State energy regulators heard from people last night who oppose a large data center project near Saline. The Michigan Public Service Commission held a virtual hearing on DTE Energy’s request to fast-track contracts with the project’s developers.

The data center would require DTE Energy to substantially increase its peak electrical load. The company says that won’t raise customer’s rate.

Opponents say the facility would draw almost as much power as the city of Detroit.

Protestors rallied Wednesday in Beacon Park near DTE Headquarters.

DTE said the data center’s operators would pay for the energy they use, almost 1.5 gigawatts.

Wayne State’s Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights received a $350 thousand grant for its AI powered tool “VERDAD", which stands for Verifying and Exposing Disinformation and Discourse.”

VERDAD founder and journalist Martina Guzman says the tool started monitoring ethnic radio stations for disinformation in Latino communities.

Since VERDAD launched last year, more than 320 academics and journalists have registered to use the free tool. It will expand to all 50 states in multiple languages, including Arabic, Haitian Creole, and Vietnamese.

A long awaited 11-foot-tall bronze sculpture of Robocop has finally taken its permanent place in Eastern Market. The statue is located at 3434 Russell St.

A recount in the Hamtramck race for mayor shows that Adam Alharbi has won the election. Alharbi beat City Councilman Muhith Mahmood by just 11 votes. Muhith requested a recount because the initial margin of victory was so small. The Wayne County Board of Canvassers recounted just over 4,000 ballots by hand Tuesday.

Legal action continues in the case, though. Mahmood has sued, claiming that 37 ballots found in the City Clerk’s office after the election should be counted.

The City of Detroit is holding a series of meetings this week to give residents more information on its 20-year master plan.

The meetings, held by the Planning and Development Department, will also give Detroiters a chance to provide their input on proposals for land use in parts of the city.

There’s a meeting for east siders tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Farwell Recreation Center on East Outer Drive. Another takes place at 6 p.m. Thursday in Southwest Detroit at the Patton Recreation Center on Woodmere. A virtual Zoom meeting will be held on Monday, December 9th. Passcode: 900187

Two conservative political operatives have been sentenced to probation in a scheme to discourage Black Detroiters from voting by mail in the 2020 presidential election.

This week’s sentencing was the last court hearing for Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman in a multistate effort to generate and distribute thousands of robocalls. The pair were accused of creating robocalls that warned people they could be questioned by police, debt collectors and vaccine advocates if they voted by mail.

Wohl and Burkman pleaded no contest to several crimes after unsuccessfully challenging the charges on free speech grounds.

The price for crossing the Ambassador Bridge will rise next year.

Tolls for passenger vehicles traveling across the international bridge between Detroit and Windsor will rise to $10 each way starting January first. That’s up from $9 right now.

For motorists paying in Canadian funds, the toll jumps from $12 CDN to $14.

Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel will deliver his State of the County address tonight. He’ll speak to an invitation-only crowd at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts in Clinton Township.

He’s expected to review events of the past year and preview the year to come. Macomb County’s Black population is now at 12.4%. That’s up from just around 1% in 1970. Tonight’s speech is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. You can watch it live at WDET.org.

Detroiters should brace for a deep cold spell over the next few days.

The National Weather Service says the worst of it in the short run will be now through Friday night. Lows tonight are forecasted to be around 15 degrees. Highs tomorrow and Friday will only rise into the mid-20s. Lows Thursday night will drop to around 6 degrees with wind chills of -2.

If you’re headed outside, dress in layers. Make sure you have a hat and gloves to keep you warm and avoid frostbite.

Merchants and organizations in the midtown area have organized a holiday event to keep the spirit of Noel Night going. The annual event’s 51st 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.

• Detroit has welcomed three new lions at the Detroit Zoo.
• Pontiac is hosting its 44th 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.
• 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.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield announced plans to redevelop the vacant Packard Plant today. The former auto factory near West Grand Boulevard and East Palmer has been empty for more than 60 years and became a symbol of the city's blight— sometimes attracting outsiders to take pictures of its crumbling walls.

The city demolished portions of it to make way for new development, including a new 400-thousand square foot manufacturing center.

Part of the changes include reactivating 28 acres of the former site for a public, private and philanthropic partnership. The changes include adding 42 affordable housing units, Detroit’s first indoor skate park and creative community programming areas. There will also be two acres of indoor and outdoor public spaces.

The project is estimated at $50 million. The Albert Kahn Legacy Foundation is the nonprofit partner and fiduciary. The project is expected to be completed by 2029.

Additional headlines for December 1, 2025

December starts cold with temperatures 10 to 15 degrees below normal this week. The National Weather Service's winter outlook for southeast Michigan calls for temps close to normal and above-average precipitation. Meteorologist Trent Frey says La Niña, a cool patch of water in the eastern Pacific Ocean, could bring us more rain and snow.

"It is important to note that every La Niña is unique. So like I said. The odds are kind of tilted towards the wetter signal, and there isn't really a tilt for temperatures. But since it is unique each season, you know these outcomes aren't necessarily guaranteed."

On average, Metro Detroit gets 45 inches of snow each winter. 29 inches fell last winter. It's been eight years since we saw above-average snowfall.

Reporting by Russ McNamara

Detroit teens recently hosted a press conference to call for the release of two classmates from Western International High School from ICE detention. The detained teens and two of their parents were picked up by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials last Thursday morning and are now being held in a Texas detention center, reports Chalkbeat Detroit. Students say they are worried about going to school or being outside due to the recent surge of detentions. ICE arrested the four individuals while they were sleeping, despite them having pending asylum cases. Students at the press conference also called on officials to do more to protect students, including having an immigration attorney on retainer at the school to help students.

An armored vehicle company is offering its “Rising Star” scholarship. The scholarship will support two students pursuing secondary education in engineering or business, finance, or law. It aims to recognize students who demonstrate strong academic performance and leadership skills in engineering and business. Each scholarship is $2500. The scholarship is open to students enrolled full-time in an accredited university in the U.S. or Canada. Students must have a 75 percent average with valid citizenship, residency or study permit requirements and write an essay. The deadline to apply is January 31, 2026. Winners will be announced in March 2026. For more information, visit https://inkasarmored.com/inkas-rising-star-scholarship-program/

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.

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

• The Lions host the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field this Thanksgiving. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.
• Thanksgiving travel is expected to reach new records, with Wednesday afternoon and Sunday being busiest. Gas is down by 10 cents in metro Detroit.
• Black Friday is fast approaching. Consider shopping at local businesses, who say that support makes a huge difference.
• The University of Michigan plays rival Ohio State on Saturday.

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.

• Michigan's Gun Violence Prevention Taskforce is making its final recommendations, including giving out free gun locks and banning certain weapons, as well as suggesting standardized training for school resource officers and a school safety tip hotline. Pro-gun lawmakers disagree with some goals, like raising the age requirement to purchase a fire arm and banning high capacity magazines.
• Former Detroit Pistons star Chauncey Billups pleads not guily to charges that he conspired with the Mafia to rig poker games. Both the money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy charges agsint him carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
• With no Noel Night this year, Merry Midtown and A Noel Afternoon at the Detroit Public Library are going to bring some festive cheer.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says there are now more than a thousand registered doulas in Michigan. That includes 700 doulas who take Medicaid.

Doulas are trained non-medical professionals who provide birth assistance, including emotional and physical support, and help families navigate the birthing experience.

Dawn Shanafelt is the Director of the Division of Maternal & Infant Health for MDHHS. She says the state has surpassed its goal of registering 500 doulas through the Doula Registry by 2028, doubling that number as of last week.

“What’s next for the program is to continue to support our existing doulas that are part of the registry. So the one thousand plus doulas. And then we are really focusing on enrollment and recruitment of doulas in areas where the number of doulas that are available for families is lower, and then also for special populations.”

Shanafelt says that includes populations that speak a language other than English, Indigenous populations, and teenage parents.

She says having doula-assisted births reduces birth complications and medical interventions, shortens the duration of labor, and increases breastfeeding support. Babies also tend to have healthier birth weights.

MDHHS has added a mobile food distribution site in Hamtramck, partnering with Forgotten Harvest.

The On-the-Go popup pantry will provide food pick-up for people who schedule appointments. There are options for fresh produce and grains and culturally appropriate foods such as halal or kosher options.

MDHHS says they will select and offer similar mobile food pantry options in Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties every month. The next one in Hamtramck will be held tomorrow Tuesday, Nov. 26 at the MDHHS office located at 12140 Jos Campau St. in Hamtramck.

People can make an appointment by emailing MDHHS-FH-WC-Hamtramck@michigan.gov. Dial 211 or visit mi211.org online for free referrals to food pantries.

A Hamtramck-based artist residency program is receiving a $175,000 award.

Entry Points is a program which offers housing and studio space for returning citizens who were formerly incarcerated juveniles. The nonprofit is receiving the 2025 J.M.K Innovation Award. The award is given by the J.M. Kaplan Fund to 10 awardees for their work in tackling social justice, environmental conservation, and heritage preservation.

Entry Point was created by artist-activist Jonathan Rajewski and writer and former juvenile lifer Kyle Daniel-Bey through Hamtramk Free School, an alternative educational organization that facilitates creative writing and art workshops in Michigan prisons, working with juveniles who were sentenced to life without parole.

Entry Points helps returning citizens reintegrate into public life, including presenting their work publicly.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy is awarding $2.9 million to several groups to reduce pollution in waterways.

The Nonpoint Source Program grants will fund eight projects aimed at eliminating runoff at nonpoint sources which come from farms, urban areas and construction sites.

This occurs when there is rain, snowmelt, or when the wind carries pollutants into waterways. The grants will help repair waterways to reduce sediment, nutrients, and bacteria.

If there is something happening in your neighborhood that you think we should know about, drop us a line at DetroitEveningReport@wdet.org.

The City of Pontiac unveiled its Down Payment Assistance Program this week, an initiative aimed at expanding homeownership opportunities for first-time buyers and encouraging wealth and investment in Pontiac neighborhoods. City leaders are inviting renters to apply for this first-of-its-kind program.

To qualify:

• Your prospective home must be in Pontiac.
• Applicants must be first-time homebuyers or individuals who have not acquired a home in the past three years.
• You must complete a homebuyer education session through the organization National Faith Homebuyers and receive a certificate.
• You must work with the homebuyer organization to meet HUD and program requirements.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 313-255-9500.

The City of Detroit broke ground this month on four new buildings that will bring 211 units of affordable and permanent supportive housing to long-vacant land next to the Brewster Wheeler Recreation Center.

The units will have rents based on 30 to 80 percent of the area median household income.

Three of the buildings will include 53 units that received 9 percent Low-Income Housing Tax Credits from the State of Michigan. They will offer a mix of one- and two-bedroom units starting at less than $500 a month.

The fourth building will be a 52-unit permanent supportive housing development, with each unit supported by project-based vouchers that keep residents paying no more than 30 percent of their income for rent.

Completion of all projects is scheduled for 2027.
More information: https://detroitmi.gov/news/work-begins-80m-development-bringing-211-new-units-affordable-permanent-supportive-housing-brush

NFL
The Detroit Lions face the New York Giants on Sunday as they try to bounce back from a tough loss to the Eagles. The Lions are currently third in the NFC North. The game will be held at Ford Field, with kickoff at 1:00 p.m.

NBA
The Pistons have won 11 games in a row. They’ll look to keep the streak alive as they face the Bucs at the Fiserv Forum. Tipoff is Saturday at 8:00 p.m.

NHL
The Red Wings sit at the top of the Atlantic Division as they prepare to face the Columbus Blue Jackets tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. at Little Caesars Arena.

The holiday season brings the return of The Rink at Campus Martius Park, which opens to the public starting tomorrow. From November 22 through March 1, visitors can experience what USA Today named the No. 1 Best Ice Skating Rink in the country in its 2024 ranking.

For hours and additional details, visit: https://downtowndetroit.org/experience-downtown/things-to-do/the-rink/

DER will be off for Thanksgiving and Black Friday, but local businesses will be out in force for the holiday shopping weekend. Online tourism site Visit Detroit has compiled a list of local shops to explore, including sneaker boutiques, floral shops, art galleries, and more.

To see the full list, visit: https://visitdetroit.com