University of Michigan President Santa Ono says he’s leaving Ann Arbor to take the same job at the University of Florida this summer.

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Ono announced the move in an email to the U-M community Sunday night. He said it’s been an honor to lead the school, which hired him away from the University of Cincinnati in 2022. 

Ono faces a lawsuit from eight former U-M workers accusing the school of firing them over their support for Palestinians.

The Detroit News reports the plaintiffs are also suing the Board of Regents and other administrators, alleging the university violated their First Amendment right to protest.

Three of the former employees took part in a sit-in at the president’s office. The other five demonstrated outside the U-M art museum. A spokesperson had no comment on the case. 

–Reporting by Pat Batcheller, WDET News

More headlines for Monday, May 5, 2025:

• The Michigan Global Talent Initiative wants 60% of the state’s workforce to get a post-secondary education or professional certificate by 2030.
• The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is joining efforts to raise awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Awareness Day on May 5.
• The Division of Victim Services provides grant funding to federally recognized tribes for domestic violence through the StrongHearts Native Helpline, an anonymous confidential hotline for Native Americans and Alaska Natives. To contact the helpline, call 1-844-7Native or visit strongheartshelpline.org to chat.
• The city of Detroit is launching a Summer Youth Arts Employment Training Initiative to train and hire teens for summer jobs.
• Dearborn’s Economic Development Department and the American Arab Chamber of Commerce is hosting a resource fair from 4-8 p.m Wednesday, May 14, at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

On this episode of Detroit Evening Report Weekends, we listen to the first story in WDET reporter Nargis Rahman’s series Shustho.

The four-part series explores the barriers Bangladeshi women face in accessing high quality health care, and efforts to bridge those gaps.

Michigan is home to the third largest population of Bangladeshis in the U.S., most living in the metro Detroit area.

Throughout the Shustho series, Nargis explores a number of challenges that make it hard for Bangladeshi immigrants to access health care, including cultural competency within the medical profession and access to adequate insurance.

The first story is focused on language barriers. Nargis speaks with organizations advocating for Bangla-speaking patients, community members who serve as advocates, translators and educators and medical professionals working to increase awareness.

Stay tuned to DER Weekends to hear the entire four-part series in May.

Listen to the episode using the media player above.

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A gathering on the Belle Isle Bridge this weekend is aimed at combatting violence against Black women.

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The “Black Men Unite to Fight Against Our Women and Girls” campaign is being organized in response to recent cases of violent attacks on Black women.

Minister Troy Muhammad is one of the organizers of the event. He says the Belle Isle Bridge was chosen as the campaign launch site in remembrance of Deletha Word, who was beaten by a man on the bridge after a traffic accident in 1995. Word died after either jumping from the bridge to flee the man or being thrown from the bridge.

The group plans to offer conflict resolution and domestic violence prevention classes and produce billboards and public service announcements in the future.

Each man in attendance will be asked to be responsible for five other men. Men will gather at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 3, on the island side of the bridge. 

Other headlines for Friday, May 2, 2025:

• Cinco de Mayo is on Monday but Detroit will celebrate Sunday with the 60th annual Cinco de Mayo Parade in Southwest Detroit. The parade begins at noon at Patton Park and will end at Clark Park. 
• As the Cinco de Mayo Parade winds down Sunday, the Blessing of the Low Riders revs up at the Motor City Dance Academy. The annual event showcasing lowrider cars and bikes will take place from 2-5 p.m. Sunday, and feature live music and dance performances, food and art vendors, and the blessing of vehicles. 
• Jazz vocalist Penny Wells will perform at the Detroit Historical Society’s Jazz in the Streets of Old Detroit series next Thursday, May 8. Proceeds from the event help support the work of the Black Historic Sites Committee.  

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

Experts say nearly half of all child injury deaths happen during the summer months. 

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That statistic earned the phenomenon the nickname “the 100 deadliest days of summer” or “summer trauma season.” 

This month, the nonprofit Safe Kids Worldwide  is teaming up with safety advocates across the country to launch the second annual Safe Kids Month.

Sadiqa Kendi, chief medical officer for Safe Kids Worldwide, says the most common injuries affecting youngsters come from motor vehicle crashes. 

“We know that a child, if they don’t fit the seat belt well — and many times, they won’t until they’re between eight and 12 years old, and sometimes older — they really need to be in a booster or seat for that seat belt to work effectively,” she said.

Kendi says other injury related deaths occur from improper use of safety equipment such as life jackets and helmets. 

She says most of those fatalities are preventable, which is why the organization developed a child safety checklist to cover five key safety areas: car, water, sleep, home and play.

Safe Kids Worldwide’s High Five Child Safety Checklist can be viewed on their website at safekids.org. 

Other headlines for Thursday, May 1, 2025:

• For the first time in the city’s history, Dearborn will not have a primary election in August, the Detroit Free Press reported. The city clerk says there are not enough candidates running to make a primary necessary.
• The city of Detroit is breaking ground on the $28 million Russell Woods Senior Living Community on Friday on Dexter Avenue. Developer Fabiola Fleuranvil promises the units will be “deeply affordable” for residents.
• Detroit has commissioned 43 artists to establish art installations in nine city-sponsored “art alleys” across Detroit. It’s part of the city’s Arts Alleys initiative, an effort to create vibrant community spaces to celebrate local culture and showcase local talents. Installations have begun and muralists will begin painting this month.  

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

The state treasurer on Wednesday announced $2.5 million in grants for Michigan cities, villages or townships with severe economic problems.

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Those municipalities are defined as ones that are experiencing one or more conditions that qualify as “probable economic distress.”

The funds will be split among 13 cities across the state to support projects, services or strategies aimed at improving their financial stability.

Among the local communities selected to receive funding are Ecorse, receiving $183,000 for water main replacements; Harper Woods, receiving more than $134,000 to fix sanitary sewer outlets; Highland Park, getting $150,000 for two plow trucks; Inkster, receiving $300,000 to replace water system infrastructure; and River Rouge, which will get just over $86,000 to replace infrastructure at the municipal library. 

Visit michigan.gov to view the full list of municipalities receiving funding.

Other headlines for Wednesday, April 30, 2025: 

• A project to end extreme poverty is coming to Detroit this summer.  The organizers of “Global Citizen NOW” announced Wednesday that their international summit will be held in the Hudson’s Detroit building downtown, July 8-11.
• The trial of a Grand Rapids police officer in connection with the death of a Black motorists continues. Officer Christopher Schurr shot and killed motorist Patrick Lyoya during a traffic stop in April 2022. Lyoya was shot after a brief struggle and the incident was captured on video.  Schurr was later charged with second degree murder. His attorney says the shooting was in self-defense.
• The only Black, all-female unit to serve in Europe during World War II was honored on Tuesday with the Congressional Gold Medal. Known as the “Six Triple Eight,” the unit received the award following a long-running campaign to recognize its efforts.
• The Detroit Pistons are looking forward to Game 6 of their first-round NBA playoff series against the New York Knicks. The Pistons won Game 5, 106-103, at Madison Square Garden in New York Tuesday night.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

Congressman Shri Thanedar announced Monday that he has drafted articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, accusing him of violating the U.S. Constitution.

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The Detroit Democrat cited Trump’s defiance of a Supreme Court order to facilitate the return of a man who was mistakenly sent to a prison in El Salvador and trying to abolish government agencies without Congressional approval.

“Donald Trump has repeatedly demonstrated that he is unfit to serve as President and represents a clear and present danger to our nation’s constitution and our democracy,” said Rep. Thanedar in a news release. “His unlawful actions have subverted the justice system, violated the separation of powers, and placed personal power and self-interest above public service. We cannot wait for more damage to be done. Congress must act.”

The resolution is not expected to go anywhere in the Republican-led House.

Other headlines for Wednesday, April 29, 2025:

• Michigan State Rep. Donavan McKinney is challenging incumbent Shri Thanedar for the 13th Congressional seat.
• The Arab American nonprofit organization ACCESS and the National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC) are teaming up with several community groups to host the 19th Annual National Arab American Service Day at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 3, mobilizing over 400 volunteers for hands-on environmental projects across metro Detroit.
• The Detroit Pistons will take on the New York Knicks in Game 5 of Round 1 of the NBA playoffs on Tuesday. If the Knicks win, they’ll face the winner of No. 2 seed Boston or No. 7 Orlando in the Eastern Conference semifinals. If the Pistons win, they will stay alive and force a Game 6 at Little Caesars Arena.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

The Asian American nonprofit Rising Voices is hosting an educational event this weekend to kick off Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

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The event, Teaching Asian American History in Michigan: A Book Launch and Film Screening, will focus on the need for inclusive education in K-12. There will be a film screening of the documentary “Making Waves: The rise of Asian America,” about anti-Asian hate and Asian American political movements, including a push to include Asian American history in public school curriculum in the U.S.

There will be an author panel after the screening as well, featuring Dr. Roland Sintos Coloma, Dr. Noreen Naseem Rodriguez, Dr. Monica Eraqi, and Richard Mui.

The event will take place from 1:30-4 p.m. on Saturday, May 3, at the ACA Community Center, 32585 Concord Dr., Madison Heights.

Other headlines for Monday, April 28, 2025:

• The city of Hamtramck will host a series of Night Bazaars on the first Saturday of each month through the summer where local entrepreneurs, artists and small businesses can feature their work and products. The first event will be held from 4-9 p.m. this Saturday, May 3, at Pope Park. 
• Southwest Detroit will host the 60th annual Cinco De Mayo Parade this Sunday, May 4, featuring school marching bands, dignitaries, dancers, and more. This year’s theme is past, present and future. The parade starts at 10:30 a.m. from Shed 2 at Eastern Market.
• The Dearborn Public Library and We Shall Read are hosting a series of free workshops in English and Arabic to support parents in helping their children learn how to read. The first workshop begins at 10:30 a.m. June 11 for grades 1-2, in Arabic only. Parents should bring their children with them to the workshop.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org. 

Tonight on the Detroit Evening Report, a water affordability bill package is making a comeback in the state legislature. Plus, updates on the Pistons and Knicks.

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Water affordability bills reintroduced

A water affordability bill package from last legislative session has been reintroduced to the Michigan Senate. The package would cap water rates for residents living before the federal poverty line and prevent shutoffs. The bills also include funding to support water infrastructure improvements.

The bills propose a two-tiered system where households at between 135% and 200% of the federal poverty guideline — or that receive any of several forms of government assistance — would pay a maximum of 3% of their income on water. Households at or below 135% of federal poverty guidelines would see their water bills capped at 2% of their income. Households with income between 201% and 250% of the federal poverty guideline would be eligible for hardship waivers.

According to State Sen. Stephanie Chang, who co-sponsors the bill package, around 300,000 Michigan households could beenfit from a statewide water affordability program. She also says she believes the bills will gain bipartisan support and make their way to the House in the upcoming weeks.

Measles outbreak worsens

According to the state’s chief medical executive, Michigan will experience the worse year in decades with regard to measles. Nearly half of Michigan’s nine cases are associated with the outbreak in Montcalm County, where four cases are linked to travel.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, two unvaccinated school-aged children have died from the measles disease in Texas, as has an unvaccinated adult in New Mexico. Decreases in vaccination rates can be attributed to misinformation and disinformation, according to local health experts. Two doses of the MMR vaccine (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) are 97% effective at preventing infection, while just one dose is 93% effective against measles, according to the CDC.

New speed humps to be installed

Detroit’s Department of Public Works plans to install 65 new speed humps along residential streets in the city. Detroiters who don’t want speed humps have until May 16 to opt out of this year’s program. For residents who do want a speed hump, priority is given to:

• Streets with a speed limit of 25 mph
• Streets adjacent to active schools and parks
• Streets known as a cut-through street
• Blocks of high density

All speed humps must have residential support before they can be installed. For more information, visit detroitmi.gov.

Pistons v. Knicks

The NBA playoffs are underway and the Detroit Pistons are having an incredible battle against the New York Knicks. It is being considered one of the most intense match-ups in the East.

The Knicks have a 2-1 series lead against the Pistons with a game that ended with five technical fouls and one flagrant foul whistled. The score was 116-113.

Game 4 will be at Little Caesars Arena on Sunday, April 27 in the afternoon.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

Ex-Detroit Riverfront Conservancy CFO William Smith was sentenced to 19 years in prison on Thursday for embezzling more than $40 million from the nonprofit over an 11-year period.

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Smith, 52, was employed as the Conservancy’s chief financial officer from 2011 through May 2024. Throughout the majority of his time in the role, Smith orchestrated various schemes to embezzle millions of dollars in funds from the organization, according to court documents.

The Conservancy funds — which are provided to the organization through private donors and public grants — were used by Smith to live a lavish lifestyle, spending enormous amounts of money on luxury items like designer clothing, jewelry, cruises, private jet travel and more.

Smith pleaded guilty in November to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. In addition to the 19-year sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Susan DeClercq ordered Smith to pay back around $48 million in restitution. 

Smith will remain free on bond for now, before reporting to prison at a later date. 

–WDET’s Jenny Sherman contributed to this report.

Other headlines for Thursday, April 24, 2025:

• Detroit will soon be the headquarters for the tech startup Churchspace. Nicknamed the “Airbnb for Churches,” the company provides a platform for churches to rent out their spaces and facilities for supplemental income. Churches interested in learning more can attend Churchspaces’ informational event on May 30. 
• The city of Dearborn unveiled its second inclusive playscape at Ford Woods Park, located at 5700 Greenfield Rd.
• The Detroit Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority is hosting their 41st annual Art Auction Benefit “Canvas and Couture” from 3-6 p.m. this Sunday at the Detroit Delta Headquarters, 24760 West Seven Mile Rd., Detroit. The benefit showcases the works of local artists in various mediums.
• Detroit Fashion Revolution Week is wrapping up this weekend with several events.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

Detroit has some of the worst air quality in the nation, according to a report released Wednesday by the American Lung Association. 

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The organization’s “State of the Air” report gives the region an “F” grade in ground level ozone pollution, a “D” in particle pollution, and a failing grade overall in pollution levels above federal standards. 

The research finds metro Detroit has the sixth worst year-round particle pollution in the U.S.  

High levels of air pollution can cause various health issues including asthma attacks and lung cancer, as well as impact other health events such as heart attacks and strokes, the Lung Association reports.

“Unfortunately, too many people in Detroit are living with unhealthy levels of ozone and particle pollution,” said Kezia Ofosu Atta, advocacy director for the Lung Association in Michigan, in a statement. “This air pollution is causing kids to have asthma attacks, making people who work outdoors sick and unable to work, and leading to low birth weight in babies. We urge Michigan policymakers to take action to improve our air.”

Read the full report at lung.org/research/sota.

More headlines for Wednesday, April 23, 2025:

• Detroit City Council member Gabriella-Santiago Romero has been disqualified from having her name on the city’s August primary election ballot. Wayne County officials say she had an unpaid campaign finance fee, preventing her appearance on the ballot. However, Santiago-Romero issued a release Tuesday saying she has filed all paperwork on time and that the county wrongly assessed the fee. 
• Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens says she’s running for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat next year. She made the announcement in a campaign video Tuesday morning.
• Henry Ford Health is offering free heart health screenings on Saturday at six Henry Ford Hospitals, including Grand Blanc, Clinton Township, Rochester, Providence Southfield, Warren and Wyandotte.
• Efforts to beautify Detroit are showing results, as four million daffodils have bloomed in neighborhoods, parks and medians across the city. The General Services Department’s Floriculture Division says the best showings are in Jayne Playground, Gabriel Richard Park, LaSalle Park and on Oakman Boulevard between Linwood and Dexter. Officials say they hope to have 10 million daffodil bulbs planted in the city one day.
• The Detroit Pistons are getting ready for another first round playoff game on Thursday night. The team won its first playoff game since 2008 when they beat the Knicks in New York 100-94 on Monday night. The series is now tied at a game each.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

The Zekelman Holocaust Center in Farmington Hills is offering free admission on Thursday in honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day, also known as Yom HaShoah.

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Each year on Holocaust Remembrance Day, the museum invites the community to take part in “Unto Every Person There Is a Name,” an international memorial project that pays tribute to the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust by reading their names aloud.

Rabbi Eli Mayerfeld, CEO of the Holocaust Center

“There are millions of names that have been collected over the years of those who were murdered in the Holocaust,” said Rabbi Eli Mayerfeld, CEO of the Zekelman Holocaust Center. “Over the course of the day, we’ll read, really only a couple 1,000. I mean, it takes to read, you know, six million names would take a year more.”

The Holocaust Center will also host remembrance events on Sunday, April 27, including a commemoration attended by Holocaust survivors and World War II veterans, featuring candle lighting, poetry and prayers.

For more information about upcoming remembrance events, visit holocaustcenter.org/events.

Other headlines for Tuesday, April 22, 2025:

• The Detroit Department of Transportation announced Monday that it is expanding services including increasing frequency of buses on 13 routes and expanding weekend hours on 17 routes.
• Detroit’s Southeastern High School has been named one of three winners of the SME Education Foundation Bright Minds Student Summit, alongside Lincoln Senior High School in Ypsilanti and Hazel Park’s Roosevelt INVEST High School. 
• Tiff Massey’s “7 Mile and Livernois” exhibit at the Detroit Institute of Arts closes in just a few weeks. On May 9, the museum will host “7 Mile and Livernois After Dark,”a closing celebration featuring live performances from DJs KESSWA and Donavan Glover. 

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

Several Michigan leaders released statements today in response to the news of Pope Francis’ death, including Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Detroit Archbishop Edward Weisenburger.

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The leader of the Roman Catholic Church died on Monday morning at the age of 88. Francis was the first Latin American pope and the first Jesuit in the position.

Weisenburger called Pope Francis “a powerful, prophetic and loving voice,” adding that he strongly believed that people had a responsibility to care for creation, not destroy it. He also said the pontiff’s call for peace echoed that of Christ. 

In a statement, Whitmer called Francis an “inspiration to countless Michiganders and people around the world” who “led with grace, compassion, and humility.”

“He reminded us that the true measure of one’s devotion to God comes in one’s devotion to others,” she said. “Pope Francis was a leader who called on all of us to live up to our better selves.”

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel called Pope Francis a “once-in-a generation leader whose humility, compassion, and thoughtfulness impacted people from all religious backgrounds and walks of life.”

–Reporting by Pat Batcheller, WDET News. WDET’s Jenny Sherman and Associated Press writer Nicole Winfield contributed.

Other headlines for Monday, April 21, 2025:

• Addiction researchers at the University of Michigan are starting a study this year that will pay smokers of menthol cigarettes to quit.
• The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is encouraging people to get vaccinated during National Infant Immunization Week, April 21-28.
• The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) announced a $8.1 million investment in renewable energy that will support solar power projects for almost two million Michigan households and businesses.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

Community members gathered with local leaders this week to celebrate the grand opening of Campbell Street Apartments, a new $18 million affordable housing development in Southwest Detroit’s East Chadsey-Condon neighborhood.

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The apartment complex is providing 40 units of affordable housing in its first phase of construction, with an additional 32 units planned in an adjacent complex.

Apartments are reserved for households earning 30% or less of the area median income. Also, due to project-based housing vouchers from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA), the city says no resident will have to pay more than 30% of their income on rent.

The mixed use development will offer a range of 1-3 bedroom units. The additional 32 units, called Wesson Avenue Apartments, will be a four-story mixed-use building consisting of 45,000 square feet and is expected to open in about 19 months.

Other headlines for Friday, April 18, 2025:

• The Detroit Land Bank Authority announced the completion of more than 12,000 vacant home restorations in the past decade. 
  
• The Detroit Pistons return to the playoffs on Saturday in their first round match up against the New York Knicks.
• Qasim Basir, director of locally-produced “To Live and Die and Live,” told The Detroit News that the film will hold a local premiere event at Michigan Central Station on May 6, ahead of its arrival at AMC Theatres nationwide on May 16.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

An independent study by the International Association of Assessing Officers has found that claims of systemic overassessments in Detroit are false, the city reported on Wednesday.

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City Assessment Director Alvin Horhn says the latest study proves those claims to be false.

“The [International Association of Assessing Officers] study shows Detroit residential property assessments at the level (50% of market value) required by State law — a fact which has been annually confirmed by the Wayne County Equalization Department,” he said. “This puts the issue to rest once and for all.” 

Over a two-year period the Coalition of Property Tax Justice has appealed hundreds of properties. But Horhn says most of those appeals were denied.

“I think that’s as telling as anything else,” he said. “They’re making these claims of overassessments, but even the ones that they appeal themselves, they overwhelmingly lose.”

The report will soon be presented to city council.

Other headlines for Thursday, April 17, 2025:

• The Michigan Department of Transportation is reminding drivers that the department does not operate toll roads after a recent text scam regarding unpaid tolls to MDOT.
• The Detroit Institute of Arts is bringing back its Inside|Out  program for its 16th year. The program brings reproductions of the DIA’s collection to outdoor spaces across Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties.
• The DIA is also presenting the 88th Annual Detroit Public Schools Community District Student Art Exhibition April 18 through May 25. The exhibition will feature a diverse array of artwork from paintings to drawings, photography, ceramics, and more.
• The Home Depot Foundation is expanding a former nursery nunnery on Detroit’s west side into a transitional housing facility for women and veterans in need. Updates were made to All Things Women Inc.’s facility on Thursday, with 100 volunteers participating.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

Former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox has announced that he’s running to become governor next year. 

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He delivered the news Tuesday in a campaign video, saying the state should eliminate the income tax and promote right to work measures. He also says Michigan schools should “teach A-B-C’s not DEI.”

Cox was elected as Attorney General in 2002, serving in the role until 2011. He ran for governor in 2010, but finished in third place in the Republican primary. 

Other Republicans who have declared their candidacy for next year’s gubernatorial race include Congressman John James, state Sen. Aric Nesbitt and former U.S. House candidate Anthony Hudson. Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson are seeking the Democratic nomination in the August primary, and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is running as an independent.  

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer can’t run again because of term limits.

Other headlines for Wednesday, April 16, 2025:

• Dearborn mayor Abdullah Hammoud delivered his annual State of the City address Tuesday night at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center.
• Detroit Deputy Mayor Malia Howard joined other city officials and residents Wednesday morning to celebrate the success of the Detroit Land Bank Authority. The agency has helped to rehab more than 12,000 vacant houses in the city since 2014.
• The schedule has just been released for the Detroit Pistons’ first round playoff games. The team will play the New York Knicks on Saturday in Manhattan. Game one starts at 6 p.m. Game two is also in New York at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, with games three and four to be held in Detroit.
• Detroit broadcaster Guy Gordon is no longer on the air at WJR after he was released by the radio station as part of cost reductions.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

Former State lawmaker Adam Hollier is running for Congress again, challenging incumbent Shri Thanedar in next year’s Democratic primary election.

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This is the third time the Detroit Democrat has run against Thanedar for the 13th Congressional District seat, which includes portions of Detroit, Hamtramck, Highland Park and Grosse Pointe.

“I’m going to earn your support because people making decisions for our community should be a part of our community. I have a lot to say about where our representatives should be doing to actually improve our lives, building more homes, getting a break on childcare, and finally, a tax cut for real people, not the millionaires and certainly not the billionaires,” he said in his announcement Monday on social media.

Hollier filed to run against Thanedar last year and had many big-name supporters. But he failed to file enough valid petition signatures to get on the ballot.

“We screwed up — [I] trusted someone I shouldn’t have to help get our campaign on the ballot. The end result was, I let people down,” Hollier said in his announcement. “…and I’m pissed about it.”

Hollier also ran in 2022 but finished behind Thanedar in that crowded primary race. 

Other headlines for Tuesday, April 15, 2025:

• Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has declared April 11-17 as Black Maternal Health Week. She says the declaration is just one part of an effort to address the systemic disparities in health care that lead to higher risks of death for Black women during pregnancy and childbirth.
• Detroit’s young entrepreneurs are invited to a kickoff party on Wednesday at the Love Building for NextUp313. The program is run through City Council Member Mary Waters’ office and is focused on making residents between the ages of 18-30 aware of entrepreneurial opportunities, including small business development.
• The Detroit Historical Society is hosting the Honorable Robert L Wilkins for a talk about his 2016 book, “Long Road to Hard Truth: The 100 Year Mission to Create the National Museum of African American History and Culture.”  The free event will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. this Saturday, April 19.
• Detroit’s District 3 residents are invited to a block club workshop focused on sharing skills to organize and run a block club at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 16, at the SAY Detroit Play Center, 19320 Van Dyke Ave. This week’s focus will be on preparing to participate in the Motor City Makeover. 

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

The National Poll on Healthy Aging has released new data regarding how climate change and extreme weather impact health for adults 50 and up.

Sue Ann Bell, associate professor of nursing at the University of Michigan, says she hopes the poll encourages older adults, health care providers and people who work in emergency response and government to prepare to care for older adults during emergencies. 

“To prioritize extreme weather events and extreme weather event planning, because I think one thing we see so often is that we go for a period of time without a disaster happening. And you know, so you have sort of a false sense of confidence that can lead to being less prepared.”

The poll asked older adults about their experiences with extreme weather events and their concerns about how extreme weather events might impact their health, both now and in the future. 

The survey found that 75% of people who’ve lived through an extreme weather event said they were very concerned about the impacts of these events on their own health, and that’s compared to around 33% of older adults in Michigan who had not experienced an extreme weather event. 

Read the full report here.

More headlines for Monday, April 14, 2025:

• The Michigan Attorney General’s office has launched a new form for residents to report social security benefit disruptions and share their experiences.
• The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan is recommending that U.S. citizens be vigilant when traveling internationally, as Customs and Border Protection may want to search the electronic devices of some people coming back in the U.S.
• The city of Detroit is accepting requests from residents for tree plantings in their neighborhoods to help improve the city’s tree canopy.
• A documentary focused on pro-Palestine encampments at universities across the U.S. has come to Detroit. Screenings of “The Encampments“ will be held daily at the Bel Air Luxury Cinema, 10100 8 Mile Rd., Detroit through April 17.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

Faith leaders, community organizers and civil rights advocates will rally outside of Southfield’s Target store tomorrow April 12, according to nonprofit organization Michigan United Action.

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The rally is in response to the Target Corporation reversing its commitment to diversity equity and inclusion measures.

The Minneapolis-based retailer said the changes to its “Belonging at the Bullseye” strategy would include ending a program it established to help Black employees build meaningful careers, improve the experience of Black shoppers and to promote Black-owned businesses following the police killing of George Floyd in 2020.

Target, which operates nearly 2,000 stores nationwide and employs more than 400,000 people, said it already had planned to end the racial program this year.

The Trump administration has threatened to cut off funding to organizations and corporations like Target to put pressure on abandon DEI initiatives.

Since Target’s decision to reverse course, the retailer has faced decreased stock prices and declining foot traffic.

–Associated Press writer Anne D’Innocenzio contributed to this report.

Other headlines for Friday, April 11, 2025:

• Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud is set to deliver his second State of the City address on April 15 at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center. 
  
• Nonprofit group Focus Hope is giving away free fresh food boxes on select Saturdays. All Wayne County residents are eligible to pick up a box of fresh food, which include halal chicken, fresh fruit and vegetables, condiments and more.
• Spot Lite Detroit is hosting an event featuring live performances and DJ sets from Arab artists in metro Detroit this Saturday.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

Michigan-based helicopter tour company, MyFlight, celebrated a groundbreaking for its new headquarters in Detroit on Wednesday.

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The 12,000-square-foot building will be at the Coleman A Young Municipal Airport. It’s the first new commercial development at the site in 60 years. 

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan says this expansion is the beginning of more development projects for the airport. 

“Before spring is over, there’s going to be another groundbreaking down there of another corporate hangar for jets, and then there’ll be another after that,” he said. “Next year, they’re going to take that air traffic control tower and start to build a new one on the other side of the airport, to open up the airfield.”

Duggan says the airport also plans to build a new administrative building and make several runway safety improvements. 

MyFlight Tours headquarters is expected to open in late 2025. 

Other headlines for Thursday, April 10, 2025:

• The city of Dearborn reported a 34% drop of overdoses and six fewer deaths from overdose for the years 2023-2024. Dearborn Health Department’s Director Ali Abazeed says the department’s Narcan vending machine at the Dearborn train station has helped reduce those numbers.
• Michigan State University and Apple are partnering to bring a manufacturing academy to downtown Detroit. The free program will be open to small and medium businesses to help them implement advanced manufacturing practices, including AI and smart manufacturing techniques.
• The Matrix Theater Company is hosting an 18+ puppet karaoke event from 8 p.m. to midnight on Friday, April 11. Participants can sing live or lip-sync, or have someone else puppeteer while you sing on stage or behind the curtain.
• The Detroit Zoo will be giving guests free entrance to the park this weekend with the donation of an old electronic device.
• April 15 is tax day, and the state treasurer is urging residents to use this weekend to get their taxes filed and out the way.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.