Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan’s Democratic Primary for the U.S. senate seat, even though he did not win the majority of votes in Wayne County. 

He says that stems from historic tensions between Arab and Black residents. Speaking on the WDET program The Metro, El-Sayed said the mistrust among Black voters is valid. But President Donald Trump poses a bigger threat to the state. 

“[Trump threatens] our ability to afford the basic things, and certainly the Arab and Muslim community, and certainly the well-being of the Black community. You think about the assault on the Voting Rights Act, led by the folks that he appointed to the courts. We have to come together beyond differences to recognize that we’re all in the same boat now, and we’ve got a responsibility to come together to build the future that we want.” 

El-Sayed argues his Republican opponent in the general election, Mike Rogers, will back any policy Trump wants to pass. Rogers says El Sayed’s progressive views are too extreme. 

Additional headlines for Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026

Pet vaccinations

The state veterinarian is reminding pet owners to make sure their furry friends are up to date on vaccinations.

Dr. Nora Wineland says pets are exposed to contagious diseases through wildlife, other animals, ticks, mosquitoes and pathogens in the environment.  Wineland says summer activities increase pets’ risk of exposure to contagious diseases. 

DNR hosts Beginner Backpacking

Anyone interested in being guided through their first hiking and backpacking experience can sign up this week for a DNR training in September.

Beginner Backpacking at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park will teach the basics of backpacking as hikers set up their first camp along the shores of Lake Superior before hiking through the woods and along Mirror Lake to the highest peak in the park.

The training is Sept. 18- 20. Registration closes Friday, Aug. 14.

Planet Ant party

Planet Ant’s Colony Fest and Summer BBQ are happening this Saturday. From 2 p.m. until midnight, the community can celebrate the training and performance space in its Black Box building with food, yard games, Mario Kart and a beer tent. Admission is free.

The Colony Fest Improv Tournament happens at Ant Hall across the street from 8-10 p.m. The event is a comedy showdown with the four troupes who won improv battles in July competing in a head-to-head championship. Tickets are $12.51.  

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Enbridge is a step closer to building a new oil tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac for its Line 5 after the state of Michigan approved permits for the project last week.

Line 5 runs 645 miles from Superior, Wisconsin, to Sarnia, Ontario, carrying crude and natural gas liquids. Most of it transits Michigan to reach Canada.

Enbridge and the state say a concrete tunnel would get the 73-year-old pipeline out of open water, where a rupture could spill into the Straits of Mackinac.

But the permit concedes some of what is at stake. Historic and cultural resources will likely be destroyed — the remains of tribal ancestors among them. Enbridge has to file a plan to lessen the damage. Environmental activists and Michigan tribal communities say that is not enough.

In a statement to The Metro, Enbridge said it respects the cultural and historic significance of the Straits and is committed to protecting cultural resources. The company said its surveys were directed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, that tribal representatives have been consulting parties in that process, and that more cultural survey work is scheduled for 2027.

The Straits are where the Bay Mills Indian creation story begins. They are also among the most productive fishing grounds for tribes exercising rights under an 1836 treaty.

Whitney Gravelle is a federal Indian law attorney and president of the Bay Mills Indian Community, which has vowed to fight back. She joined Robyn Vincent on The Metro to discuss why she calls the state’s decision a betrayal.

This story has been updated with a statement from Enbridge. -Ed

Enbridge is a financial supporter of WDET. The WDET newsroom observes a clear boundary between funders and editorial content, and does not serve the agendas of financial supporters.

Hear the full conversation using the media player above.

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