Several attorneys general filed a new lawsuit to prevent the U.S. Department of Education from terminating school-based mental health grants. Michigan Attorney Dana Nessel has joined the lawsuit.  

The projected cuts equal about $6 million in funding from Michigan schools and universities. Members of Congress allocated $1 billion to address school shootings. The grants are focused on bringing in 14,000 mental health professionals into low-income rural schools. Programs have provided services to over 775,000 students across the U.S.  

Nessel’s office says in a statement that grantees were notified in April last year that their grants may be terminated for conflicting with the Trump administration’s priorities or be targeted for perceived DEI initiatives.  

A court order last year says the administration should not eliminate programming for mental health care in schools. The department said it would review grants at the 6-month mark and make further funding determinations. However, the department plans to terminate funding by this month, prompting the new lawsuit.  

The attorneys general allege that termination of the grants violates the Administrative Procedure Act and the U.S. Constitution. Termination of the grants would also disrupt the pipeline to get more mental health professionals into the field and lay off those who are already working to address the concerns. 

Additional headlines from Monday, July 13, 2026

DOJ says it will send poll monitors to Detroit

The Trump administration is questioning how Michigan conducts elections. That includes demanding lists of registered voters and threatening Michigan’s Secretary of State with criminal charges if any non-U.S. citizens cast a ballot. The U.S. Justice Department said it intends to send monitors to polls in Detroit, Lansing and East Lansing. All Democrat-led cities. 

Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey says allegations that the city had long lines and a lack of ballots at polls are not true. 

Winfrey says Detroit’s election system is transparent and above-board, and she welcomes legal poll monitors watching it in action.  

“And transparency strengthens public confidence. So we don’t mind groups coming in to observe… as long as they don’t get in the way of processing voters and the voting process.” 

President Trump has often made baseless claims that Detroit’s elections were rigged against him despite investigations finding no evidence of any widespread voting fraud. 

-Reporting by Quinn Klinefelter. 

Oncology app

There’s a new app for oncology clinical trials. The Barbara Ann Karmonos Cancer Institute has launched a new version of the KCI Clinical Trials App, where clinicians and people can find out updated information about clinical trials for more informed care.  

People can use the app to contact specialists for questions about trials and learn about opportunities or referrals. Karmanos offers clinical trials for various kinds of cancers including brain, gastrointestinal, and sarcoma. Visit karmanos.org/clinicaltrails to learn more. 

Rising Voices art exhibition

The Asian American advocacy group Rising Voices is hosting an artist exhibition. It will display the art of Michigan Asian American artists Chelsea Koga, Maikue Vang, Navjeet Kaur and Julia Koza. There will also be performances and time for networking.  

The “Revolution, Resistance and Joy,” exhibition opening night takes place July 17 from 6-9 p.m. at the Swords Into Plowshares Gallery in Detroit. The event is free with registration.  

Sazon Festival

There’s a Latin food festival coming to Detroit. Latin City is hosting this outdoor, family-friendly festival with food and music.

The Sazon Latin Food Festival will showcase flavors from the Caribbean, Central and South America. Space is limited. The event takes place Sunday, July 26 at the Batch Brewing Company from 12-5 p.m. Registration is free but spots are limited.  

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

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

Additional headlines for Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Federal monitors in Detroit?

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

Faith leader training

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. 

Fresh food truck

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.    

Grow Talent program starts

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 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Dearborn was named a Tree City USA for the 39th year.

Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud says its a pride point for the city. “We’re trying to take it an extra step, ensuring that we offer all of our residents a free tree in their easements, and even if they’d like a free treatment for their personal property,” he says.

Benefits

Hammoud says the trees help with flood mitigation in the city.

“The more trees you put in the ground, the more water it can absorb, helping prevent that water from entering your water and sewer system, which helps increase your capacity,” he says.

City reprenstatives have been planting about 1,000 trees a year, he says.

What goes up…

Hammoud says road construction and storms can sometimes lead to some trees coming down.

“Sometimes a tree will be removed if you have major road construction, and you do chop off some of the root system, and then you’d no longer have a tree that can be there safely, where a windstorm, especially if there’s many leaves in the tree, can get picked up along with that windstorm,” he shares.

He says there are efforts to educate residents about the benefit of planting and saving trees. The city has also caught up on a backlog of taking down dead and deceased trees from 1,200-1,300 to about 100 trees. 

Setting trees up for success

The city mostly plants trees that are 3-4 years old, and works with the Crimboli Nursery & Landscapes to get their trees.

Every tree comes with a 1-2 year warranty, but residents are asked to water the trees.

“If the wooden stakes are still on the tree that are helping keeping it up, that means the tree has a warranty for those first two years, ensuring that can kind of grow out of its newborn phase,” he says.

Dearborn residents can request a free tree in their easement by visiting dearborn.gov/trees. 

This story is a part of WDET’s ongoing series, the Detroit Tree Canopy Project.

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.

Additional headlines for Monday, July 6, 2026

Dearborn FEMA funding

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.  

Power update

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   

 Older Americans turn to friends for care

 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 DetroitEveningReport@wdet.org. And don’t forget to subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report podcast, available wherever you get your podcasts. 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

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. 

Additional headlines for Monday, June 29, 2026

Tips for handling the heat

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

Dearborn hosts World Cup watch parties

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.  

Dearborn Tree City designation

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. 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Grow Hamtramck program in the city of Hamtramck is hoping to plant a thousand trees in four years.

Community and Economic Development Director for the City of Hamtramck Isabel Allaway says it’s a part of a grant-funded urban forestry project to increase the city’s tree canopy and increase shade in the densest city in Michigan. 

“We did some inventory in 2019 to determine what available public planting spaces there were in our city, and we pursued this grant funding and were awarded it after we found over 1,200 available planting spaces at that time,” she says.

Allaway says the funding will focus on generating requests from residents to determine where to plant 1,000 trees in the city. 

Contractors, which include an arborist team and people who plant and maintain the trees in their first year of life, take care of the rest. 

“We’re about a year and a half into what is a four year program, and we’ve planted about 400 trees so far of that 1,000 trees,” she shares.

Careful planning

Allaway says the city works with an arborist team and the Davey Resource Group, the urban forestry program coordinator for this project, to determine which trees should or should not be planted in the city.

“We want to make sure that we’re maintaining species diversity and that we’re not planting too many trees of the same variety in close proximity to each other to maintain the health of the urban tree canopy,” she says.

Allaway says they the city is planting trees on the public right of way that are 3 feet to 5 feet wide, between sidewalks and streets. That’s to minimize cracks, sidewalk disruption or from trees not going too far over people’s homes.

“So we’re planning about 70% small trees in those spaces, and the residential right of ways on those residential streets are really our highest priority for generating requests,” she expresses.

Growing benefits

She says along with increasing the tree canopy, planting more trees reduces the heat index, provides shade and increases the feeling of safety for pedestrians and cars. 

“A tree-lined street reduces the speed at which someone will drive a vehicle down that street, because it narrows the sight line,” she explains.

Allaway says it also increases property values for homeowners.

“We’re really conscious that our residents live in a city that’s surrounded by sort of a collar of industrial properties, and so trying to make sure that we’re mitigating those impacts for our residents is really important to us,” she says.

Allaway says the trees should also help with absorbing stormwater and groundwater, due to the flooding in Hamtramck.

People can sign up for a tree or call the Community and Economic Development Department at 313-800-5233 extension 818 for an over-the-phone intake. They can also email treerequests@hamtramckcity.gov or fill out a survey.

The survey is available in Arabic and Bangla.

This story is a part of WDET’s ongoing series, the Detroit Tree Canopy Project.

The national organization, the Jews of Color Initiative, is hosting a listening tour in Detroit this week.

CEO Ilana Kaufman says it’s an effort to build community and center the day-to-day lives of Jewish Americans, especially of Jewish communities of color. “The Jewish community all over the world, but particularly in the United States, is multiracial and multifaith. Something like 20% of the US Jewish community self-identify as people of color,” she says.  

Kaufman grew up in San Francisco, California. She says the area she grew up in was a multiracial, multifaith, thriving community. 

“Our community was filled with folks from the Japanese internment camps. I grew up in the Fillmore district, which is full of the African American community, and I live in one of the first Jewish neighborhoods in San Francisco,” she says.

Why the tour is important

Kaufman says the U.S. Jewish community is stressed right now.

“I think any opportunities to be together in relationship, where we’re talking about not only the hard things, but the things that bring us together. I think those are energizing,” she explains.

She says the organization is hoping to connect with Jewish people of color to reinforce leadership and build programming to strengthen the community.

“We ask the same set of questions across each region, so we can hear specifically what’s passionate and important to the regions we’re present in,” she explains.

Detroit is different

Kaufman says while Jewish life is huge on the east and west coast, Detroit is a smaller community that “can transcend conflict in service of small goals that have big outcomes in service to the greater good.” 

Kaufman says she sees Detroit being able to close the gap between races and faith groups due to the communities’ existing connections. 

Detroit’s listening session takes place Thursday June 25 from 6-8 p.m. 

“We know that in Detroit, we will hear ideas about what it means to prioritize and elevate multi racial, multi ethnic Jewish community life, which is really all of us,” she explains.

Location details are shared upon registration due to privacy concerns.

Most older adults do not know how to care for their brain health, according to a new survey by the National Poll on Healthy Aging and the Alzheimer’s Association. The survey of adults 50 and up found that people rated their brain health as excellent, very good, or good, but lacked knowledge about how to maintain it.

The survey found 70% of Michigan’s older adults believe diet, physical activity, and sleep are important factors. However fewer older adults were engaging in the behaviors that determine better brain health or reduce Alzheimer’s, such as getting seven or more hours of sleep, doing mentally stimulating activities, eating healthy, balanced diets or exercising.

The survey also found that they prefer to get information about brain health from a health care provider. Many also believe brain health is more important than physical health.

The National Poll on Healthy Aging online and phone survey was conducted in January 2026, surveying 1,300 Michigan residents and 2,800 non-Michigan adults between 50 and 98 years old. 

Additional headlines for Monday, June 22, 2026

Sun Bucks program

Many children face food insecurity over the summer because they no longer have meals provided by school. The summer EBT “Sun Bucks” program from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services works to make sure that no kids will be hungry.  

The department’s Erin Frisch says families with students who participate in school lunch and breakfast programs face extra pressure on their budgets during the summer.  

“SUN Bucks, also known as summer EBT helps bridges that gap by providing eligible children with funding to purchase food during the summer months. We have this program because we understand Michigan children need consistent access to healthy food to grow and learn and thrive.”  

Children ages 6 to 18 are eligible for the SUN Bucks program. Those who already receive SNAP benefits will automatically be enrolled. Families not already on SNAP can apply for the summer program on the MI Bridges website. 

-Reporting by Helena Najar  

Black Caucus calls for reparative measures

The Michigan Legislative Black Caucus is calling for the passage of new “reparative justice,” measures. The bills would create a state office to serve American descendants of enslaved people, launch a reparations commission and collect data.  

Democratic Representative Jason Hoskins says Black people in Michigan continue to live with the legacy of slavery and segregation, including worse health outcomes and pollution in their communities.  

“If we are serious about addressing these challenges, we must first understand the harms that were done, the policies that perpetuated these harms, who’s affected, and what remedies are appropriate,” says Hoskins.  

The new commission would recommend reparations, but the package itself would not include any payments for Black Michigan residents. Majority State House Republicans are not likely to pass the bills.  

-Reporting by Colin Jackson  

Michigan relieves medical debts

The State of Michigan has collaborated with the national nonprofit Undue Medical Debt program to erase $74 million of medical debt for 72,000 Michigan residents. People will begin getting letters in the mail this week informing them if their debt has been forgiven. Each dollar paid by Undue Medical Debt equals $100 of debt relief.

Unpaid medical debt is often a result of unexpected illnesses. Half of U.S. adults have a hard time paying off medical debt.  

People receiving the relief at four times the poverty line or have medical debt that’s more than 5% of their annual income. This round of debt erasure is supported through a $4.5 million fund from the state’s in partnership with Wayne, Oakland and Kalamazoo Counties.  

Last year, the State of Michigan and Undue Medical Debt provided $144 million in debt relief to over 210,000 Michigan residents.  

Urban Neighborhood Initiatives is giving its annual Hero of the Neighborhood awards this week.

Simone Sagovac, director of the Southwest Detroit Community Benefits Coalition, is being recognized for her work with Trucks Off Our Streets. 

The impact of truck traffic

She says the work began a few years ago to get protections to prevent truck routes from going through neighborhoods. 

“On some of the streets, there were ranging between 500 and even up to 1,200 semi trucks, and we’re talking heavy-duty semi trucks that are part of our global economy here, and they were cutting through our neighborhood streets,” she says.

Sagovac says the trucks cause damage, emit emissions, and cause health impacts.

“There’s just a whole array of issues on top of the safety issues of living with trucks and people not being able to have kids play in the yards… we knew that it needed a larger strategy, so we formed the Trucks Off Our Streets Coalition that has representation from across all of the city districts,” she explains.

She says the organizations are rooted in the community that works with residents directly on issues related to trucks in the industry, air pollution and health.  

Study underscores the issue

The work resulted in the Southwest Detroit Truck Route Implementation Study, a pilot program to create the first designated truck route network by placing signs in the city. It was developed by the Southwest Detroit Truck Network Implementation Study in 2024 to manage truck activity and reduce traffic impacts in Southwest Detroit. 

Sagovac says Detroit communities are dealing with high environmental impacts, resulting in high rates of asthma and hospitalizations. 

“From our data, children under 18 living next to a truck route have 68% higher asthma rates, so it is really significant, and it’s something that is within local control to address by having more sensible, healthier truck routes, and there are other strategies too,” she expresses.

Her response to the recognition

Sagovac says she’s grateful for receiving an award, but she says it’s a community effort.

“First, it’s very surprising to be recognized, but it’s not surprising for all of the work that so many in the community have done over these years,” she shares.

Although Sagovac is not Latina, she says receiving an award feels validating that her work is making a difference. 

“It’s an incredible honor, probably the biggest honor to be recognized by people in the community. I feel like it validates something that’s really important to me, which is trust,” she says.

She says she’s happy to be a part of moving the work forward.

The Jews of Color Initiative is hosting a national listening tour across the U.S., with a stop in Detroit next week. The organization aims to increase awareness of regional experiences and foster conversations about racial equity within the Jewish community.

CEO Ilana Kaufman says the tour is an effort to center the voices and experiences of Jews of Color while also hearing from community members and understanding local needs.

“Detroit is one of those smaller communities for us where we know that the community has a sense of connection, an ability to transcend or at least set aside conflict in service of not only interracial and cross-racial relationships, but also relationships across faiths.”

The Detroit session will take place from 6-8 p.m. June 25. More information is available through the Jews of Color Initiative.

More information: https://thejoci.org/event/joci-national-listening-tour-detroit/

Additional headlines for June 15, 2026

MDHHS highlights violence data dashboard, free gun locks

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is promoting resources during Gun Violence Awareness Month, including its Injury and Violence Dashboard, which provides data on violence trends across the state.

According to MDHHS, gun violence injuries are the leading cause of death and disability in the United States among people ages 1 to 44. They are also the leading cause of death among children and adolescents.

MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel says the dashboards help communities, leaders and policymakers identify where additional work is needed to improve public safety.

The state also offers free gun locks at more than 100 locations across Michigan through Project ChildSafe, a program supported by the Michigan State Police.

More information is available at Michigan.gov.

Detroit skilled trades task force meeting scheduled

The City of Detroit is hosting a Skilled Trades Task Force meeting this week to connect residents with employment opportunities and tuition-free apprenticeship programs.

The meeting will take place from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, June 17, at the Adam Butzel Complex in Detroit. Residents can also participate via Zoom.

More information: https://detroitmi.gov/events/skilled-trades-task-force-meeting-june-17-2026

City to host retirees task force meeting

The City of Detroit is hosting a meeting for retirees to share information and gather feedback from residents.

The City of Detroit Retirees Task Force hybrid meeting will take place from 1-3 p.m. June 18 at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center and on Zoom. The meeting is hosted by Councilmember-at-Large Mary Waters and Councilmember Denzel McCampbell.
https://cityofdetroit.zoom.us/j/82953432101

State, federal agencies invest $10 million in Detroit River restoration

State and federal agencies have announced $10 million in funding to support restoration efforts in the Detroit River.

The funding comes from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through Michigan’s Make It in Michigan Competitive Fund. It is also part of the Great Lakes Legacy Act, a bipartisan cost-share program focused on addressing contamination in the Great Lakes.

EGLE Director Phil Roos says the Detroit River is an important natural resource and restoring it remains a priority.

The Detroit River was designated an Area of Concern in 1987 because of industrial pollution, untreated wastewater and stormwater runoff. EGLE and the EPA have been working to address contamination in the river since 2012.

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

A Dearborn park will be the home of a new visual art project depicting the children of Gaza. The City of Dearborn, Jewish Voice for Peace-Detroit, the U.S. Palestinian Community Network, and ACCESS present this “Wall of Tears” artwork to the community.

Artist Phil Buehler created the 100 foot long, 7.5 ft tall outdoor mural that includes the names, ages and stories of over 18,000 children who were killed in Gaza since October 2023. An opening night event will be held for the exhibition on Thursday, June 11 at the Dearborn PEACE Park East from 5-7 p.m. 

The Wall of Tears has previously been displayed in cities around the world, including New York and San Francisco. New murals will also be built in Mexico City, Dallas and Portland. 

Another installation called “Gaza City” will be displayed at the Henry Ford Centennial Library on Saturday, June 13 at 2 p.m. That installation will also be presented by Jewish Voice for Peace-Detroit and the U.S. Palestinian Community Network.

The event will feature a screening of “The Voice of Hind Rajab ” and speakers including Huwaida Arraf, a civil rights lawyer who recently joined the Freedom Flotilla. This installation is a collaboration between Phil Buehler and Palestinian photojournalist Shroug Alaiya. 

Additional headlines for Monday, June 8, 2026  

State lawmakers vote to reinstate reading requirement

The Michigan House voted last week to revive the requirement that kids learn to read within one grade level by third grade or risk repeating a year in school. 

Republican supporters argue its necessary to address the state’s lagging reading scores. Many educators counter that holding kids back a grade does nothing to improve their reading.

Democratic Representative John Fitzgerald says teachers need more resources to improve literacy. “We want to give educators and those around kids the tools that they need to give students the best opportunity for success, and just telling kids you have to read at third grade reading is not going to do it. It’s the resources and we want the result of that policy.”  

State lawmakers repealed Michigan’s third-grade reading law a couple of years ago when Democrats controlled the Legislature. 

-Reporting by Colin Jackson 

Huron Valley inmate dies

The state corrections department says an inmate at the Huron Valley women’s prison died Saturday morning. The Detroit Free Press reports that Ashley Hoath fell ill and was taken to an emergency room, where her condition worsened, and life-saving measures failed. Hoath was serving time for killing her boyfriend in 2017. 

She’s the third Huron Valley inmate to die in less than a month. The state is investigating the other two deaths.  

-Reporting Pat Batcheller 

Hamtramck Town Hall

The City of Hamtramck is hosting a town hall meeting today. The meeting is to help residents understand their water bill structure. City representatives will discuss changes that are taking place. Arabic and Bangla translators will be available.

The town hall is scheduled for June 8 at 7 p.m. People can also watch the meeting at the City of Hamtramck YouTube page.

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Michigan Department of State (MDOS) automatically registers eligible people to vote if they apply for or renew a state ID or license as of 2019. Now voters can opt out of registration if they choose.  

In 2018, Michigan voters approved a constitutional amendment to automatically register those applying for a state ID and drivers license. Now they will also receive mail notifying them of the registration. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for preregistration or registration.

The new changes add an option to opt out by mail with a pre-stamped, pre-addressed envelope from the MDOS. Voters can also send a written request to their city or township clerk to cancel their registration.  

Additional headlines from Monday, June 1, 2026

Detroit Community Conversation

The City of Detroit is hosting a community conversation to improve access to services for people who are deaf, blind or hard of hearing. The “Building Barriers & Building Bridges” event will focus on improving access and inclusion in the city.

Presenters include Sherry Gay-Dagnogo, the Ombudsman for the City of Detroit; Jade E. Matthis, the Director of Civil Rights, Inclusion & Opportunity; and Christopher Samp, the Director of the Office of Disability Affairs.  

The event takes place Tuesday, June 2 from 5-7 p.m. at the Wayne County Community College District NW Campus. That’s 8200 W. Outer Drive, Detroit, Michigan.  

An American Sign Language Interpreter will be available.  Light refreshments will be served.  

Men’s mental health with the Michigan Chronicle

The Michigan Chronicle is hosting an event on mental health for Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month. The Safe Space: How to Support Black Men’s Mental Health panel will feature Black community leaders. Practitioners will also share resources and lead a guided meditation. Joseph Williams, Head of Content at Word in Black, will moderate the event.

Speakers include Dr. Jason Phillips, a therapist and life coach; Brian Sims, a healthcare entrepreneur and community organizer; and Senbi Akau Spruill, a meditation leader. The event will be held virtually on June 3 from 6-7:15 p.m.  

Homeownership classes 

Gesher Human Services is hosting free homeownership classes next week. It’s part of National Homeownership Month. The Homeownership Empowerment Week is a series of classes from June 8-12 to guide potential and current homeowners on purchasing and managing homeownership.

The first class is in person at the Gesher headquarters building at 29699 Southfield Road in Southfield, Michigan. People can sign up for a 30 minute slot to get a free credit report with a financial education counselor between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. The rest of the classes will be held on Zoom between June 9-12 at noon. 

Detroit has a 54% homeownership rate, which is 9% less than the national average. Gesher Financial Education Manager Laltsha Cunnigham says June is a great time to access homeowner resources. She says the courses are aimed to quote, “make home ownership a reality for more families.”  

The City of Detroit offers up to $25,000 in down payment for pre-paid or closing cost assistance when people purchase a home through $9 million in funds from the Community Development Block Grant and the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Relief. 

Gesher courses will cover debt management, the path to ownership, and what to do if homeowners default on their mortgage. Classes will be taught by Housing and Urban Development (HUD) certified homebuyer education counselors. 

To register, visit geshermi.org/events or call 248-233-4299. 

Editor’s note: Corrections were made on the timeline of automatic registration, the mandated notification of automatic registration and opt-out process but are not reflected in the broadcast version of this podcast. We apologize for the error. 

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Access to mental health care for young people is an issue gaining more attention in the U.S.  Studies show social media use has changed the landscape for many adolescents.

Sarah Masad is a therapist at My Mental Wellness, a free mental health clinic located inside the Islamic Center of Detroit.

She says many girls come in with body issues stemming from social media usage.

“There’s a lot of depression that comes with that, a lot of family issues that come with that, feeling misunderstood, ” she explains.

She sees clients between 7 years old and 27 years old from Arab American and South Asian communities.

Masad says the clinic offers the option of incorporating faith-based therapy into sessions. 

“I do see that identity struggle a lot too, figuring out what they believe in, what their values are, with what they want to do, and then that struggle is like what they want to do versus what their family says, or what society says,” she shares.

Masad says a lot of people are also turning to ChatGPT, when they don’t have access to their therapist. She says this can be harmful for people who may be dealing with extreme delusions or other mental health issues. As a therapist, she tries to play a supportive role.

“I think that it’s like the struggle with dealing with the AI and social media, and being young, and then also trying to be their therapist, and make sure that they know that I’m with them and not against them, have some sort of like authority trying to make you a better person.” 

“The best thing I think for trauma is meeting them where they’re at, and also giving them autonomy.”

She works with clients to provide different strategies that may work for each client.

“Every single person is different…even if that person is dealing with these very, very similar trauma. The way that they are dealing with it and the way that they are coping with it is not the same.

Creating access to faith-based mental health care

The Islamic Center of Detroit opened the My Mental Wellness clinic in 2024 as a fully staffed mental health clinic to provide free services and remove stigma and barriers to accessing care. 

Masad says she was drawn to work in this space.

“I felt more fulfilled and allowing me to have the space to do support groups was another big thing, and creating these events for my clients, curating events for my clients, so that there’s a thing for everybody,” she says.

Previously, she’s held peer groups for young professionals who are the children of immigrants, exploring the toll it may take on people and their daily lives, and future career choices. 

She’s also starting a Sisters Stroll, a guided meditation with nature walks for people to meet new people and go outdoors together. 

“I have a deep passion for nutrition and health in the world, and teaching people how to take care of themselves even when they’re at their low point,” she explains.

Masad says she’s trying to teach people more about the connection between gut health and mental health. She says a lot of older clients come into therapy with physical symptoms of mental health. 

“I’m trying to fill that gap, trying to see how do I approach this with people who feel hopeless and helpless, and it’s not about solving, it’s about getting through whatever situation that they’re going through,” she explains.

Nearly 2 million Muslims will make the greater pilgrimage to Mecca, or Hajj, next week.

Imam Steve Mustapha Elturk is President of the Islamic Organization of North America (IONA). He says this year, Hajj is different due to the ongoing war between Iran, the United States and Israel. 

“Many of our congregations are asking, ‘is it safe to go this year?’ It is very safe,” he says.

Elturk says the U.S. bases are far away from the holy cites in Mecca and Medina. 

“Saudi Arabia really does a great job in terms of safety and security. I’ve been going there for a dozen years, and I see it with my own eyes to make sure that the pilgrims are safe and secure,” he shares.

He says the systems have also changed from people booking Hajj travel through an agency to using the Nusuk app, which can be confusing for users.

“Then they offer you the packages. They ask me if I’m going or taking a group. I have not taken a group in the last few years since they launched the Nusuk… ” It’s different,” he reflects.

He says about a half dozen people are going to Hajj from his congregation this year, but he expects that more people are going from nearby suburbs of Detroit.

Elturk says, although he’s not going to Hajj this year, he provides spiritual guidance for his congregants if asked.

“I have had throughout the years, since some from our community who have gone there call me on the phone, say ‘we just finished this. I don’t know what should I do next, or I did this, is this correct?’ And I try to guide them over the phone sometimes at 3 o’clock in the morning because of the time differences,” he explains.

Hajj takes place during the eighth through 13th of the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah, following a lunar calendar. Pilgrims do specific tasks while they are in Hajj, what Elturk describes as an opportunity for repentance.

“Hajj is all about repentance, and the Prophet said, peace be upon him, ‘whoever performs Hajj, his or her pilgrimage is accepted, returns as the day he or she was born—in other words, sinless,'” he shares.

Pilgrims will perform Hajj from May 25-30.

About 2 million Muslims will perform Hajj, the greater pilgrimage in Saudia Arabia this month. But the U.S. Embassy of Saudia Arabia is asking pilgrims to reconsider their trip due to the ongoing war between Iran and the U.S.

Juber Ahmed, a pharmacist, and his mom Shamima Akther live in Sterling Heights, Michigan.

In January, Ahmed found out he and his mom’s applications to perform Hajj were accepted after months of waiting. He dropped to his knees and performed a prayer of gratitude.

“Honestly, that feeling I still can’t find the words to express. I was in tears, did sajdah as-sukr, and then I hugged my mom, and both of us just were in tears,” he expresses.

Akter is 63 years old. She’s looking forward to going this year while she’s still physically able to make the rigorous journey.

“Alhamdulillah, I’ve been waiting for a long time to go to Hajj with my oldest son. It’s Allah’s will,” she exclaims. 

It’s a dream she’s had for more than 30 years, since her kids were little.

Ahmed and Akther are among a few thousand pilgrims from the United States who will perform Hajj in Saudi Arabia.

Wahid Elfeky is a part of the Aleman Groups USA travel agency in New York, which has been around for 30 years. He says that until 2019, as many as 16,000 people from the United States would make the Hajj each year.

But Saudi Arabia has instituted quotas to prevent overcrowding. He says now the number is closer to 5,000 people. 

Embassy warns travelers, but pilgrimage continues

In April, the U.S. Embassy of Saudi Arabia issued an alert, asking American pilgrims to reconsider going to Hajj due to the ongoing war between Iran and the U.S.

Ahmed sat his mom down and asked her if she wanted to postpone the trip. Akther says she feels a strong conviction to go this year. 

“I told my son, ‘I will go alone. Don’t go, you have two kids.’ My son said, ‘what are you saying, I am going to take you,'” she shares. 

Ahmed says he is still going.

“I know it’s a risk, but I also know that this chance may not come back around,” he says.

Performing the pilgrimage at least once is mandatory for all able-bodied Muslims who can afford the costs of travel.

Imam Steve Mustapha Elturk is the co-chair of the Imams Council of Michigan. He says several people have asked him whether they should still go. He assures them it’s safe and encourages them to go, noting the U.S. military installations in Saudi Arabia are far from the holy sites.

“Definitely there’s nothing going on there in terms of war or missiles or anything of that sort,” he shares.

Faith over fear

In Washington D.C., Sana Imam is preparing to make the hajj later this month. The health policy and communications professional is going with her husband.

“I’m still planning to go because the level of spiritual transformation that is possible to experience at Hajj might not be possible anywhere else for a lot of Muslims,” she explains.

For most Muslims, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Imam says she’s focusing her attention on preparing for the trip.

“I’ve been doing like, 30 minutes on the Stairmaster machine every time I go to the gym, just because Hajj involves miles on foot every day. Spiritually, I’ve been trying to slow down my prayers instead of rushing through them,” she says.

Although she’s concerned about the ongoing war, Imam says she’s leaning on her faith to get through this time of uncertainty.

Hajj is performed between the eighth and the 13th of the Islamic month Dhu al-Hijjah—that’s May 25- May 30. For many American Muslims, the opportunity to go to Hajj outweighs their fear of not going to perform one of the greatest acts of worship in Islam.

The Bengali Mental Health Movement launched online as an anonymous online platform in 2018 to address mental health in Bengali and Bangladeshi communities.

Michigan is home to a significantly large population of Bangladeshis.

Tazin Banu and Riya Ahmed work with the New York based nonprofit to expand mental health conversations in communities that struggle with stigma and cultural sensitivities.

Banu is the founder, and Ahmed is the co-founder of BMHM.

“When we started off, we were, you know, just a group of volunteers doing grassroots work, and then we realized we needed more sustainable infrastructure.”

The group created transliterated and translated documents during the pandemic. 

“We want to take these mental health concepts and information and make it again accessible to our community,” Banu says.

One of their programs is Alaap, a therapeutic peer-led group, to create safe spaces to have discussions about mental health. 

“We wanted to give individuals a safe space where they felt comfortable to at least communicate some parts of their journey,” Ahmed says.

Alaap means conversations, referring to the need for more conversations around mental health.

The nonprofit has a wide reach, including a directory which has providers from all across the world. 

“It was great to see that there are communities and professionals all over the place that, like, again, just like wanted to be a part of part of BMHM in some way,” Banu shares.

Ahmed says it’s a validating experience to be a part of this large network.

“When you do work like mental health, and in a community that might not be so encouraging to have these conversations or be on in the supporting field, it’s very validating when you see the encouragement from all over. Right, it’s really nice to see how far the reach is, and how much it might be helping individuals that might have not seen this in their own community,” Ahmed says.

The group hopes to expand services, resources and put out a community needs assessment. 

They also hope to launch a self-care initiative called Joton: Aided and Embodied Self-Care Workshops soon. It’s a monthly free workshop to remove barriers to self care.

Ahmed says they also hope to expand language services to include younger and older generations.

“Language would help, when it comes to older generation, so that is the expansion. That would be wonderful to have that in Bangla,” she says.

Hamtramck is hosting an Eid gathering next weekend for Eid Al-Adha. There will be rides, food and shopping vendors. Organized by community leaders. The festival will take place from May 28-31 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Keyworth Stadium.  

Additional headlines for Monday, May 18

Skilled trades meeting

The City of Detroit is hosting a Skilled Trades Task Force meeting. The meeting is for those who are interested in building in Detroit. People can also learn more about how to apply for tuition free apprenticeship programs. The meeting will be held on May 20 from 4-6 p.m. at the Farwell Recreation Center. That’s located at 2711 Outer Drive E, Detroit, MI 48234.  

D’Artillery fashion show 

The Hamtramck based studio D’Artillery is hosting a fashion show. The Behind the Seams showcase is a celebration of Immigrant Heritage Month. The women-only event features clothes and accessories made by women in the sewing training program.

The fashion showcase will be Saturday June 13 from 5-8 p.m. at 9528 Joseph Campau, in Hamtramck. 

Dearborn spring cleaning 

The City of Dearborn is launching its Spring Sweep. This is a joint effort by the city and residents to clean their properties. The city will be doing inspections on tall grass and overgrowth, trash and unauthorized storage or placement of items on lawns. Residents are asked to clean their properties from leaf accumulation or debris.

The city says violations are not tickets, but residents must inform the city when corrections have been made. The city’s code enforcement is refining its process. For more information visit Dearborn.gov/Property. 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Sherry Miller is a mental health clinician with the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network. She has a dual role in Highland Park as part of the co-response team and the mobile clinic.

“We go out into the community, to schools, to churches, events, wherever we are invited to bring mental health awareness to kind of decrease the stigma. We can do brief therapy right there on the spot, assess individuals’ mood… and get them connected with services,” she says.

In her role with co-response, she works with the police department as a mental health counselor who aids in mental health emergencies.

“So if there’s a mental health call… they’ll dispatch me through the radio. Either I’ll meet them there, [or] I’ll follow them there and kind of assess the situation and what’s going on with that individual,” she explains.

She says Highland Park residents were instrumental in getting a partnership going between DWIHN and crisis intervention. 

Miller says since her start in late December, there have been about 70 mental health phone calls. In her role, Miller assesses the situation and tries to de-escalate. 

She says there are several police officers within the Highland Park Police Department who are also trained to respond to mental health calls. 

“It may go a different route, versus somebody being talked to by somebody that’s trained to de-escalate, to calm them down… I think that makes a difference,” she shares.

Miller says she attends city meetings to connect with community members to understand their needs, bring them resources and show them how to sign up for services.

Autism Awareness comes to Highland Park

Last month, Sherry Miller organized the city’s first Autism Awareness & Acceptance event.

Miller says she speaks with parents who are concerned about getting help for their kids. They struggle with things like behavioral issues, receiving special education services at school and understanding autism.

Miller says more needs to be done to support parents. Having more advocacy events could help parents get access to testing and find new ways to improve the lives of their children, she says.

The event featured an advocacy walk, resource vendors, and presentations. There were also giveaways, music and workshops. Miller noted the importance of the event for connecting with parents and “talking to the educators that kind of know what to do, what to look for.”

Miller has also created a resource book for residents.

While the city of Highland Park may be known as the birthplace of the automotive assembly line, it’s also home to one of the first mosques built from the ground up in the U.S.

Imams Hussein Karoub and Khalil Bazzi led the construction of Highland Park’s Moslem Mosque. They selected a location near the Ford assembly line plant in Highland Park and opened the mosque in 1921.

The mechanical contractor John E Green Company now owns the building.

Sally Howell is a professor of history at the University of Michigan – Dearborn. She says Syrian immigrants, “mostly from what is today, Lebanon,” built the mosque.

She says immigrants were attracted to the Ford plant’s wages of $5 per day, which was around twice the average industrial wage at the time. 

She says Arab Americans had organizations and political associations leading up to mosque opening. Howell says people from the Middle East, South Asia, and Eastern Europe worshipped there. It only stayed open for about a year.

“Part of the congregation, by 1921 had already started moving to Dearborn, because Henry Ford was already building and starting to open the Ford Rouge assembly,” she says.

However, Highland Park had a growing African American Muslim population.

Imam Hamidullah Daniel Mujahid was born in Highland Park in 1953.

He says many Muslims practiced their faith in private during the 1950s and 1960s. About 50 Muslim families—people from the Middle Eastern, followers of the Ahmadiyya movement from South Asia, and people from the Nation of Islam—lived in the city.

“At this given point in time, the only outward practicing group was the group that was called the Nation of Islam, that was the Black African American community,” he says.

Mujahid says people wanted to fit in with the majority of the Christian population. They also didn’t want to get targeted.

Researcher Akil Fahd says another predominantly African American mosque, Masjid As-Salaam, opened around 1971. It was an incubator for other mosques.

“A lot of the other communities that were Sunni Muslim, that did not come out of the Nation of Islam, they kind of spread out from Masjid As-Salam,” he shares.

A lasting community

Masjidun-Nur opened in 1977 on Pilgrim Street. It has an extension building, the Markaz Al-Tabligh, on Hamilton Avenue for larger gatherings and special occasions such as Eid prayers.

Fahd says it’s part of the Tablighi community, a global Islamic missionary movement focused on spiritual renewal, prayer and following the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Fatimah Rashad is a labor and delivery nurse and mom of four. Her parents moved from New Jersey to Highland Park in 1991.

“My father actually wanted to move here because it’s a bigger Muslim community, and they heard about the Islamic schools,” she says.

Rashad says the community was warm and welcoming. About 20 families lived there.

Khalil MuMinun is an assistant imam at Masjid Wali Muhammad. He says the Muslim community in Highland Park offered an alternative lifestyle.

“They played a significant role in you know keeping the drug epidemic from taking over the entire neighborhood by creating a space where the standard was virtue and having good manners with your neighbors,” he explains.

While today just a few Muslim families remain in Highland Park, Muslim communities played a vital role in developing the city since the early 1900s.