Detroit rapper Big Sean and music legend Usher are partnering to invest in a new $1 million entertainment production facility for Detroit youth. It will be called the Detroit Entertainment Innovation Incubator and will be located inside the new Boys and Girls Club at Michigan Central.

The program will give young people from the ages of 14 to 24 access to a virtual production studio, special effects lab, creators lounge and more.

Both artists grew up going to Boys and Girls Clubs and are looking to give back with this effort. The new Boys and Girls Club location is slated to officially open with a ribbon cutting ceremony in February according to a statement from representatives.

Additional headlines from Friday, December 5, 2025

Respite centers

As the weather drops, the city is reminding Detroiters in need that there are respite centers available. Recreation centers and public libraries serve as respite centers during their regular operating hours.

Some of the locations open this weekend include the Coleman A young Recreation Center at 2751 Robert Bradby, the Kemeny Recreation Center at 2260 S. Fort and the Bowen Branch of the Detroit Public Library at 3648 Vernor Hwy.

For more locations and more information go to detroitmi.gov.

City seeks sculptor

The city of Detroit is looking for someone to sculpt a second statue of Joe Louis that honors his achievements outside the boxing ring.

Officials already unveiled the first statue celebrating the Brown Bomber’s contributions to golf. He was the first amateur Black golfer to play in a PGA-sanctioned event.

The new statue will pay tribute to his impact on equestrian sports. Louis bought a horse farm in Shelby Township in 1939 and created the nation’s first horse show featuring Black riders and trainers.

Mahmood sues to count disqualified Hamtramck ballots

In Hamtramck mayoral candidate Adam Alharbi was deemed the winner by 11 votes after a recount this week. But the race may not be over yet. Alharbi’s opponent Muith Mahmood filed a lawsuit arguing that the city should count all 37 votes that were disqualified.

The ballots were found improperly stored in the City Clerk’s office and were excluded from the final count after the Wayne County Board of Canvassers deadlocked on the issue.

Former Michigan state elections director Chris Thomas says although there is a security concern about how the ballots were handled Hamtramck residents should not be penalized. “Apparently these envelopes were received, their date, time and date stamped. The signatures were compared and found to be valid. So these voters have been disenfranchised, so there’s no question about that. And the question before the court is, what are you going to do for these voters?”

Another hearing is scheduled to settle the issue.

Sports

NFL

The Lions bounce back from their Thanksgiving loss with a win against the Dallas Cowboys last night with the score of 44-30. The Lions haven’t had back-to-back losses since the 2022 season and now tie the all-time NFL record with 15 Straight wins after a loss.

They look to continue their playoff hopes as they face the Rams on Sunday December 14th.

NBA

The Pistons have back to back matchups as they face the Portland Trail Blazers today at 7:30pm and the Milwaukee Bucks tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. Both games will be at Little Caesars Arena.

NHL

And the Red Wings fell to The Columbus Blue Jackets last night with a 6-5 loss. They hope to bounce back against the Seattle Krakens tomorrow at Climate Pledge Arena. Game starts at 10:00 p.m. EST.

Merry Midtown

Tomorrow the city will be merry with the first ever Merry Midtown event. There will be dining and shopping experiences, Santa sightings, Christmas music, a roaming photo booth and more.

For more information go to citybirddetroit.com.

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

Merchants and organizations in the midtown area have organized a holiday event to keep the spirit of Noel Night going. The annual event’s 51^st run has been canceled. But almost 60 shops, restaurants, and community organizations have come together to launch “Merry Midtown” in the spirit of Noel Night.

City Bird’s Andy Linn says there will be concerts at the Detroit School of the Arts, exhibits at Wayne State, DJs at several sites and more.

“And there’s going to be pop up markets at about a dozen of the larger businesses including a really cool vintage and flea market at the majestic. And then there’s going to be live music at a number of locations including Red Hook and Motor City Brewing Works. There’s going to be so many little surprises.”

Business owners say Noel Night is often one of the most lucrative of the whole year – and also when many people discover small businesses in the area. They hope it returns next year, but Merry Midtown may also be here to stay.

For more information about Merry Midtown events visit citybirddetroit.com/events. 

Additional headlines from Tuesday, December 2, 2025

New Detroit lions

Detroit has welcomed three new lions at the Detroit Zoo.

A 9 year-old African lioness named Amirah gave birth to the cubs late last month. A fourth cub did not survive. The kitty cats are expected to meet the public in a few months.

Go Lions!

Pontiac’s Holiday Extravaganza

Pontiac is hosting its 44^th Holiday Extravaganza Saturday. There will be a 5K Elf Run, a “Run, Little Elf” Run, a holiday parade, pony rides, winter festival, a visit from the Clauses and more.

The event is a holiday celebration for Pontiac, Auburn Hills, Waterford and White Lake. It starts at 8 a.m. and runs until 2 p.m. around Saginaw Street in downtown Pontiac.  

Dry autumn

This fall was metro Detroit’s driest autumn since 1998. The National Weather Service’s preliminary data show we got just over four inches of rain, the least amount of precipitation for any fall this century.

That also ranks as the tenth driest autumn in southeast Michigan since the government started keeping records in 1874. 

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

Detroiters are getting ready for the annual Thanksgiving Day parade.  The event brings floats, singing acts, and clowns down Woodward Avenue – culminating in the arrival of Santa around noon. 

A longstanding crowd favorite returns this year.  The Fred Hill briefcase drill team will be back in the parade after an absence of more than a decade.  Scott Idle leads the reconstituted team. 

“The briefcase kind of doesn’t exist anymore.  People don’t take them to work anymore and backpacks have replaced briefcases and such.  So I feel like us marching with the joy that we’re going to bring – the energy.  We’re there to bring people smiles.  And we want kids to ask their parents, ‘What are those boxes they’re carrying?’”  

The parade kicks off just before 9 a.m.  For those of you who don’t want to deal with the crowds or the traffic or the cold, you can watch it in your pajamas on WDIV-TV. 

The parade is leading to some road closures downtown.  Woodward will be closed, starting today, from Grand Boulevard all the way down to Jefferson as workers prepare the route for tomorrow’s event.  

If you’re headed downtown, parking meters will be free tomorrow and Friday.  Just make sure you’re not parking somewhere illegally.  And the People Mover is up and running again to get you around downtown. 

Additional headlines for Wednesday, November 26, 2025

Lions Preview 

Downtown will be busy Thursday – not only for the parade, but also for the Detroit Lions annual NFL Thanksgiving Day football game.  The team will host the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field. 

The Thanksgiving tradition began back in 1934. 

This year’s game is important to the Lions’ playoff prospects.  The team is currently in third place in the NFC North.  That’s despite having a record of seven wins and four losses.  Green Bay has seven wins, three losses and one tie.  And both teams are behind the Chicago Bears in the division with eight wins and three losses. 

Just seven teams from the NFC will make it to the playoffs, and the Lions currently are in eighth place.  Kick off at Ford Field is Thursday afternoon at 1 p.m.

Thanksgiving travel 

If you’re headed out of town for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, make sure to pack your patience. 

AAA predicts a record number of Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home over the next few days.  The auto club says Thanksgiving is typically the busiest travel holiday of the year.  73 million people are expected to be on the roads, with another 6 million flying around the country. 

Wednesday afternoon and Sunday are expected to be the busiest travel days. 

If you’re driving to your destination, gas prices here in metro Detroit average $3.01 per gallon.  That’s 10 cents less than last week. 

Watch for lake effect snow if you’re headed west towards Chicago.  If you’re headed up north, beware that a storm is bringing heavy snowfall to parts of the state. 

And since the Detroit Evening Report is taking a break for Thanksgiving and Black Friday, here are a couple of things to keep an eye on over the next few days. 

Black Friday preview 

Retailers are expecting a hectic Black Friday on the day after Thanksgiving.  It’s typically one of the busiest shopping days of the year – with stores offering discounts to draw customers inside. 

Vic Veda is with the Michigan Retailers Association. She says shopping locally makes a difference. 

“There are a lot of great benefits to shopping in person and in your local community.  Every purchase that you shift from an out-of-state online retailer back into your local economy makes a huge impact on our state’s overall economic activity and employment. Literally, every purchase does make a difference.”   

You can expect to see heavy traffic around metro Detroit malls and shopping centers on Friday. 

UM-OSU 

The long-standing college football rivalry between the University of Michigan and Ohio State will be center stage on Saturday afternoon. 

The undefeated Buckeyes are ranked number one in the country, while the Wolverines, with a record of nine wins and two losses, are ranked 15th.  But those rankings often mean little in this grudge match dating back to 1897. 

Michigan beat Ohio State 13 to 10 in Columbus last year.  This year’s game takes place in Ann Arbor at noon on Saturday. 

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

The Detroit Department of Transportation will be adding 53 new buses to its fleet thanks to a $50 million federal grant. That’s in addition to the 76 busses DDOT purchased in the last two years.

Mayor Mike Duggan says the new purchase will replace more than 40% of Detroit’s bus fleet. Many of the new buses will operate out of the $160 million rebuilt Coolidge Terminal on Detroit’s west side.  

Additional headlines from Tuesday, November 25, 2025

Gun Violence Prevention Task Force

Michigan’s Gun Violence Prevention Task Force is making its final recommendations, including giving out free gun locks and banning certain types of weapons.

Members say the changes would help the state enforce its existing gun safety laws more effectively. Other recommendations include creating a statewide school safety tip line and standardized training for school resource officers.

Pro-gun lawmakers have resisted supporting some of the goals, such as raising the firearms purchase age and banning high-capacity magazines. 

Billups pleads not guilty in sports gambling scheme

Former Detroit Pistons star Chauncey Billups is pleading not guilty to charges that he conspired with the Mafia to help rig poker games. 

The federal government accuses Billups of being part of a criminal ring that used celebrity athletes to draw in poker players, then manipulated the games to make them lose. Prosecutors say the scheme de-frauded victims of roughly $7 million, and claim Billups and other sports stars received a portion of the proceeds.

Billups, a hall of fame player and coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, denies the allegations. 

His attorney calls Billups a “man of integrity” who would not risk his reputation or freedom for anything—let alone a card game. He is currently free on a $5 million bond.

Both the money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy charges against Billups carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. 

Merry Midtown

Noel Night has been canceled this year, but midtown businesses are working together to make sure the first Saturday in December remains festive – and lucrative – for the area.

Businesses are working together to host Merry Midtown on Dec. 6. Stores, restaurants and organizations will have performances, crafts, special deals and other offerings in the afternoon and evening.

Merry Midtown – a festive evening in the spirit of Noel Night starts at 5 p.m. throughout the Midtown area.

A Noel Afternoon

The Detroit Public Library has its own alternate programming to replace its annual Noel Night festivities.

A Noel Afternoon will offer crafting, performances from the Nutcracker ballet, Dickens-themed carolers, the Detroit Youth Choir, Dutch Girl donuts, Good cookies, hot cider, a visit by Mr. and Mrs. Claus and more.

A Noel Afternoon is Saturday, December 6 from 10:30 a.m. til 6 p.m. at the Main Library at 5201 Woodward Avenue.

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

Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — also known as EBT and Bridge Card in Michigan —  is still uncertain. Yesterday, the Trump administration announced the use of designated emergency funds to pay for half of what card holders normally receive. That’s after the government shutdown froze monthly EBT disbursements on November 1, 2025.

Nearly a quarter of Wayne County residents rely on SNAP benefits to eat.

With the uncertainty surrounding federal funding, community organizations across metro Detroit have been stepping up to fill the gap and ensure people are fed and cared for.

BasBlue, a community organization and gathering place for women and nonbinary people, is located in Midtown, Detroit and was established in 2021.

On Monday, they hosted a first-ever “Community Supper” in response to SNAP benefits uncertainty resulting from the government shutdown.

Ellen Gilchrist, BasBlue CEO, joined the Metro to discuss why now was the time to provide meals to the public.

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More stories from The Metro

The Detroit City Council has approved an ordinance that would allow the city to prosecute more misdemeanors.  The measure moves some offenses such as minor assault and battery charges and some larceny cases out of the Wayne County Prosecutor’s office. 

City Council member Scott Benson says that will make it easier for the city to keep Detroiters accountable. “But it also gives us the opportunity to make more referrals to specialty court – and as the demand of the community violence intervention programmers, that we have restorative justice as a part of those accountability measures.”

The ordinance enables the city to collect fines from misdemeanor judgements.  The program will cost $700,000 which has already been allocated in the city budget. 

(Reported by Bre’Anna Tinsley) 

Additional headlines from September 3, 2025

Midtown congestion 

Midtown streets around Wayne State University remain packed through the day as students attend their classes after Labor Day. 

Small traffic jams at times lead to congestion on Cass, Warren and other nearby streets.  And it can be hard finding a parking space in some locations. 

 The university says it has more than 24,000 new and returning students this semester.  If you’re driving or walking on campus, pack your patience. 

Pontiac Parks town hall

Pontiac is holding a town hall meeting later this month to discuss a proposed master plan for city parks.  The event will give residents a chance to hear the latest information – and ask questions of parks department representatives. 

Pontiac has also started a survey to get more input from city residents about its plan for parks. 

The town hall meeting takes place on the 2nd floor of Pontiac City Hall – 47450 Woodward Avenue.  It runs from 6 to 7:30 pm on Monday, September 15^th .   

Gas prices fluctuate

Gas prices are slightly lower than they were a week ago.  That’s according to the latest survey by Triple-A Michigan.  Metro Detroit  gas prices average $3.28 per gallon today.  That’s down from $3.34 a week ago as motorists prepared to travel for the long Labor Day holiday weekend.  But today’s price is still nine cents higher than a month ago.  You can save some gas by making sure your tires are properly inflated, and by driving at the speed limit. 

Powerball lottery over $1 billion

And if you have dreams of becoming a billionaire, today might be your day. 

The jackpot for the multi-state Powerball lottery has grown to $1.3 billion.  The last time someone picked all six digits was at the end of May, so the jackpot has continued to grow since then. 

The odds of winning aren’t very good though.  They’re about one in 290 million. Good luck! 

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

Detroit is a manufacturing city and with this comes hazardous waste – toxic, reactive, flammable, and corrosive material that’s dangerous to people. 

So what happens to all this hazardous waste? Federal and State Laws require facilities to obtain a license to store, dispose or treat it. 

That includes EQ Detroit Inc., which operates a hazardous waste site in Midtown near the I-94 and I-75 interchange. The company’s license is up for renewal, and not all residents are in support. 

But public sentiment is not the law, said Tracy Kecskemeti at the public informational meeting on Aug. 13. She’s the acting materials management division director for the Department of Environment Great Lakes and Energy. EGLE is the state regulator that oversees these hazardous waste sites. 

Producer Jack Filbrandt spoke to Detroit Documenters Colleen Cirrocco and Lynelle Herndon to learn more about what community members had to say. The next meeting on this issue is Sept. 4 at Tech Town. 

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More stories from The Metro