Hamtramck’s race for mayor is over—for now. The Wayne County Board of Canvassers has certified the results of this month’s contest.

Adam Alharbi has won the election for mayor by just six votes. The outcome of the contest was controversial, with more than three dozen ballots thrown out after they were found in the office of City Clerk Rana Faraj.

Losing candidate Muhith Mahmood tells WDET that he will ask for a recount. He says the 37 ballots should not have been ignored. “Canvassers denied a legitimate 37 votes. That is concerning, because this is not the 37 people who made a mistake. Since the race is so close to each other, they could find a way to count this ballot.”

Incumbent Hamtramck Mayor Amer Ghalib did not seek re-election. He was nominated by President Trump to become the next U.S. Ambassador to Kuwait.

• Anti-Islamic protesters clashed with Dearborn residents Tuesday. Michigan Republican gubernatorial candidate Anthony Hudson initiated the protests after he called for an end to Sharia law governing Dearborn – even though there is no Sharia law governing Dearborn. He has since backtracked on this statement. At a City Council meeting Tuesday evening, Mayor Abdullah Hammound said there’s room for all faiths to live together peacefully in Dearborn.
• The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is tearing down the remains of the Belle Isle Zoo. The zoo was closed in 2002 when the city of Detroit decided it was too costly to operate. The DNR says most of the site will be returned to nature, although some parking spaces for other island attractions will be placed there.
• Long-time public relations expert Georgella Muirhead is retiring. She currently works at the 98Forward PR firm. But she worked for years in the administrations of Mayors Coleman Young and Dennis Archer, helping to get their priorities out to the public. She left her government office in the late 90s to begin the public relations firm Berg, Muirhead and Associates with famed Coleman Young spokesperson Bob Berg. They sold the firm in 2016.

The March of Dimes says Detroit has the most premature births among the 100 U.S. cities with the highest birth rates. The study found 1 in 6 babies in Detroit are born before the 37th week of gestation.

The organization points to high rates of chronic illness as one of the reasons for that high rate, as well as disparities in healthcare for Black people.

This summer, the National Institutes of Health canceled a study of premature births in Detroit as part of the Trump administration's crackdown on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

• A new report released by the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office details ways it can avoid wrongful convictions by studying the case of Eric Anderson—a Detroit man convicted of robbery in 2010 who was wrongfully imprisoned for nine years. The report lists 25 ways for police, prosecutors and judges to improve, including reducing reliance on a single eye-witness and improving funding for public defenders. So far, 43 people have been released from prison based on the efforts of the Wayne County Sentinel Event Review Team, most of whom were sentenced to mandatory life sentences.
• Part of the Riverwalk between Beaubien and Rivard will be closed Thursday through the spring for utility improvements on 1-375. The Michigan Department of Transportation says a new storm sewer along Schweizer Place down to the river is being installed. MDOT says the updates will support cleaner water being discharged into the Detroit River and relieve pressure on the city's sewer system.
• Midtown coffeeshop Simply Roasted and Mindful Bakery Yumaste are partnering with Gleaners to collect food ahead of Thanksgiving. They invite the community to drop off unexpired and non-perishable food items at 4240 Cass Avenue through Thanksgiving Day. For information on how to give, other organizations collecting food and food distributions visit gcfb.org.
• Carbon Athletic Club is hosting its annual Holiday Train Party Saturday. Tickets are $10 and available at carbonathleticclub.com or at the door.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, Michigan chapter, reports an increase in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement sightings in Metro Detroit.

CAIR-MI officials say community members have seen ICE vehicles in Wayne County. ICE also announced an increase in enforcement in the area.

CAIR-MI advises community members to be vigilant and aware of their rights, including asking to see a warrant and remaining silent except to request an attorney. The civil rights organization says people should have emergency contacts memorized and plans in place for their family members in case of an emergency.

• The Wayne County Board of Canvassers decided Friday not to count 37 ballots from Hamtramck’s mayoral race found in the city clerk’s office the day after elections. The board still has to count 120 cured ballots in the race, which could swing the vote in either direction. Mayoral candidate Adam Alharbi sued opponent Hamtramck City Councilman Muhith Mahmood alleging residency fraud. The votes will be certified by tomorrow November 18.
• The Archdiocese of Detroit announced a two-year process to reconstruct parishes in Southeast Michigan. Parishioners will have opportunities to share their input through two listening sessions at each parish. The new changes will be announced in early 2027. Changes will take place by July 2027. Restructuring can be monitored at restructuring.aod.org.
• Wayne State University Law School’s Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights received a $350,000 grant to expand a disinformation tool. The VERDAD: Verifying and Exposing Disinformation and Discourse AI-powered tool monitors U.S.-based ethnic radio stations for disinformation for Latino media. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation awarded the grant to develop and enhance the tool. The expansion includes adding more states and adding languages including Arabic, Haitian Creole, and Vietnamese.The award-winning journalist Martina Guzmán founded the tool.
• HEAL Asthma MI is a free program to help Michigan residents with resources and tools. Participants must be medically diagnosed with asthma, be 18 and up and face challenges to getting fair or equal health care. To sign up, contact 248-406-4254 or email aafahealasthma@gmail.com.
• The Islamic Center of Detroit is hosting a Turkey distribution this weekend. The distribution takes place Saturday, Nov. 22, from 1-4 p.m. The mosque is providing halal turkeys. The Islamic Center of Detroit also has a food pantry open every Saturday from 2-5 p.m., located at 14350 Tireman Street in Detroit. The Cody Rouge Community Action Alliance, in collaboration with the Oak Pointe Church, is hosting a Turkey Giveaway on Monday, November 24 at 10 a.m. People can pick up a free turkey at the Brennan Pool Building at 21415 Plymouth Road in Detroit. First-come first-served.

A Muslim civil rights organization is advising Dearborn residents to ignore what it calls an “Islamophobic publicity stunt” by a Republican gubernatorial candidate. Anthony Hudson says he plans to march through Dearborn Tuesday “to protect Americans from Sharia law.” At an October debate for Republicans running for Governor, the Genesee County man said he would deploy the National Guard to Dearborn if elected.

The Michigan chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations says it has responded to a number of threats against Michigan Muslims and mosques lately. This week, an Illinois man who allegedly made threats against a Dearborn Heights mosque was arrested. A Virginia man faces terrorism charges for allegations he threatened to kill Muslims at a Michigan mosque and law enforcement officials identified a Texas man they say made threatening calls to the Islamic Institute of America in Dearborn Heights.

The national CAIR office says it distributed a formal memo to every member of Congress last month, warning of the “anti-Sharia hoax” as a part of anti-Islamic propaganda.

DTE is asking to raise residential gas rates by almost 8 percent. Planet Detroit reports the request comes a year after the utility raised prices more than 2 percent and as federal money to help utility customers is in doubt. The Michigan Public Service Commission has 10 months to decide on the rate hike.

https://planetdetroit.org/2025/11/dte-gas-rate-hike-proposal/

Michigan launches MIVeteran app

The state has launched a tool aimed at supporting veterans and service members transitioning back to civilian life. MIVeteran is an app designed to help veterans navigate benefits and resources available to them. Resources and information on the app include: DD-214 requests, state benefits, employment, education, housing, and healthcare resources, and a guide to benefits for transitioning service members. The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency says it created the app as a part of its work to make Michigan a great place for veterans and their families. The MIVeteran app is free and can be downloaded from the Apple and Google app stores.

The state is wrapping up its series of community conversations around gaps in services for older adults next week. None of the remaining events are in Southeast Michigan, but a survey will be live until December 15th. The Bureau of Aging Community Living and Supports is collecting input for a new state plan on aging. The survey can be completed online or downloaded and mailed in.

Download and mail the survey about older adults in Michigan

Complete the survey online

More than 20 vendors will offer their wares at the Threads of Time: Vintage Market Saturday. The free event is set against the backdrop of the Fisher Building’s timeless beauty. Visitors can shop for apparel, accessories and housewares. Food and drink will also be for sale. The event runs from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. It is hosted by the Peacock Room.

Detroit Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield announced the 18 policy committees that make up her transition team Thursday.

The transition team will determine the priorities for the first 100 days of the new administration.

Sheffield says the decision to place the team’s headquarters at the Marygrove Conservancy was deliberate. “We wanted to ensure that this process remained rooted in my values of neighborhoods and community. And I am proud to say that this is the first time a transition has been set up in one of Detroit's neighborhoods. First time ever.”

Sheffield says everyone appointed to the committees were chosen for their expertise, track records, and connections to everyday Detroiters.

The committees will focus on various issues such as affordable housing, public transit, economic opportunities, and youth support and development.

The Detroit Public Schools Community District School Board is endorsing the Invest in MI Kids ballot proposal.

The proposal would add a 5% surcharge on income over $1 million. Advocates say the charge would raise over $1 billion in funding for schools.

The Invest in MI Kids coalition says the new funds would be constitutionally protected and explicitly directed toward reducing classroom sizes, retaining and recruiting educators, and career and technical education.

The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential, or MiLEAP, is partnering with the Small Business Association of Michigan to provide affordable health and retirement benefits to child care providers. The program is called Nurture Benefits and enrollment opens on November 15.

Child Care providers will have access to medical, dental, and vision coverage, life and retirement benefits, and wellness and behavioral health resources. Childcare providers who work 30 hours or more a week are eligible to apply.

For more information, visit nurturebenefits.com.

Author Marion Orr will be discussing his new book at Source Booksellers. The book is titled “House of Diggs: The Rise and Fall of America’s Most Consequential Black Congressman, Charles C. Diggs Jr.”

Diggs was elected to represent Michigan’s 13th congressional district in 1954.

The event will be held on Friday, Nov. 14 at 6 p.m.

The Dearborn school system has named a new interim superintendent, Lamis Srour.

She currently serves as the Executive Director of Student Achievement over the Edsel Ford Feeder Track, a position she’s held for the past three years. Srour started working with the Dearborn School District in 1998.

She tells the school board that her focus will be on improving attendance, stopping bullying and repairing infrastructure.

Srour’s first day on the job will be Dec. 5. She’s filling in after the departure of Glenn Maleyko, who’s leaving to become the new head of the Michigan Department of Education.

• The contest between Adam Alharbi and Muhith Mahmood has still not been decided more than a week after Election Day. Alharbi has sued, charging that Mahmood is not a Hamtramck resident. And City Clerk Rana Faraj has been placed on administrative leave. With Faraj on leave, Wayne County is checking dozens of absentee ballots.
• If you usually use the People Mover to get around downtown Detroit, you’ll need another way to get where you’re going. The system is shut down for a few days as workers make repairs and upgrades in advance of the traditionally busy Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The People Mover will resume operations on Sunday, Nov. 23.
• Flint boxer Clarissa Shields has signed a multi-fight deal worth $8 million. She has a record of 17 wins and no losses. That includes 3 knockouts. ESPN says Shields’ next fight is expected to happen sometime early next year.
• AAA Michigan says there are a few things you can do to keep your home safe while you’re away for a few days. Make sure to place lights on a timer—indoors and outdoors—to make it appear someone is at home. You can save some money by using less heat while you’re gone, but don’t set the thermostat below 55 degrees. If the house gets too cold, pipes could freeze and burst. And don’t tell the world about your travel plans on social media. There’s no need to advertise that your house is empty.
• Metro Detroit gas prices are fluctuating as we get closer to Thanksgiving. AAA Michigan says the average price of a gallon of self-serve unleaded is $3.05. That’s down four cents from the same time last week. But it’s 12 cents per gallon more than a month ago. Industry analysts say, while demand for gas has fallen, supplies have dwindled, too.

Almost two weeks away from Thanksgiving, Kalasho Education and Youth Services is launching an initiative called MINDful Giving Boxes. These boxes are curated packages of food and essentials to help families experiencing food insecurity enjoy warmth and sustenance.

The organization is partnering with the non profit Advancing Macomb, The National Association of Social Workers, and the Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan to nourish families with this effort.

Each box has enough food to feed a family of four for two weeks. Some of the items in the box are rice, lentils, pasta, canned vegetables, peanut butter, hygiene essentials and more.

For more information on how to receive a MINDful Giving Box or to support the cause go to kalasho.org, or you can follow Kalasho Education on social media.

The government shutdown has affected a lot of businesses all across the country including airlines — and the Detroit Metro Airport is included in that.

There have been major delays and cancellations because of air traffic controllers not being paid since the shutdown began in October. The US Department of Transportation ordered a temporary reduction in flights due to the strain on air traffic controllers and the airline field in general.

According to airline tracking website Flight Aware, 562 flights going into and out of Detroit Metropolitan Airport were delayed, and 119 were canceled altogether since Sunday.

If you are planning to drive on the northbound or southbound ramps from the Southfield Ereeway to eastbound Interstate 96….you can’t. A sinkhole has forced closures on those freeway ramps. The repairs are projected to take a week according to the Michigan Department of Transportation.

During this time, for those taking northbound Southfield Freeway traffic to use the eastbound I-96, you can use the westbound I-96 as a detour then take exits like Evergreen Road or Outer Drive to turn around and take eastbound I-96 local and express.

Happy Veterans Day to all of our men and women who have served. We thank you for your services. Here are a couple of events catered to our Veterans.

Today to honor those who served, Canton Township is hosting their Salute to Service program tonight at 7pm. This event is meant to salute all veterans living, passed, and those currently serving in our armed forces.
Donations will be gathered to benefit Veterans Affairs and local veterans. If you want to participate go to cantonmi.gov.

The event will be held at Village Theater’s main auditorium.

Also, to honor those who served, The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn invites all active duty military personal, veterans and their families are welcomed to visit the museum for free. All you need to do is present your military ID.

There is a limit to the amount of family members military personnel can bring. To learn more about that and other details go to thehenryford.org.