Cass Community Social Services had its first food pantries open during the Great Depression and is now under the leadership of executive director Rev. Faith Fowler. During her time, she has expanded services, bringing in new resources and broader support.

Iron Chef Detroit was created last year as an annual fundraiser for Cass Community Social Services. This Thursday, Iron Chef Detroit 2 will showcase two Cass Corridor chefs during a head-to-head culinary competition at Eastern Market.

Rev. Faith Fowler is on The Metro today  to talk about Iron Chef 2’s goal of “fighting poverty, creating opportunity, and building community” as well as the support Cass Community Social Services provides for Detroit.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming  on demand.

More stories from The Metro

Iron Chef Detroit was created last year, with the goal to establish an annual fundraiser for Cass Community Social Services. This Thursday, Iron Chef Detroit 2 will showcase two Cass Corridor chefs during the culinary competition at the Eastern Market.

Chef Anthony Lombardo, winner of the first Iron Chef Detroit, and Chef Andy Hollyday– Executive Chef and Partner at Selden Standard-  join us on The Metro today to tell us more about their game plans for the upcoming competition.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

More stories from The Metro

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

New travel ban takes effect

President Trump’s latest travel ban targeting 12 countries—many of them Muslim-majority or located in South America and Africa—went into effect today. The proclamation blocks travel to the U.S. for individuals without a valid visa from: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

Seven additional countries also face restrictions: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

Last week, the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR Michigan) issued a community alert urging individuals from the affected countries to return to the U.S. by today if possible.

CAIR Michigan staff attorney Amy Doukoure says the new restrictions could have immediate consequences.

“We might also see people who have a valid visa who don’t quite make it into the United States by June 9, unable to actually enter on the visa that they’re issued. And we will definitely see people who are here on a current valid visa, being unable to travel outside of the United States and then reenter once the travel ban takes effect.” 

Doukoure says the policy mirrors previous bans issued during Trump’s first term. She warns it will likely separate families and increase anxiety among communities from the affected countries.

Local ICE protests

About 50 protesters gathered near an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Detroit on Sunday, voicing opposition to the Trump administration’s mass deportation raids.

Russ McNamara reports from the protest.

Leah Checchini of Hazel Park attended the rally. She says her father immigrated from Argentina and believes everyone deserves the same opportunity.

“Just seeing everything that’s going on around me—I have a lot of friends who are in the process of getting their papers taken care of—so watching what’s happening to people like them is enraging, to say the least.”

More protests are planned in cities across the country.

Free clinic offers help with license restoration

The Michigan Department of State is hosting a free clinic to help residents restore their driver’s licenses. The Road to Restoration clinic will take place Tuesday, June 24 at the La SED Senior and Youth Center, located at 7150 Vernor Highway in Detroit. Department staff and pro bono attorneys will be on-site to assist with the process. The clinic runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with walk-ins welcome between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Register at michigan.gov/r2r.

New guidelines added to Michigan’s Eat Safe Fish Guide

About 300 new recommendations have been added to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ Eat Safe Fish Guide, with a renewed focus on reducing exposure to PFAS—commonly known as “forever chemicals.”

Officials say the chemicals are more harmful than previously thought. The updated guidelines outline which waterways are safe for fishing and how much of each species is safe to consume. For example, it’s considered safe to eat up to four servings of Bluegill per month from the Detroit River, but Bluegill from Belleville Lake should be completely avoided due to elevated PFAS levels.

Because PFAS are found in the fish fillet, simply trimming fat won’t reduce exposure. However, poking holes in the skin and grilling or broiling the fish can help lower the risk.

You can find the full Eat Safe Fish Guide at michigan.gov.

Reporting by Emma George-Griffin

Fall prevention resources available for Michigan seniors

Several groups are coming together to offer fall prevention resources for seniors. Each year, about 30 percent of Michiganders 65 and older report falling in their homes.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ Bureau of Aging, Community Living and Supports Health Services, the Michigan Falls Prevention Coalition, and Oakland University have partnered to connect people with health care providers, community organizations, and fall prevention resources.

People can explore safety planning tools, physical wellness services, and daily life support online at mi211.org. You can also call 211 for help finding resources.

The website was made possible by a $408,000 grant from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund Healthy Aging initiative.

Learn more at mifallsprevention.org.

In this episode of The Detroit Evening Report, we highlight the Detroit Fire Department’s new Nurse Navigation program, a luxury hotel coming to Michigan Central Station, and the latest closure in the Bobcat Bonnie’s restaurant chain.

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Detroit Fire plans nurse triage program to ease ambulance demand

The Detroit Fire Department hopes its new “Nurse Navigation” program will help reduce response times.

Instead of dispatching an ambulance for minor calls, a third-party service would connect those calls to certified nurses via telehealth.

The department handled 158,000 medical runs last year, with 40% classified as Code Threes — less serious calls.

Fire Commissioner Charles Simms says the program would help free up ambulances to respond to higher-priority emergencies.

“If we have, you know, 40 ambulances out there per day, but a large majority are responding to Code Threes, they may not be readily available for Code Ones and Code Twos. This program will allow them to be ready to respond to just Code Ones and Twos.”

Simms explains that Code One and Two calls are more severe, life-threatening emergencies like chest pain or cardiac arrest. A Code Three call might be something like a sprained ankle or knee pain.

A dispatcher would connect Code Three calls to a nurse, who would guide the patient through their options.

“That dedicated nurse will talk to the patient to determine whether they need telehealth care, can manage with self-care, or should go to urgent care — and guide them through that process.”

Nurses would also help arrange appointments with primary care physicians and could even order free transportation.

City Council approved $650,000 to launch the Nurse Navigation program. Simms says they’re still looking for a third-party provider, and the program is expected to launch in early 2026.

Luxury hotel coming to Michigan Central Station in 2027

Luxury hospitality brand NoMad will open a hotel inside Michigan Central Station in 2027. The hotel will have 180 rooms and occupy the top five floors of the building. It will include 30 suites, a wellness facility, a restaurant, and a bar.

Brand officials say they plan to showcase local artists and makers throughout the hotel and guest rooms.

Ford Motor Co. led the restoration of the train station after it sat empty for 30 years. Company officials say the hotel is the next vital step in the redevelopment.

Bobcat Bonnie’s closes Ferndale location

Ferndale restaurant Bobcat Bonnie’s closed its doors today. It’s the latest shutdown for the small chain.

In March, Bobcat Bonnie’s closed its Corktown location after 10 years in business. Other locations in Wyandotte, Ypsilanti, Clinton Township, and Grand Rapids have also closed over the past year. Plans to open a Kalamazoo location have been scrapped.

The Ferndale location will sell all its furniture, dishware, art, and other items on Tuesday, June 3. Lansing is now the chain’s only remaining location.