Mary Waters campaigns for write-in votes

Rep. John James calls for Canadian smoke control to be a part of bridge deal

Michigan candidate for governor, John James, says Canadian wildfire smoke needs to be better controlled, as part of a deal to open the Gordie Howe Bridge.  James made the comments on a video on Facebook earlier this month.   “You look at wildfire smoke every summer.  They’re throwing off 500 million vehicles’ worth of carbon emissions into our air each and every year and doing very little to nothing about it.  That’s got to change right now," said James.  "As a part of any deal we do with Gordie Howe Bridge, we have to work in close cooperation with Ottawa to make sure they’re also managing their business, so we can keep our people healthy and we can keep our relationship strong.”    Last summer, James wrote a letter to Canadian officials asking them for action to keep wildfire smoke from drifting into Michigan.   President Donald Trump endorsed James on Monday to become Michigan’s next governor.  Other elected officials around the country quickly followed suit.  James will face businessman Perry Johnson, and former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox in the Aug. 4 Republican primary.    ADDITIONAL HEADLINES FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2026 DETROIT POLICE PICK UP 180 CURFEW VIOLATORS DURING FIREWORKS  The Detroit Police Department is reporting that it detained 180 juveniles on Monday night for curfew violations before the annual Ford fireworks show over the Detroit River.  A news release says 171 of those detained were city residents.  Nine live elsewhere.   A special curfew was approved for fireworks night.  It required everyone under 18 to be accompanied by an adult from 8 p.m. until 6 a.m.  The police department says 19 adults were arrested for a variety of infractions, including carrying concealed weapons, aggravated assault, and disorderly conduct.   One 18-year-old was shot by a police officer after a short chase, several hours before the fireworks began.   DEARBORN SCHOOLS SEEK NEW BOND APPROVAL  Dearborn residents will see a new millage proposal on their November general election ballot.  The city’s Board of Education will ask voters to approve a $1.5 billion bond measure.  If passed, the money will fund the construction of six new schools.   The district says the bond would also be used to remodel every remaining school building over the next 20 years.  The board approved ballot language for the proposal at Monday’s meeting.  NEW APARTMENT COMPLEX OPENS ON WEST SIDE    A west-side Detroit neighborhood is getting a new apartment building.  The city opened the OSI Art Apartments Tuesday afternoon.  The newly constructed four-story complex provides 30 residential units.  About half qualify as “affordable housing”.   Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield says the project will make a difference along the Grand River corridor. “It is an honor as mayor to welcome this project to our city.  A project that combines housing, culture, arts – and to breathe this vibrancy back into our community, which is so needed in our city.  So I thank you all so much for investing in Detroit.”   The development, which also includes 5,000 square feet of retail space, will be the gateway to the West End Gallery District.  The building located on Grand River near Selden is named for Nigerian-American artist Osi Audu.

Detroit police shooting leaves teen in critical condition

Detroit Police shot a teenager who was running away from them after they arrested another teen near Campus Martius downtown. Chief Todd Bettison says officers approached a group of young men and arrested one who was holding a suspicious-looking backpack. He says they searched the backpack and found a gun in it. An 18-year-old started walking away from the group and officers chased him. Bettison says the officer who shot the fleeing teen feared for his safety. This happened a few hours before the annual fireworks over the Detroit River. Police said the teen was shot several times and is in serious condition.  Police also arrested minors who violated the city's 8 p.m. curfew and held them  until a parent or legal guardian came to get them. (Batcheller/Raiyn)  - Pat Batcheller [http://wdet.org/author/pbatcheller]contributed to this report ADDITIONAL HEADLINES FROM TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 2026 SCOTUS RULES AGAINST MICHIGAN FAMILY The Supreme Court ruled today against a Michigan family who said their rights were violated when their county sold their house for less than half its open-market value to cover a tax bill of just over $2,000. Isabella County maintained that auction sale prices are always lower than open real estate transactions. It said requiring foreclosure prices to match the open market would essentially end those sales.   PROJECT DOCUMENTING NATIVE BOARDING SCHOOLS REACHES CLOSE A project that gathered testimonies from more than 360 survivors of Native American Boarding schools has finished its first phase. The Tulsa-based National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition [https://boardingschoolhealing.org] collected video oral histories from Indigenous survivors across 19 states. The stories will be preserved in the Library of Congress. The project aimed to document the systemic abuse endured in boarding schools and how survivors found healing.  It identified eight boarding schools that operated in Michigan. Three are still open. HURON VALLEY WARDEN ON LEAVE FOLLOWING INMATE DEATHS Jeremy Howard, the warden at Michigan’s only women’s prison has gone on personal leave after three deaths at the Huron Valley Correctional Facility. The Michigan Department of Corrections told the Detroit Free Press [https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2026/06/23/warden-jeremy-howard-michigan-womens-prison-personal-leave-michelle-floyd/90655246007/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=true&gca-epti=z117061p119250c119250e1193xxv117061d--55--b--55--&gca-ft=50&gca-ds=sophi] today the leave is “personal and unrelated to current events." The deaths of Khaira Howard, Rebecca Fackler and Ashley Hoath are still under investigation. A former corrections officer at the facility was sentenced last week for criminal sexual conduct involving an inmate. The warden at the Cooper Street Correctional Facility in Jackson has been temporarily assigned to lead the Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility.   PWHL ANNOUNCES OUTSIDE INVESTORS The Professional Women’s Hockey League announced the Illitch Company is one of its first two outside investors. Toronto-based Kilmer Sports Ventures is the other. Mark and Kimbra Walter founded and funded the league in 2023 with hundreds of millions of their own dollars. Mark Walter is the owner of the LA Lakers, the Dodgers, and the LA Spark. The PWHL has not yet turned a profit but just two and a half years later has doubled its size to 12 teams – including Detroit’s scheduled to play at LCA in the fall.

National poll shows that aging populations need to learn how to maintain brain health

Most older adults do not know how to care for their brain health, according to a new survey by the National Poll on Healthy Aging and the Alzheimer’s Association. The survey of adults 50 and up found that people rated their brain health as excellent, very good, or good, but lacked knowledge about how to maintain it. The survey found 70% of Michigan’s older adults believe diet, physical activity, and sleep are important factors. However fewer older adults were engaging in the behaviors that determine better brain health or reduce Alzheimer’s, such as getting seven or more hours of sleep, doing mentally stimulating activities, eating healthy, balanced diets or exercising. The survey also found that they prefer to get information about brain health from a health care provider. Many also believe brain health is more important than physical health. The National Poll on Healthy Aging online and phone survey was conducted in January 2026, surveying 1,300 Michigan residents and 2,800 non-Michigan adults between 50 and 98 years old.  ADDITIONAL HEADLINES FOR MONDAY, JUNE 22, 2026 SUN BUCKS PROGRAM Many children face food insecurity over the summer because they no longer have meals provided by school. The summer EBT “Sun Bucks” program from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services works to make sure that no kids will be hungry.   The department’s Erin Frisch says families with students who participate in school lunch and breakfast programs face extra pressure on their budgets during the summer.   “SUN Bucks, also known as summer EBT helps bridges that gap by providing eligible children with funding to purchase food during the summer months. We have this program because we understand Michigan children need consistent access to healthy food to grow and learn and thrive.”   Children ages 6 to 18 are eligible for the SUN Bucks program. Those who already receive SNAP benefits will automatically be enrolled. Families not already on SNAP can apply for the summer program on the MI Bridges website.  -Reporting by Helena Najar   BLACK CAUCUS CALLS FOR REPARATIVE MEASURES The Michigan Legislative Black Caucus is calling for the passage of new “reparative justice,” measures. The bills would create a state office to serve American descendants of enslaved people, launch a reparations commission and collect data.   Democratic Representative Jason Hoskins says Black people in Michigan continue to live with the legacy of slavery and segregation, including worse health outcomes and pollution in their communities.   "If we are serious about addressing these challenges, we must first understand the harms that were done, the policies that perpetuated these harms, who’s affected, and what remedies are appropriate," says Hoskins.   The new commission would recommend reparations, but the package itself would not include any payments for Black Michigan residents. Majority State House Republicans are not likely to pass the bills.   -Reporting by Colin Jackson   [https://www.michiganpublic.org/people/colin-jackson] MICHIGAN RELIEVES MEDICAL DEBTS The State of Michigan has collaborated with the national nonprofit Undue Medical Debt program to erase $74 million of medical debt for 72,000 Michigan residents. People will begin getting letters in the mail this week informing them if their debt has been forgiven. Each dollar paid by Undue Medical Debt equals $100 of debt relief. Unpaid medical debt is often a result of unexpected illnesses. Half of U.S. adults have a hard time paying off medical debt.   People receiving the relief at four times the poverty line or have medical debt that’s more than 5% of their annual income. This round of debt erasure is supported through a $4.5 million fund from the state’s in partnership with Wayne, Oakland and Kalamazoo Counties.   Last year, the State of Michigan and Undue Medical Debt provided $144 million in debt relief to over 210,000 Michigan residents.

Mary Waters campaigns for write-in votes

Detroit Council Member Mary Waters has launched a write-in campaign for Michigan’s 13th congressional district. Waters said in a statement that the people of Michigan deserve a representative who understands that public service is about delivering results, not chasing headlines. Her campaign focuses on lowering the cost of living, protecting seniors, and bringing critical federal resources back.  She originally launched a campaign last month but was disqualified for a lack of signatures.   ADDITIONAL HEADLINES FOR THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2026 OVERDOSE RATES DECLINE Michigan overdose death rate has declined by 47% since 2021 according to the state’s Department of Health and Human Services. Preliminary data suggests overdose deaths have continued to decline for the fourth year in a row.  The department attributes the decline to strategic investments largely funded by opioid settlements prioritizing prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery. The efforts include expanding harm reduction sites from 5 to 115 in 2025, and distributing over 1.8 million free naloxone kits, which resulted in nearly 34,000 reported overdose reversals.   SUMMER LEARNING PROGRAM ENROLLMENT CLOSES SOON Enrollment for Summer Discovery, a no cost summer learning program, is closing soon. Put on by United Way of Southeastern Michigan and the Ballmer group, Summer Discovery connects students entering kindergarten through 10th grade with learning and enrichment opportunities. Spots are still available at Detroit Public Schools Community District sites, Detroit Police Athletic league, Brilliant Detroit and more. The program is open to all students across Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne Counties. To apply visit summerdiscoverymi.org [https://summerdiscoverymi.org].  RECALL ON ORB FUNKEE SQUEEZE TOYS The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is urging is families to check their children’s toy boxes for Orb Funkee Monkee squeeze toys. The toy has been recalled because they may be filled with sand contaminated by asbestos. The recall is for toys purchased from Walmart or Ollie’s Bargain Outlet stores between February 2025 and April 2026. Asbestos comes from minerals that create thin fibers when they crystallize and pose a human health risk when they enter the air.  As of June 18, the state health department had not received any reports of illness or injuries tied to these toys.  METROPARKS SURVEY Huron-Clinton Metroparks is asking community members to fill out a survey to provide feedback [https://www.metroparks.com/planning-and-development/#FEEDBACK] about some of their parks. That includes the Lake St. Clair, Stoney Creek and Wolcott Mill Metroparks. It’s part of an effort to update their Park Master Plans to guide future projects, investments and facilities improvements.  The surveys are open until Wednesday, July 15.

Sun Bucks program returns to help Michigan families feed kids this summer

Michigan has restarted its Sun Bucks program. The goal of the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer program is to help ensure school-age children continue to receive healthy meals during the months when they are not in school. The state says families who enroll will receive $120 for each eligible child during the summer. Some families are automatically eligible, while others will need to apply. Sun Bucks benefits can be used at any retailer that accepts EBT. For more information, visit Michigan.gov and search for "Sun Bucks." ADDITIONAL HEADLINES FOR JUNE 17, 2026 FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR METRO DETROIT Much of Metro Detroit is under a flood watch this afternoon through late tonight. The advisory includes Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. Storms are expected tonight, bringing the threat of gusty winds and heavy rainfall. The National Weather Service says 1 to 2 inches of rain are possible within a three-hour period. That could cause flash flooding in rivers and streams and affect residents living in low-lying areas. Heavy rains increase risk of beach closures This week's heavy rains are making temporary beach closures more likely in some areas. Stormy weather can lead to high levels of E. coli bacteria in Michigan lakes, creating unsafe swimming conditions. Tom Barnes, environmental health division director at the Macomb County Health Department, says heavy rainfall can wash contaminants into the water. "If you have a big rainy event and you have lots of goose feces on the beach, that'll wash it into the water. That will definitely result in a higher E. coli count." Barnes says swimming in water with high E. coli levels can cause health problems. SPOT LITE AND UFO BAR TO CLOSE Detroit's nightlife scene is about to lose two well-known establishments. The owners of Spot Lite and UFO Bar announced on Instagram Tuesday that the venues will close later this month. Spot Lite's last night of operation will be Saturday, June 28. UFO Bar will open its doors for the final time on Monday, June 30. DETROIT TO HOST PWHL DRAFT Detroit will host another historic hockey event tonight. The Fox Theatre will be the site of the Professional Women's Hockey League draft. The league chose Detroit for the event after strong fan support helped break attendance records in back-to-back seasons. Jayna Hefford, the league's executive vice president of hockey operations, says the PWHL has helped grow women's hockey by giving athletes a professional stage on which to compete. "My generation would have loved this. We didn't get a chance to have it, but I'm so happy that they get to have it. And then when we look at the next generation of young girls that are going to watch this and not know a world where there isn't professional women's hockey." Detroit's PWHL team is one of four expansion teams signing players before league play begins this fall. CBC ENDS 'HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA' ERA The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, known as CBC, has announced it will no longer broadcast "Hockey Night in Canada." The network has aired the Saturday night NHL games since 1952. The change comes after the public broadcaster could not reach a deal with Rogers Sportsnet, which has held the broadcast rights since 2013. The move may make it more difficult for some Detroit-area viewers to tune in to Saturday night hockey. Generations of Detroiters have watched NHL games on CBC Windsor 9.