Inkster. Routes will be updated quarterly and based on community feedback.    

Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield kicks off the city’s summer jobs program for young people today. Grow Detroit’s Young Talent provides paid positions for about 8,000 teens and young adults. This year the city is adding two weeks of training for each participant in which they’ll learn about professionalism, conflict resolution and other skills.  

-Reporting by Pat Batcheller 

Leaders from multiple faith communities in metro Detroit are calling on state legislators to pass a Michigan Voting Rights Act after the justice department announced plans to send election monitors to three Michigan cities. 

Clergy gathered at Central United Methodist in Detroit and at locations in Grand Rapids and Lansing to show opposition to Trump administration policies speakers say are designed to threaten communities across the country. 

Hazel Gomez of Dream of Detroit says faith leaders will and must defend voting rights. "We will organize, we will train, and we're going to de-escalate. And in the primaries in August and in the general election in November, our goal as clergy of all faith traditions is to stand at the polls, to accompany, and to watch over our beloved communities."

Wendell Anthony of Fellowship Chapel in Detroit – and president of the Detroit NAACP is also calling on lawyers to join the front lines, saying “We’re not afraid to sue somebody.”  

A bill that would guarantee children access to legal representation in delinquency cases is headed to Governor Whitmer’s desk. The legislation would require the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission to create a system similar to the one used by adults facing criminal charges who may not be able to afford an attorney. 

If passed, the indigent defense commission would be required to have at least one attorney experienced in juvenile justice to help set the standards. The bill cleared the legislature last week with bipartisan support. 

-Reporting by MPRN's Rick Pluta

The National Wheelchair Games are coming to Detroit this week. It is the largest annual wheelchair sports event for veterans in the world. Athletes compete in more than 20 events including basketball, swimming, track and field and boccia.

The 45th National Wheelchair Games will be hosted by several venues and based at Hunting Place. The Opening Ceremony is July 9 with competition running through the 14.

The 8th Annual Detroit Kite Festival is Sunday on the Belle Isle Cricket Field across from the James Scott Memorial Fountain. Festivities kick off at 10 a.m. and run until 6 p.m. Plans include food, music and kites, of course. Kites are available for purchase. Learn more at detroitkitefestival.org. 

Sites across the country will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence with a simultaneous reading of the document Wednesday. Greenfield Village is one of those sites and invites the community to join the event for free.

Visitors will also hear live music, see historic vignettes and learn about Centennial games on the Village Green. The event begins at 5 p.m. The reading – synchronized with other readings across the state begins at 6 p.m.

No tickets, reservations or parking passes are required.

Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Chief Medical Executive for the State of Michigan, says there are now over 700 cases of cyclosporiasis in the state. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services put out additional recommendations to prevent the spread of cyclospora over the weekend. 

Cyclosporiasis is a gastrointestinal disease caused by parasites, which causes severe diarrhea.  

Dr. Bagdasarian says much of the spread has been caused by handling and consuming produce. 

“We know that it takes about one to two weeks after consuming something that's contaminated with cyclospora to develop symptoms, so there's a lag between being exposed and developing symptoms, said Bardgasarian. "And then, of course, there's a lag when people are looking for healthcare, when they are finding a healthcare provider, getting tested, and actually determining that this is cyclospora.”

Wayne County is among several counties with large numbers of people diagnosed. Recommendations include washing all fresh produce under clean running water, and cooking foods to kill cyclospora.  

If people suspect being infected, they should see a health care provider, mentioning they may have cyclospora if symptoms of diarrhea don’t clear up in a few days. Treatment includes a dose of antibiotics.

The City of Dearborn has received federal funding to improve its sewer system. FEMA awarded $8.1 million for the upgrades... as part of the second phase of a Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. Work will be done in the city’s neighborhoods between Chase Road and Greenfield Avenue.  

About 6,200 feet of storm sewers will be added to help with flood mitigation efforts. The city flooded in 2014, 2018 and in 2021when a “once-in-a-lifetime flood” backed up the sanitary sewer system, causing two-thirds of basements to flood in the city.  

While FEMA will pay for 90% of the upgrades, Dearborn will pay for the remaining 10% of the work.  

DTE Energy crews worked all weekend to restore power to customers who lost electricity due to Friday’s severe thunderstorms. At one point, more than 200,000 homes and businesses in Southeast Michigan lost power after strong winds knocked down tree limbs and power lines. That number is down to about 73,000. DTE says it expects to restore power to most of these customers by the end of the day.  

-Reporting by Pat Batcheller   

 A new University of Michigan study finds friends are replacing family members in caring for elderly Americans. 

Researcher Crystal Ng says changing family relationships including divorce are leaving gaps in care that children once provided. She says older Americans are relying on friends for more than a drive to the doctor’s office.  

“A lot of times friends will also participate in clinical settings. Such as not only picking them… to transportation… to the medical appointment… but also sit next to them.”

Ng says relying on friends also provides people over the age of 65 years with a social framework and helps them maintain their independence. 

The study appears in the Journal of the American Medical Association’s Network Open portal.  

-Reporting by Steve Carmody 

If something is happening in your neighborhood that you think we should know about, drop us a line at [email protected]. And don’t forget to subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report podcast, available wherever you get your podcasts. 

Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield issued an executive order today that maps out guidelines for city departments to prioritize protecting residents and workers during the heatwave. 

The executive order instructs the water department not to shut off water service unless directed by the customer or to fix a broken main. The Building Safety, Engineering and Environmental Department (BSEED) must expedite all temperature-related requests at all cooling centers. Other departments are also ordered to prioritize protecting seniors and the unhoused or those living in unsafe conditions. 

Dearborn Police Department announced that there will be a zero-tolerance policy in place for using fireworks illegally.  Residents are allowed to use fireworks on their own properties through fifth of July and before 11:45 p.m. but no debris can land outside of property lines.  

Police Chief Issa Shahin says those caught breaking the law could be fined up to $500. “This isn't about punishment, it's about prevention, and I want everyone to enjoy and celebrate this holiday season, but to be able to do it safely.” 

A curfew is also in place for minors ages 17 and younger unless accompanied by an adult on July 3 and 4 from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m.   Chief Shahin says there have been no tips of a teen takeover happening this holiday, but the police department will be prepared. 

The Wayne County health department says it's investigating 17 suspected cases of cyclosporiasis. 

It's a gastrointestinal disease caused by parasites. The most common symptom is severe diarrhea. And people usually get it by eating food contaminated with feces. 

Wayne State's Dr. Teena Chopra says patients can start to feel better, but that doesn't mean the infection is gone. 

"This particular parasite, if it is not treated, it can continue to infect new intestinal cells, and that's why there can be ongoing relapsing diarrhea, so it's important to seek treatment."

She says antibiotics work well, but the disease can damage the small intestine of it's not treated. The state health department has confirmed more than 170 cases of cyclosporiasis in southeast Michigan since June 22 but has not found the source of the outbreak.   

The Arab American Political Action Committee has endorsed the Wayne County Public Transportation Millage, a ballot proposal that would end opt-out of SMART’s bus system in Wayne County.

Committee officials say the millage would connect Detroit residents to more jobs and schools in the suburbs.

AAPAC president Osama Siblani said in a statement, “Too many residents face barriers to employment, education and essential services simply because transportation options are limited. Wayne County Transit for All represents an investment in people – creating stronger connections between neighborhoods workplaces and community resources.” 

Most of Michigan’s lower peninsula, including all of Metro Detroit, remains under an extreme heat warning until tomorrow night.  Temperatures are forecast to rise into the upper 90s Thursday, with high humidity.  The heat index could rise dangerously high, between 105 and 110 degrees. 

The weather could cause heat exhaustion or heat stroke.  Heat exhaustion occurs when the body overheats and has a hard time cooling down.  Symptoms might include heavy sweating, dizziness and fatigue.  Heat stroke occurs when the body temperature reaches 104 degrees. That can be fatal.   

During this prolonged period of intense heat, there are things you can do to keep yourself and neighbors safe. 

Director of Emergency Preparedness for the City of Detroit Dr. Kelvin Freeman says residents should work in pairs to stay healthy. 

“Use a buddy system, check on your friend, check on your neighbor, especially those who live alone, and also have someone to check on you in that buddy system to close that loop.” 

Freeman says residents should stay hydrated and limit exposure to high temperatures, adding that fans alone won’t cool you down when temperatures and humidity are this high. 

He also recommends keeping your pets indoors during daylight hours. 

-Reporting by Russ McNamara

And make sure to double check your vehicle and make sure not to leave children or pets unattended in the car.  Temperatures inside a vehicle could rise quickly enough to become fatal within just a few minutes. 

Ford Motor Company is recalling 741,000 vehicles because of a possible transmission problem.  The company says a part of the parking system could engage while the vehicle is in motion, potentially damaging the system.  Enough damage could mean the system fails to hold the vehicle in place without use of the parking brake. 

The recall affects certain Ford F-150 pickup trucks, as well as Lincoln Aviator, Ford Explorer, Lincoln Navigator and Ford Expedition sport utility vehicles.  The vehicles are from the 2018 through 2021 model years.  

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says Ford is aware of 24 possible cases of property damage and nine possible injuries connected to the issue.  Dealers will update certain software and inspect the transmission for damage.  They’ll make any necessary repairs for free. 

The Detroit City Council has narrowly approved a nine-month contract renewal for the ShotSpotter gun detection system.  The Director of the Office of Neighborhood and Community Safety Teferi Brent advocated for the contract. He says it allows police to respond quickly to de-escalate situations.   

“People say Shotstopper doesn't save lives—that's patently false, because the quicker that we can identify which shootings occur, we can identify who's doing the shooting, and once we identify who's doing the shooting, we can then prevent what we call in the field retaliatory violence.”   

Brent also listed several instances where ShotSpotter helped first responders aid victims. But some council members questioned both the effectiveness and the cost of the system. The Detroit Police say they are looking for a less expensive vendor to use after the contract ends. 

-Reporting by Bre’Anna Tinsley

A man who allegedly threatened a Madison Heights Mosque was arrested today. On Sunday, someone left voicemail messages threatening the Islamic Community Center on Dequindre near 11 Mile Rd. Police say the man said he would kill people and suggested Muslims are terrorists. 

The Council on American Islamic Relations Michigan chapter praised police for their swift action in identifying a suspect.  

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the Trump Administration's efforts to end Temporary Protected Status. TPS allows people fleeing violence abroad to live and work in the US. The ruling may affect people from Lebanon, Haiti, Honduras and Burma, among several others. 

Republican Steve Frisbie represents Michigan's 44th state House district, which includes the Battle Creek area, home to a Burmese community of thousands.

Frisbie says he supports the high court's ruling, but adds that people fleeing Burma should apply for asylum.

"I'm all in favor of letting them come to the country. Sort them out and look at them on an individual basis or a family basis to figure out what they're fleeing from and why and if it's legitimate and they're not from the military side of things in Burma." 

The government has deported thousands of immigrants while they waited for courts to hear their asylum claims and some who showed up to their hearings were arrested. 

Immigration advocates met in Detroit to adopt a list of policy goals. Strangers No Longer is a Catholic-led organization active across Michigan. The group adopted policy objectives to bring to people running for state and federal offices. 

Those include allowing people to secure driver’s licenses regardless of immigration status, more oversight of immigration detention centers and for local police to stop working with federal immigration enforcement. Advocates also want more due process protections for detainees.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer is threatening to bring home 170 Michigan National Guard troops from Washington D.C. if the Trump administration uses them for crime and immigration enforcement. 

Whitmer says she deployed the troops to assist with security for celebrations surrounding the country's 250th anniversary. 

The Dossin Great Lakes Museum has announced the art for its community paint-by-number project. Brontae Williamson’s "Currents in Color" was chosen after the museum accepted submissions this spring.

The 32 by 8 foot mural will be painted by the community over the summer then hung on the museum building on Belle Isle. The Dossin says it will release information to the community soon about how people can come to paint. 

Dan Robbins is the Detroit-born artist who developed paint by number. 

Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)’s meteorologists say the high temperatures this week will lead to high levels of ozone and poor air quality. 

There’s an air quality alert for ozone in Southeast Michigan for today and tomorrow. Ozone is a pollutant in the atmosphere created by volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides found in things like industrial solvents, cleaning products and burning fuel. It is an air pollutant. 

EGLE says people should avoid strenuous activities—especially for those who have asthma. People should also avoid refueling vehicles, using gasoline-powered lawn equipment or lighting charcoal with lighter fluid. People should also try to drive less and delay errands if possible.  

ELGE says they will put out additional alerts as needed. For more information visit michigan.gov/MiAir. 

Detroit’s health department recommends drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated during this week’s heat wave. They also recommend limiting strenuous activity and staying inside.

Recreation centers, public library branches will serve as cooling centers during normal business hours.

Watch for signs of heat-related illness, including dizziness, headache, and unusually heavy sweating. Check on family members and neighbors, especially older adults and people with disabilities.

AAA reminds drivers not to leave children or pets in their vehicles and to check the back seat each time they get out of their car.  

-Reporting by Pat Batcheller

The City of Dearborn is offering free watch parties for residents and World Cup fans. The city is partnering up with What’s up Media Network to host the watch party at Dearborn’s PEACE Park West. The matches are shown on the screen at the park’s performance stage. Vendors will also provide refreshments.

Anyone can join, but the park can hold only up to 1,000 people. People are encouraged to go early to find a spot.  

Dearborn’s PEACE Park West is located at 22271 W Village Dr. in Dearborn.  

Also in Dearborn, the city was given the Tree City USA designation for the 39th time.  

Mayor Abdullah Hammoud says the city is planting a few thousand trees.. And also removing dead ones. 

“When I first came in, we had a backlog of about 1,200-1,300 dead and diseased trees that needed to be taken down. That list is now, I would say, around the 100 mark, and we've also caught up. We had seven years of no trimming of trees throughout the city. We officially caught up, and we're back on our normal five year cycle.”  

Hammoud says planting more trees helps with air quality and mitigating flooding.  

Dearborn residents can also request a free tree to be planted in their easement by going to Dearborn.gov/trees. 

The tuition at Wayne State University is rising by 4% for its undergraduate and graduate students. This comes after a unanimous decision from the university’s board of governors. 

How will this affect the university students? Well, undergraduate students can see a tuition increase of about $250 and graduate students will see an increase of $33 dollars per credit. 

The university increased their tuition last year by 4.5%. According to the school’s officials the 2026-2027 housing rates will not increase. 

This rate increase is following a trend occurring in 4-year public and private universities and colleges across the country––tuition increases due to inflation, a drop off in enrollment post pandemic or uncertainty around state funding. WDET is licensed to Wayne State University.  

This week, the city of Detroit released a Community Health Assessment that revealed that community improvements positively affect the health of residents. 

The report was an assessment of about 6,000 residents, some commuity organizations, public health experts and local data. 

During a press conference about the assessment, Mayor Sheffield expanded the idea of what health means. “Health is much more than what happens inside of a doctor’s office. It is also about prevention. Health is about whether a mother has access to prenatal care. It is about whether a child has healthy food nearby and it is about clean air, safe housing, transportation and whether families can access the care that they need when they need it.”  

FIFA

The U.S. had their first loss of the 2026 World Cup to the already eliminated country of Turkey. Turkey kicked a last minute goal to win the match. The U.S. also had mostly reserves playing in the second half of the game to ready the team for their next game against Bosnia and Herzegovina. That game is Wednesday, July 1.  

NFL 
The Lions’ defensive back Terrion Arnold was arrested this week in Tampa, Fla. on alleged felony charges of robbery and kidnapping. 

Six other individuals were arrested, but according to police Arnold was the one coordinating and directing the codefendants. Arnold is from Tallahasse, Fla., which is about 4 hours away from Tampa.  

The Lions said in a statement that they are aware of the news but are not commenting “out of respect of the ongoing legal process.” 

MLB 
The Tigers loss to the Astros yesterday in the score of 4-1. Next game is today at Comerica Park. First pitch is at 6:40 p.m.  

And this weekend get ready for what organizers are calling the biggest burger battle in the Midwest. This weekend the 10 year anniversary of Detroit Burger Battle is going down in the Motor City.

Fifteen of metro Detroit’s top restaurants will bang burgers and chef it up for the crown. Participants of the battle get a single voting card to pick their top 3 burgers. Whoever gets the most votes wins.

This is all going down on Sunday, June 28 from 1-4 p.m. at Shed 5 of the Eastern Market.

“Our great partner, Governor Whitmer isn’t the only one fixing the roads around here," said Mayor Sheffield yesterday, where she and the Department of Public Works gave an update to their road improvement program.

This $58 million initiative includes 140 individual major road and residential paving and construction projects, as well as bridge removals and streetscape construction.

The mayor said the project will not only fix the infrastructure of Detroit but it will build up the community’s workforce. “We are also putting Detroiters to work while we invest in our neighborhoods... 90% of the individuals that are doing this work are Detroit residents and 100% are unionized. Let’s give that a round of applause.”

Funding for the road projects will come from federal and state transportation funds. This project will begin along West Grand Boulevard.

Earlier this week city leaders joined together for the ribbon cutting of new senior housing in Grandmont Rosedale. The new development Minock Park Place is a mixed use development bringing commercial space as well as affordable housing for seniors.  The development includes 36 one bedroom apartments and six two bedroom apartments for low to moderate income seniors.

Mike Randall, executive director of the Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation, says completion of this project brings value to the neighborhood and community.  “In the face of doubt, skepticism, a global pandemic, 3 presidential terms, skyrocketing inflation and costs, yet here we stand. Not for the recognition and not to boast but to demonstrate that value exists on our corridor not just on grand river not just on 6 mile...and not just on schoolcraft but throughout all the great city of Detroit.”

Residents are expected to begin moving in in July with commercial spots opening in the first quarter of next year.  

MLB

The Tigers lost to the NY Yankees with the score of 4-2. Their next 3 game series is against the Houston Astros starting tonight at Comerica Park. First pitch is a 6:40pm.

Club soccer

Detroit City FC face Birmingham Legion FC on July 2 at Protective Stadium in Alabama 

FIFA 
And the FIFA group stage continues as TEAM USA faces Türkiye. The U.S. has a 51% chance of winning according to sports analysts. Tonight’s game at the Los Angeles stadium in Inglewood California starts at 10 p.m. EST. 

Murder mystery walking tour

And if you are looking for something spooky to get into this weekend, look no further than The Rosary Requiem—Detroit Murder Mystery Walking Tour.

The tour starts at Most Holy Redeemer Church – the church where the film "The Rosary Murders" was filmed. Organizers say the walking tour is blends mystery and intrigue, with the vibrant spice of Detroit's Mexicantown – that means food!

For more information go to distinctivelydetroit.com.