The Detroit Transportation Corporation, the agency that operates the Detroit People Mover, is selecting a design team for a new transportation hub near Michigan Central.

Officials hope the new hub will expand transportation options in metro Detroit, potentially connecting the region to Chicago and Canada through expanded public transit service.

Michigan Central is located near an existing railroad, which could allow the facility to operate as an Amtrak station.

The project is expected to begin in summer 2026.

Additional headlines for May, 1, 2026

Leland House auction draws single bid

A three-day online auction for the Leland House ended with only one bid.

Mudhish Development Co. LLC submitted the sole bid of $3 million.

A judge still must approve the sale, which could take place next month.

Metro Detroit sees one of its warmest Aprils on record

Last month was one of the warmest Aprils on record in metro Detroit.

Preliminary data from the National Weather Service shows the average daily temperature was more than 4 degrees above normal, making it the seventh-warmest April since recordkeeping began in 1874.

Four of the 10 warmest Aprils have occurred since 2010.

Michigan unemployment rate holds steady

Michigan’s unemployment rate remained at 5% for the fifth straight month.

The Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget says about 30,000 people have left the workforce since December.

Trade, transportation and utility jobs declined in March, while professional and leisure sectors added jobs.

‘Road to Essence’ tour coming to Detroit

SisterSong and the Global Black Economic Forum are bringing the national “Road to Essence” tour to Detroit.

The event focuses on celebrating Black joy, bodily autonomy and economic freedom.

The program will feature a panel discussion with SisterSong Executive Director Monica Simpson, Global Black Economic Forum President and CEO Alphonso David, and others.

Detroit singer-songwriter Teedra Moss also will perform live.

The event takes place from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, or MOCAD, 4454 Woodward Ave.

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Candidates planning to run in Michigan’s August primary election had until Tuesday at 4 p.m. to file their paperwork with the Secretary of State’s office.  That includes a few new candidates who filed at the last minute.  

Detroit City Councilmember Mary Waters filed to run in the Democratic primary for the 13^th Congressional District.  She faces incumbent Shri Thanedar, state Representative Donovan McKinney and realtor John Goci.  

The State Board of Canvassers still has to approve the candidates’ petition signatures before they can appear on the August primary ballot. 

Additional headlines for Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Leland House up for auction 

Downtown Detroit’s Leland House apartment building is up for auction.  The Detroit News reports that bidding for the building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, will start next week.  

The Leland House was built in 1927 and served as a luxury hotel for many years, before being turned into an apartment complex.  Tenants were forced out of the building late last year, after the owner declared bankruptcy, and the city declared the building uninhabitable. 

Clean air hearing tonight 

Michigan regulators are holding a public hearing tonight to discuss metro Detroit’s air quality status.  Planet Detroit is reporting that state regulators want to declare that southeast Michigan is meeting federal ozone standards.  If approved, the action could weaken clean air standards in the area.  

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy will hold the virtual meeting at 6 p.m. tonight.  You can call call 855-758-1310 to attend and use code 847 4896 8640  or you can join the meeting on Zoom.  

Pistons Game 2 preview 

The Detroit Pistons will try to rebound from a loss in their first game of the NBA playoffs.  The Orlando Magic beat them Sunday at Little Caesars Arena.  The Pistons brought the best regular season record in the NBA’s Eastern Conference to the playoffs, but that didn’t stop the Magic from taking the first game.  

Cade Cunningham had 39 points in the loss.  Game 2 in the nationally-televised best-of-seven series takes place at Little Caesars Arena tonight at 7 p.m. 

NFL Draft starts Thursday 

The Detroit Lions are making their final preparations for this week’s NFL Draft.  The team has the 17^th pick in the first round of the draft, which will be held in Pittsburgh.  

Football analysts suggest the Lions could use that pick to get an offensive lineman, edge rusher or cornerback.  The first round of the NFL draft starts at 8 p.m. Thursday.  The event will be televised live on ABC, ESPN, and the NFL Network. 

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A federal bankruptcy judge has halted the auction of Detroit’s historic Leland House, a victory for residents forced to leave the building last year.

The ruling came after attorneys with the Michigan State University Housing Justice Clinic argued residents were unlawfully excluded from bankruptcy proceedings. The judge agreed that tenant rights included participation in the property’s future.

The Leland House closed in November after a utility disconnection of unknown origin prompted the Detroit Fire Department to issue an eviction order. All tenants were forced to leave the building and barred from returning.

Following the outage, the owner sought court approval to auction the property, prompting legal action from tenants’ rights advocates.

Donovan McCarty is the director of the Housing Justice Clinic and a member of the legal team representing displaced tenants. 

“The Leland house is a very unique property. It’s…a place that folks who can’t otherwise afford to live [downtown]…a place that’s right by Rosa Parks transit center…that’s important too, for people of all different socioeconomic classes,” McCarty said. 

“What we’re seeing here…is [the influence of] corporate interests and what this could mean for Mayor Sheffield’s tenure,” he explains.

“Is she going to choose the residents, you know, the people of the city of Detroit, or is she going to choose these corporate interests? The Leland house sits effectively on DTE’s campus…DTE has played a prominent role in this case,” according to McCarty.

The next court date in the case will be Feb. 24. 

Detroit Dog Rescue is looking for families to foster dogs for two weeks to protect them from the bitter cold. The shelter and many veterinary boarding facilities are full. As temperatures plummet for the next few days more dogs are expected to die from the cold than survive.

The rescue is looking specifically to house medium to large sized pitbull-type dogs. The dogs are temperament tested, and mostly potty trained. The shelter will provide everything needed, including food and medical care. To learn more or to apply to foster, visit DetroitDogRescue.com. 

Additional headlines for Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026

New grant for small businesses

The City of Detroit and the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation announced a new grant fund to help small businesses improve tech systems. The Rocket Community Fund will provide backing for the program. 

The program will award $1,000 grants to 140 Detroit-based micro-businesses with 10 or fewer employees and under $500 thousand in annual revenue. Grants can be used to purchase hardware, software, AI, or other technology tools.  

School bus safety

Enforcement of Dearborn’s School Bus Stop-Arm Safety program with Bus Patrol will begin on Monday. Drivers who fail to stop for a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing and stop arm extended will be issued a $250 civil infraction for the first offense and a $500 civil infraction for any additional offenses within one year.

Under state law, motorists are required to stop at least 20 feet from a school bus when lights are flashing and must remained stopped until the bus resumes motion or the lights are off. 

Leland resident fundraiser

The Detroit Tenants Union is hosting a fundraising event for Leland House residents. The event will take place Jan. 23 at PJ’s Lager House at 1254 Michigan Avenue. Doors open at 8 p.m.

The union is collecting monetary donations at the door and raffling off prizes. All proceeds will go directly to the Leland House residents who are still displaced from their homes.

More than two dozen residents were evacuated on Dec. 10 after a major electrical failure at the building.  

Value City bankruptcy

Value City Furniture is going out of business, and four metro Detroit stores are having sales. The store’s parent company American Signature Inc filed for bankruptcy and is closing all assets. All sales at the stores are final, with no refunds, exchanges, or gift cards accepted.

Locations include Sterling Heights, Taylor, Utica, and Westland.

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