Jews of Color Initiative to bring national listening tour to Detroit

Jews of Color Initiative to bring national listening tour to Detroit

The Jews of Color Initiative is hosting a national listening tour across the U.S., with a stop in Detroit next week. The organization aims to increase awareness of regional experiences and foster conversations about racial equity within the Jewish community. CEO Ilana Kaufman says the tour is an effort to center the voices and experiences of Jews of Color while also hearing from community members and understanding local needs. "Detroit is one of those smaller communities for us where we know that the community has a sense of connection, an ability to transcend or at least set aside conflict in service of not only interracial and cross-racial relationships, but also relationships across faiths." The Detroit session will take place from 6-8 p.m. June 25. More information is available through the Jews of Color Initiative. More information: https://thejoci.org/event/joci-national-listening-tour-detroit/ [https://thejoci.org/event/joci-national-listening-tour-detroit/] MDHHS HIGHLIGHTS VIOLENCE DATA DASHBOARD, FREE GUN LOCKS The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is promoting resources during Gun Violence Awareness Month, including its Injury and Violence Dashboard, which provides data on violence trends across the state. According to MDHHS, gun violence injuries are the leading cause of death and disability in the United States among people ages 1 to 44. They are also the leading cause of death among children and adolescents. MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel says the dashboards help communities, leaders and policymakers identify where additional work is needed to improve public safety. The state also offers free gun locks at more than 100 locations across Michigan through Project ChildSafe, a program supported by the Michigan State Police. More information is available at Michigan.gov [http://Michigan.gov]. DETROIT SKILLED TRADES TASK FORCE MEETING SCHEDULED The City of Detroit is hosting a Skilled Trades Task Force meeting this week to connect residents with employment opportunities and tuition-free apprenticeship programs. The meeting will take place from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, June 17, at the Adam Butzel Complex in Detroit. Residents can also participate via Zoom. More information: https://detroitmi.gov/events/skilled-trades-task-force-meeting-june-17-2026 [https://detroitmi.gov/events/skilled-trades-task-force-meeting-june-17-2026] CITY TO HOST RETIREES TASK FORCE MEETING The City of Detroit is hosting a meeting for retirees to share information and gather feedback from residents. The City of Detroit Retirees Task Force hybrid meeting will take place from 1-3 p.m. June 18 at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center and on Zoom. The meeting is hosted by Councilmember-at-Large Mary Waters and Councilmember Denzel McCampbell. https://cityofdetroit.zoom.us/j/82953432101 [https://cityofdetroit.zoom.us/j/82953432101] Flyer from the City of Detroit. [https://wdet.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-15-at-4.10.33-PM-900x651.png] STATE, FEDERAL AGENCIES INVEST $10 MILLION IN DETROIT RIVER RESTORATION State and federal agencies have announced $10 million in funding to support restoration efforts in the Detroit River. The funding comes from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [https://www.michigan.gov/egle] through Michigan's Make It in Michigan Competitive Fund. It is also part of the Great Lakes Legacy Act, a bipartisan cost-share program focused on addressing contamination in the Great Lakes. EGLE Director Phil Roos says the Detroit River is an important natural resource and restoring it remains a priority. The Detroit River was designated an Area of Concern in 1987 because of industrial pollution, untreated wastewater and stormwater runoff. EGLE and the EPA have been working to address contamination in the river since 2012.

The Library Network funds Southgate Pride vendor after city backs out

Southgate’s Pride celebration is back on thanks to The Library Network [https://tln.org/], a library cooperative based in Novi. The celebration was canceled after Southgate city officials decided not to pay for a vendor at the event, stating the city should not be used to pay for social or political advocacy activities.  So, the Library Network offered to pay the vendor instead.  The event is scheduled for 2-3 p.m. on Saturday at Southgate’ s Veterans Memorial Library, located at 14680 Dix Toledo Road. Southgate’s event comes about a week after Madison Heights City Council reversed its decision to cancel its Drag Queen Storytime event [https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2026/06/05/madison-heights-reverses-decision-restores-drag-queen-story-time-to-pride-event/] during its Pride Week celebrations.   ADDITIONAL HEADLINES FROM FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2026 COOLING CENTERS OPEN Cooling Centers are opening across Detroit to give residents a break from the heat.   High temperatures are known to pose health risks. Chief Public Health Officer and Director Ali Abazeed says these centers are an effective solution to keep at-risk residents healthy.  "Folks in Detroit, especially our vulnerable populations.... if they don't have access to some of the critical infrastructure that we know is helpful in keeping and preventing extreme heat related health outcomes, then we want folks to know that these cooling centers are available. They're open and we want our residents to take advantage of them."  Detroit's cooling centers are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 5p.m. on weekends. They are open to anyone.  HEALTHY HOME RESOURCE DAY Detroit’s Healthy Home Resource Day – HOPE event [https://detroithousingnetwork.org/hope/] is coming earlier this year. On Saturday, qualified residents can apply for Homeowners Property Exemption program to receive up to 100% property tax exemption. The exemption is given based on the homeowner’s income.  Those who make an appointment can get a free ride to and from any HOPE event. The next event is Saturday, June 13, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Samaritan Center on 5555 Connor Ave.  INFILL DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE The Detroit Land Bank is hosting the first-ever Developers Conference focused on infill development opportunities. Infill development is the process of building on vacant lots in established neighborhoods. The Detroit Land Bank currently owns 56,000 parcels of vacant land and is working to return them to productive use.  Attendees will learn about development opportunities, financing resources, permitting processes and more. The event is June 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  OCCUPY THE SUMMER PROGRAM STARTS Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield launches a new summer recreation program for kids today. It's part of her response to recent teen takeovers downtown, and it's supposed to give them something creative to do. More than 1,500 young people have registered for the Occupy The Summer activities [https://ots.detroitmi.gov/], which include late night basketball games and longer hours at nine recreation centers. The city will give away 700 bicycles this afternoon.

Gordie Howe Bridge ribbon cutting cancelled

The Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority abruptly canceled festivities planned for the Gordie Howe Bridge ribbon cutting tomorrow. Windsor Detroit Bridge officials said that the US and Canada have agreed to push back the opening of the span in order to take, “the necessary time to resolve outstanding issues”. The statement did not say what those issues are. President Trump has planned to block the opening of the Gordie Howe Bridge saying that he wants the bridge crossing to be a better deal for the US. Bridge officials haven’t clarified whether the construction of the span is complete.   ADDITIONAL HEADLINES FOR THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2026 CHARITY CAR SHOW Local nonprofit Healing Choices [https://www.facebook.com/events/lake-st-clair-metropark/healing-choices-3rd-annual-car-show/1277513254594287/] is hosting a charity event on Sunday June 14 to support domestic violence survivors. It’s the Healing Choices Charity Car Show at Metro Beach featuring classic cars, hotrods, muscle cars and more. The Detroit Police Department will be at the event to showcase some of their vehicles. And The organization will also provide resources to survivors.   The event will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is $10 per ticket and can be purchased at the park entrance.   SPORTS UPDATES FIFA  Detroit City FC AND the El Paso Locomotive FC tied yesterday 1-1. Before the game the rain was non stop at the Keyworth Stadium but they were still able to have their match. Their next game is Saturday June 13 at 7 p.m.  Also the Fifa World Cup starts today with co-host Mexico playing the opener in Mexico City against South Africa. The United States plays their first game against Paraguay tomorrow at 9 p.m. EST at the Los Angeles stadium in Inglewood.  MLB  The Tigers lost against the Minnesota Twins yesterday 6-4. We’ll have the results of today’s tie breaker game of this three game series on tomorrow’s DER.    NBA   Last night, NBA history was made. The New Knicks had the largest finals comeback in history after erasing a 29 point deficit yesterday against the San Antonio Spurs. Final score was 107-106.   HENRY FORD EXHIBITS TO RECOGNIZE 250 YEARS OF THE US And last but not least, to celebrate America’s 250th year the Henry Ford Museum is showcasing 250 acres of special programming, new exhibitions, exciting events and more to highlight the history of American innovation.    Some of the exhibits will be:  * Handmade: The Crafting of America [https://www.thehenryford.org/visit/things-to-do/calendar/handmade-the-crafting-of-america]  -This exhibit explores how fabrics helped shape American history. * Freedom Plane National Tour: Documents That Forged a Nation [https://www.thehenryford.org/visit/things-to-do/calendar/freedom-plane-national-tour] - This exhibit looks at the important key documents of this nation. The Henry Ford is one of eight institutions across the U.S. where nine original founding-era documents and it will be on display. * Artemis Adventure with LEGO® Bricks - This exhibit looks at American space exploration to the wonder of legos.

Detroit opens cooling centers to combat high temperatures

Detroiters should get ready for a few days of hot weather.  The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and several other counties until 8 p.m. tonight.   High temperatures today are expected to rise into the lower 90s, with heat index values hitting 101 degrees.  The heat index is a measure of how hot it feels.  Temperatures in the area are expected to rise into the lower 90s again Thursday.  In response, the city of Detroit has opened several cooling centers.  All of the city’s recreation centers will remain open for their normal hours, providing air conditioning to residents.  Some community centers are open until 7 p.m. during the week.  Others are open until 8 p.m.  Detroit Public Library branches will also be open during their normal hours so residents can cool down as needed.  Detroiters are advised to drink lots of fluids, limit strenuous outdoor activity, and stay in air-conditioned areas when possible.  It’s also a good idea to check on neighbors, friends and relatives, especially those who are senior citizens.    ADDITIONAL HEADLINES FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2026 JEEP RECALLS ONE MILLION VEHICLES  Stellantis is recalling more than one million Jeeps due to a possible fire risk.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says 2021 through 2025 model year Jeep Gladiator and Wrangler vehicles might have an electrical connection problem in the hydraulic power steering system.  The issue could cause some materials to overheat and start a fire.   NHTSA is warning owners to not park the vehicles inside a building or near a structure due to the fire danger.  The agency says it’s aware of 51 fires and one injury connected to the issue.   The automaker says it will inspect the vehicles and repair or replace the wiring harness and power steering pump if necessary.  CASINO EARNINGS FALL  Detroit’s three casinos are reporting lower revenues for the month of May.  The three gaming houses brought in just over $114 million last month.  That’s down 4% from April.   MGM retained the greatest share of the market at 46%, followed by Motor City at 32%, and Hollywood Casino at Greektown with 22% of the market.  The three casinos paid $13.5 million in taxes and development agreement fees to the city of Detroit last month.  They paid another $9.1 million dollars in taxes to the state of Michigan.  ROCKET MORTGAGE CLASSIC TO END  This summer’s Rocket Mortgage Classic will be the last one.  Event organizers say the annual tournament held at the Detroit Golf Club will not take place in 2027.   The event has failed to draw top golfers recently.  That problem was made worse by inconsistent scheduling for the tournament over the past several years.  The departure of the Rocket Mortgage Classic means Michigan will no longer have a stop on the PGA tour.   The final tournament begins on July 30 at the Detroit Golf Club.

Wayne State announces director for new Detroit Center for Black Studies

Wayne State University has announced the inaugural director of its Detroit Center for Black Studies [https://dcbs.wayne.edu/]. Dr. Richard D. Benson comes from the University of Pittsburgh where he was an associate professor. His work has focused on the Black radical tradition in education. The university cites Benson’s work as an examination of the intersections of Black intellectual traditions, education, activism, and social movements. The Detroit Center for Black Studies, it says, is being established to “create an interdisciplinary… Detroit-rooted center for scholarship, teaching and public engagement that reflects both the richness of Black Studies and the unique intellectual context” of the city.  ADDITIONAL HEADLINES FOR TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2026 COMPANY CONTRACTED FOR SOLAR NEIGHBORHOODS GOES UNDER One of the companies contracted to build arrays for Detroit's Solar Neighborhoods program has been sold. The city is looking to DTE Energy to take over.   The company Lightstar was contracted to build 63 acres of solar fields in the Gratiot/Findlay and State Fair Neighborhoods for phase one of the project and 19 acres in the Houston-Whittier/Hayes neighborhood for phase two.  Detroit Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives Trish Stein told city council that tax credits for the project are scheduled to expire by July 4, so a decision needs to be made soon. "You heard it today, the residents came and they talked to you about some have got their energy efficiency upgrades, some have not. Ninety-seven of those 209 homeowners have not had their energy efficiency. They have been waiting for over a year."  Stein says DTE is ready now to take over the project. Lightstar was expected to start construction early this year.  GORDIE HOWE BRIDGE OPENING Officials will cut the ribbon on the new Gordie Howe International Bridge in southwest Detroit on Friday. The Detroit News [https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2026/06/08/date-set-for-opening-of-gordie-howe-international-bridge-to-traffic-canada-detroit-trump/90463427007/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=true&gca-epti=z117262p118450l000150c118450e1154xxv117262d--64--b--64--&gca-ft=212&gca-ds=sophi] and the Free Press [https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2026/06/08/gordie-howe-international-bridge-ribbon-cutting-snyder-whitmer-trump/90458444007/] cited sources with knowledge of the plans who did not want to be identified. The Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority would not confirm the reports but said it expects to open the bridge for traffic soon. Trump threatened to block the opening unless Canada agreed to share toll revenue with the United States. Canada paid for construction and co-owns the bridge with the state of Michigan. Last week, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told a Senate panel that Customs and Border Protection agents are ready to go. -Reporting by Pat Batcheller [http://wdet.org/author/pbatcheller] MICHIGAN RANKS WORST FOR CHILD WELLNESS A new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation ranks Michigan worst in the Midwest for overall child wellbeing. The Kids Count Data Book [https://www.aecf.org/resources/2026-kids-count-data-book] bases its scores on education, health, economic wellbeing and other factors.  The data come mostly from 2024, meaning the impact of some recent steps the state has taken don’t show up.  -Reporting Colin Jackson/MPRN [https://www.michiganpublic.org/people/colin-jackson] CONVERSATION ABOUT MEDIA BIAS AND PALESTINE Arab Americans for Progress, Pluto Press and Source Booksellers are bringing a conversation about media bias and Palestine to the Arab American National Museum [https://arabamericanmuseum.org/] Thursday. Adam Johnson, author of the book “How to Sell a Genocide” will speak with moderator Bilal Baydoun. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. Attendees are asked to register on Eventbrite [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-sell-a-genocide-an-evening-with-author-adam-johnson-tickets-1988798213995].