The Detroit Evening Report

The Wayne County Election is set to count the missing ballots in Hamtramck’s mayoral race tomorrow at noon. The 37 absentee ballots were found in the city clerk’s office just days after the election. A Wayne County Circuit judge has ordered that the ballots must be counted despite a year-long legal battle. Currently, Adam Alharbi is the mayor, contested by former Hamtramck city council member Muhith Mahmood.  Despite the results, Alharbi will continue to challenge Mahmood’s residency in a separate lawsuit. CBS News reports the recount could lead to three different possible outcomes: Alharbi retains the seat, Muhith wins the seat but is not able to get certified without the court’s approval or the seat becomes vacant. A court hearing is scheduled for Oct. 22 to review the developments.   Additional Headlines for Oct. 15, 2026 Anti-surveillance legislation put forward by Rashida Tlaib Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib introduced a bill to ban federal funding for surveillance products such as Flock Safety cameras as well as facial recognition technology. Flock Safety says its automated license plate readers and other products have helped police catch criminals and lower crime. Inkster resident Charles Stephens says he originally thought the cameras could stop reckless driving on his street. Now he’s not so sure about that.   “They (drivers) run stop signs. There’s a playground right across the street. Some kids live two doors down. They run across the street to the playground...the camera doesn’t detect speed.”   Tlaib and other critics say authorities could use surveillance data to stalk people to stifle free speech.  Nuclear power plant plan approved Federal regulators are approving a new plan to remove a fuel assembly at the Palisades nuclear plant in Southwest Michigan.  Holtec International owns the plant. It’s been working to bring Palisades back online after it went into decommissioning in 2022. As workers began to load fuel in the reactor in August, one fuel assembly tipped.  The company said it’ll need to retrieve the assembly from the reactor in order to load any more fuel. Some critics argued the plan creates new risks without understanding the root cause. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff say they found no significant hazards.  Get Out to Vote event The City of Detroit Department of Elections is hosting their Get Out to Vote event. The Scarefest and voter event will take place at the Northwest Activities Center. That’s at 18100 Meyers Road, Detroit, MI. People can vote that day, engage in family activities and receive resources & giveaways. It takes place on Saturday, Oct. 24 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Detroit City Council is looking into reports of poor conditions at the Greenhouse Apartments. The subsidized senior living facility is allegedly dealing with bedbugs, non working elevators, and other inhumane conditions, according to tenants. The apartment has 209 units and is located in the west side of Detroit. City Council President Pro Tempore Coleman A Young II elevated the issues during a formal session this week. The Council said that it has called on multiple departments to provide updates on inspector visits and addressing the conditions. The city’s Buildings, Safety Engineering and Environmental Department as well as the Department of Neighborhoods are both looking into potential penalties the city might seek against the building managers. Additional Headlines for Oct. 14, 2026 Opportunities to register to vote available at upcoming No Kings protest The deadline to register to vote is quickly approaching. There is  an opportunity to register at a protest happening this weekend. During a No Kings protest on Oct. 17, demonstrators are expected to show up at intersections, pedestrians bridges parks and more. This is all an effort to get people to make a plan on voting. No Kings Day protests have happened nationwide since President Donald Trump took office. More than 70 rallies are expected to take place in Michigan and more than 2,000 will take place nationwide with the same focus on voting. The last day you can register to vote online or by mail for the Nov. 3 General Election is Monday, Oct. 19! NBA regular season gets underway next week for the Pistons The NBA regular season is right around the corner and the Detroit Pistons are getting ready to play their first game. They face the Boston Celtics on Oct. 20 at 3 p.m. at Little Caesars Arena. Detroit Midterm Election coverage on NBC Nightly News If you are watching the evening news, NBC Nightly News will air at 6:30pm on Channel 4 as a part of their broadcasts from key battleground states ahead of the midterm elections on Nov. 3. The news program will feature interviews with candidates and Michigan voters about Midterm Election issues. Detroit will also be featured on "Top Story with Tom Llamas" streaming at 7 p.m. tonight on NBC News Now. Halloween in the D 2026 Detroit is hosting their 9th annual Halloween in the D. Organizers say that the activities will feature fun family-friendly and some occasionally spooky activities during the dates surrounding Halloween: Oct. 24, Oct. 31 and Nov. 7. During Halloween in the D in 2025, 1 million pieces of candy were distributed along with total donations reaching $104,000. More than 700 volunteers worked the event that found 30,000 attendees across all dates.

The American Pharmacies Group says independent drugstores are closing at an alarming rate across Michigan. Advocates say the way these stores are reimbursed for the medications they provide is unsustainable. The stores rely on what's called Pharmacy Benefits Managers when billing insurance companies the cost of prescriptions they fill. However, Detroit Pharmacist Mike Nabolsi says that payment often does not cover the full price of the drug. "We're getting under reimbursed for something that we bought...something that cost $1,000, we're giving it to a patient, and we're getting reimbursed $900. We can't survive." The benefit managers also can determine which drugs would be covered by an insurance program, which often pushes patients to big box pharmacies instead. The advocacy group American Pharmacies is calling for reform and ensuring savings reach independent stores. -Reporting by Bre'Anna Tinsley, WDET Additional Headlines for Oct. 13, 2026 John James wants more governmental say in Michigan's education system The Republican nominee for governor is calling for more accountability in Michigan's education system. During a campaign stop in metro Detroit, Congressman John James said he wants parents to have a greater voice in kids' education. James says—as governor—he'd also want more say in overseeing education. "l would love to stand here and say hold me accountable for our kids being able to read, when the kindergartners who started this year go into the 4th grade when I'm running for re-election. I can't say that because right now our state board of education and our superintendents are not accountable to the governor." The Michigan constitution puts the state board of education independently in charge of public learning and hiring a state superintendent. Both James and his Democratic opponent - Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson-say they want more resources going toward supporting teachers and students. -Reporting by Colin Jackson, MPRN More: MichMash: Do Michigan voters want to rewrite the state constitution? Volunteers needed for Halloween in the D The city of Detroit is recruiting volunteers for its annual "Halloween in the D" celebration. It started in 2018, offering events and activities for children and families such as trunk-or-treating at police and fire stations and free candy distributed across the city. Día de los Muertos celebration at Wayne State Wayne State’s Elaine L. Jacob Gallery is hosting a celebration for Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) next Saturday, Oct. 24.  The event will include a performance by students of Ballet de Folklorico de Wayne State University, an Ofrenda (offering for Día de los Muertos) workshop, flower making, a scavenger hunt and more. The holiday is celebrated in Mexico and parts of Latin America to honor and remember loved ones who have passed on. Ofrendas on altars are one way to honor the deceased with decorations such as photos, flowers, candles, the favorite food(s) of the deceased and more. The event is free and open to the public at 480 W. Hancock Detroit, Michigan 48201 Mayor Mary Sheffield and Hope Detroit to host coat giveaway Mayor Mary Sheffield and Hope Detroit are having a coat giveaway this Saturday at Williams Recreation Center, offering free winter coats for toddlers, youth and teens as colder weather approaches.  The coat giveaway starts at noon on Oct. 17 and is on a first come, first served basis. Youth must be present to receive a winter coat. Williams Recreation Center is located at 8431 Rosa Parks Dr. Detroit, Michigan 48206. 

Detroit historian Janese Chapman has died. She led the city’s historic designation advisory board, which aims to protect Detroit’s architectural and cultural heritage. She also managed the Secondary Street Sign program, which honors well known Detroiters by adding their names to selected roads. Some of the honorees of the Secondary Street Sign program in Detroit include Aretha Franklin, J Dilla, JoAnn Watson, and Viola Liuzzo. Janese Chapman was 70 years old. Additional Headlines for Monday Oct. 12, 2026 Michigan Supreme Court weighs case involving an employee at Calvin University  The Michigan Supreme Court is hearing arguments over the limits of state civil rights laws. One question before the court is whether or not the law applies to discrimination by association. Lower courts ruled against a man whose Calvin University contract wasn’t renewed after he officiated a same sex wedding. The courts found his own sex wasn’t an issue in the matter.  Lawyer Charissa Huang represents the plaintiff. She argues the law was meant to apply beyond just the direct members of a protected class.   “Allowing this court of appeals holding to stand would have a chilling effect upon people of different races and cultures and sexes and sexual orientations. They could be fired for association with one another with no resources.” Calvin University’s lawyers argue that since the colleague whose wedding he officiated didn’t face discrimination, the man can’t argue sex-based discrimination on his own.   Free breast exams offered by the city's health department The Detroit Health Department is offering free breast exams tomorrow and next Tuesday. Offerings are from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Oct 13 and Oct. 20. Both free exam dates include educational offerings and light refreshments. The Detroit Health Department is located at 100 Mack Avenue. To register, call 313-876-4319.  2026 Neighborhood Vitality Survey now available The 2026 Neighborhood Vitality Survey is now live. Detroit residents aged 18 and up can share their thoughts and experiences around health, safety, housing and other topics. The first 6,100 respondents will get a $25 gift card for completing the survey. Responses help shape policy and guide funding for community projects.  To participate in the survey, click here. $50,000 in field trip funds available through Huron-Clinton Metroparks Huron-Clinton Metroparks is giving out $50,000 in funds for field trips. Teachers can apply for the funds through the Huron-Clinton Metroparks’ "Get Out and Learn" Scholarship program. The funds pay for field trips for hands-on experiences at the Metroparks or in classrooms. It also hopes to remove financial barriers for students to participate in more STEM learning. The money can be used to pay for transportation costs for field trips up to $500. Eligible schools must show they are 50% economically disadvantaged based on the Center for Educational Performance and Information score. In 2025, 54,000 participated in Metroparks field trips or classroom-based learning. To apply for the funding, click here.

The City of Detroit and Motor City Match held a ribbon cutting for Kidz Kingdom in District 7 in Franklin Park. Kidz Kingdom childcare center during the week & play & party space on the weekends. This business received $85,000 from Motor City Match in Round 23. This allowed the founder, Danielle North to be able to own the building instead of rent. She says this opportunity allows more families to be served. “I did have a passion and dream and fire inside of me to make my city a better place. To show people...that actually that there is more that we can do that there is greatness that already exists. My friends bring their kids here, my family brings their kids here. This is the block. This is what Kids Kingdom is about.”   Additional Headlines for Friday, Oct. 9, 2026 Spirit Christmas stores to open across Michigan With the holiday season approaching fast, Spirit Christmas is coming to Michigan. Shoppers will be able to visit the seasonal retailer stores beginning in November in metro Detroit’s Macomb and Taylor, along with Flint and Grand Rapids. Spirit Halloween has nearly four dozen stores open statewide for Halloween. To find the nearest one near you,  check here.   .500 Detroit Lions to take on the Arizona Cardinals Sunday afternoon The Lions have two wins and two losses, currently sitting at third in their division.  A lot of critics are pointing to their lack of Defensive production. Lions Defensive Coordinator Kelvin Sheppard went viral in a press conference addressing the issue. “I can care less about perception. It’s all poison. Especially the praises" The Lions hope to build some momentum as they face the Arizona Cardinals in State Farm Stadium in Glendale Arizona.  Upcoming Detroit City FC home game Detroit City FC face Rhose Island tomorrow at Keyworth Stadium. Game starts at 7pm   One win Red Wings to host the Kraken Friday night The Red Wings face the Seattle Kraken today at 7pm at Little Ceasars Arena. Harvest Fest across The Villages This Saturday, The Villages Community Development Corporation, the East Village Associaiton and more are hosting Harvest Fest at the Shepherd near Waterworks Park from 12-4 p.m. Organizers say this is an event where attendees can celebrate the season with an afternoon of pumpkins, s’mores, skate demonstration, live music and more. For more information, visit here.