The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has directed its SNAP EBT vendor to start issuing full benefits to recipients pending delivery from the federal government. This all comes after a district judge ordered the US Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service to issue full SNAP benefits by today, Friday Nov. 7.

According to the MDHHS, SNAP recipients who usually receive benefits on the 3rd, 5th , or 7th of each month should get their full SNAP allotment within 48 hours of the state receiving their funds. This news comes as the Trump administration is asking a federal appeals court to block a judge’s order to distribute November’s full SNAP food benefits during the government shutdown.

This is all going down as some states are moving to take care of low-income residents. The court back and forth has created uncertainty in the food program services that serves 1 in 8 Americans. Approximately 1.4 million people in Michigan are on SNAP.

The City of Detroit and the Members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 26 agreed on a new contract to give DDOT bus operators a $6 per hour wage increase.

Pending approval from the City Council, more than 500 operators will now have start and maximum base wages in line with what SMART bus service currently offers their drivers. There are even incentives for good attendance and safety.

In addition to those improvements, drivers will also receive an annual cost of living increase each July 1st during their contract. This new contract will be submitted to Detroit City Council for approval before the Council meetings end for the year.

The Detroit Lions try to bounce back from their loss against the Vikings last week as they look to face the Commanders Sunday afternoon. The Commanders will be without starting Quarterback Jayden Daniels who suffered an elbow injury. The Lions are hoping to build and get their offense going after struggling as of late. Kickoff is at 4:25 p.m. at Northwest Stadium.

The Red Wings face off against the team from my home state, The New York Rangers. Game starts at 7:00pm at Little Caesars Arena. The Red Wings then play against the Chicago Blackhawks also at Little Caesars Arena NBA The Pistons go agains the Brooklyn Nets Tonight at the Barclays. Tip off is at 7:30 p.m. and then they stay on the road to face the 76ers on Sunday Nov. 9 at the Wells Fargo Center.

And this Sunday November 9th you get the chance to experience the event titled All Things Detroit Holiday Shopping. This unique marketplace is taking place at Eastern Market Sheds 3,4, and 5.

Small businesses from all across Detroit will come through with interesting items to purchase right on time for the holiday season. For more information go to allthingsmarketplace.com.

The City of Detroit launched a network of food pantries yesterday to help residents who normally rely on benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP. 

The program, also sometimes called food stamps, has not been fully funded since Nov. 1 because of the federal government shutdown.  Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan’s administration has created a map of 85 certified food pantries.

“This is now live at DetroitMI.gov.  You can see the 85 sites.  Some are open one day a week.  Some are open five or six days a week.  And so you can go on the website, click on the one in your area that’s closest to you…and for example you can see this one gives you the address.”

Duggan is also asking for volunteers to help hand out food to residents in need.  He says the plan should be feasible for the next two weeks. The city has authorized $1.75 million for the project. 

There’s no word on when the government shutdown might end.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the recall affects Jeep Wranglers from the 2020- 2025 model years and Jeep Grand Cherokees from the 2022-2026 model years.  Owners are advised to park the vehicles away from structures and not to plug them in. 

A repair for the problem has not yet been found.  There are reports of 19 fires and one injury possibly connected to the issue.

Employees at the Detroit Institute of Arts have formed the DIA Workers United union. It’s in partnership with with American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Culture Workers United Division.  The division of the union also represents workers at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

The DIA Union campaign says it’s seeking “a fair, transparent, and respectful workplace that aligns with the values the museum shares with the community.” DIA representatives said in a statement they are supportive of the union, and respect the workers legal right to unionize.

Last day to apply for Homeowners Property Exemption

Tomorrow is the deadline for homeowners to apply for the Homeowners Property Exemption – or HOPE – program. Those who qualify can received up 100% exemption on their property taxes for the current year.

Applications will also be taken for the 2024 tax year as well. Last year, over 10,000 homeowners received reductions on their taxes ranging from 10% to 100%. To see if you qualify or to apply visit detroit.mi.gov/hope. You can also visit city hall Friday, November 7th between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

This Detroit Evening Report covers the results of notable elections in Detroit, Hamtramck and Dearborn.

It’s Election Day, and voters in Detroit will have a new mayor and city council members.

Dearborn voters decide whether to keep Mayor Abdullah Hammoud or elect Nagi Almudhegi, and whether to change how city council members are elected.

Hamtramck will have a new mayor. The city’s former Mayor Amer Ghalib was nominated by President Trump to be Ambassador to Kuwait. Pontiac voters choose between Kermit Williams, Mike McGuinness and a couple of write-in candidates to lead their city.

Some cities also vote to fund schools, parks and public safety.

People lined up in the rain at a food pantry in Pontiac Monday as SNAP benefits were set to run out.

Forced by a court order, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released some money for the federal food assistance program. Full funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is unavailable due to the ongoing government shutdown.

Speaking at Lighthouse, a non-profit food pantry in Pontiac, Michigan U.S. Senator Gary Peters says he doesn't understand why Republicans are willing to have people starve as a part a negotiation tactic. "Why there's suddenly this turn to now cut these funds off and make people hungry? I think is outrageous, and the American public needs to speak out about that."

In the new budget to fund the federal government, Republican leadership—and President Trump—want to make more cuts to social safety net programs and governmental agencies. Democrats have refused to sign off on a compromise bill that doesn't include a continuation of tax breaks for people on Medicaid.

Health care advocates worry that rising Affordable Care Act insurance rates may put the health of tens of thousands of Michigan residents at risk. More than a half million people in the state get their coverage through the ACA marketplace. But rates for next year are jumping by double digit percentages.

Doctor Aisha Harris practices family medicine in Flint. She fears many of her patients will drop their coverage because they can't afford it. "I know what America's health status is and it's not as healthy as people think. And so this is going to be detrimental to like how we're thriving as a country because now people can't take care of themselves."

Democrats want Congress to restore the tax credit that reduced prices in the ACA system as part of a deal to reopen the federal government. Republicans say they are willing to negotiate, but only after Democrats vote to end the shutdown.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is urging people to get their COVID shots this fall.

COVID-19 shots are recommended for all infants 6–23 months, and kids ages 2–18 years old, all pregnant women, and adults between 18 and 50—especially for those with any risk factors, including those who have never been vaccinated before.

COVID-19 vaccines are available at local health departments for free of charge to Michigan residents.

Together We Eat will offer soups made from local ingredients to the community on Fridays throughout November.

The event is presented by the East Warren Development Corp in response to SNAP benefit cuts. Soup, bread and water will be provided from 4-6 p.m. at the East Warren Kitchen at16835 E Warren Ave.

The head of the FBI says agents thwarted a potential terrorist attack and arrested several people in Michigan this morning. Bureau Director Kash Patel said attacks were planned for this weekend but offered no other details in an early morning post on X.

Dearborn Police confirmed on Facebook that federal agents conducted operations in the city this morning, but said there’s no threat to the community. Agents from the FBI and the ATF reportedly entered homes in two Dearborn locations, with Michigan State Police also on the scene.

Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey is urging residents to get out and vote in next week’s municipal election. At a news conference Thursday, Winfrey said 519,000 Detroiters are registered to vote — but she expects less than 25 percent to actually cast a ballot.

“It’s a sad state of affairs. It’s sad. But unfortunately it’s not just happening in Detroit. The low voter turnout is happening all over our country.”

Early voting began last Saturday and runs through Sunday at 5 p.m. Election Day is Tuesday, November 4. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The Detroit Fire Department has completed another round of its Fire Investigation Course, which provides hands-on training in fire investigation. The nationally recognized course gives students field experience in Detroit neighborhoods and helps participants master the science and skill of determining how and why fires start.

The course is taught by current and former members of the department and is structured for two weeklong sessions that can be taken separately or together. The training hours count toward national certification requirements for fire investigators. It’s offered twice a year.

NFL: The Detroit Lions take on the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, November 2, at 1 p.m. The Lions will be without All-Pro safety Kerby Joseph, who is recovering from a knee injury. Detroit is currently second in the NFC North behind the Packers.

NBA: On Saturday, the Pistons (3–2) face the Dallas Mavericks (2–3). Mavericks power forward Anthony Davis continues to deal with an Achilles injury and is expected to miss the game, according to reports. Tipoff is at 10 p.m. EST at Arena CDMX in Mexico City.

NHL: The Red Wings lead the Atlantic Division with an 11–8 record and hope to maintain their position as they face the Anaheim Ducks tonight at 10 p.m. EST at the Honda Center.

Halloween in the D takes place tonight, with family-friendly activities happening at police precincts, recreation centers, and fire stations across the city. For more information on locations, visit detroitmi.gov.

The Detroit Institute of Arts is hosting the 13th Annual “Ofrendas: Celebrating el Día de Muertos” exhibition. The annual showcase highlights Mexican traditions of the Day of

General Motors says it's laying off more than a thousand workers at its Detroit-Hamtramck electric vehicle plant due to weak demand.

The Detroit News reports GM is cutting production at Factory Zero to a single shift. It's also cutting hundreds of jobs at EV battery plants in Ohio and Tennessee.

The layoffs follow the expiration of federal tax credits for EV buyers and pressure from the Trump administration to build more gasoline-powered cars and trucks.

• The city of Detroit has agreed to pay nearly $6 million to settle a lawsuit over the death of a pedestrian who was struck by a bus. It was the second fatality involving the same driver since 2015. - Reporting by AP
• DTE Energy is reporting net profits of $419 million in the third quarter of this year.  The earnings, not including non-recurring costs, hit $2.25 per share.  That beat Wall Street analysts’ expectations.  The company says it has invested $3 billion this year to improve electric and natural gas infrastructure.
• A state House bill would let local governments ask voters to approve taxes on short-term rentals. The Michigan Association of Realtors says it wants lawmakers to include limits on local regulations meant to shut out short term rentals.
• Detroit City Council approved several honorary street signs for local leaders and influencers, including Imam Abdullah El-Amin. El-Amin was a prominent faith leader in Detroit and co-founder of the Muslim Center of Detroit. Among other recipients are Reverend JoAnn Watson, Mudgie’s Deli founder Gregory Mudge, and Viola Liuzzo.

There are just a few days left until Detroit’s municipal elections take place. Early voting began last Saturday.

The two candidates for mayor, City Council President Mary Sheffield and Pastor Solomon Kinloch, are scheduled to take part in a forum Thursday at the Detroit Economic Club. That’s expected to be their last meeting before next week’s election. Each candidate will take the stage alone to answer a series of questions about their vision for the city.

This event is not a debate.

• Food banks and pantries are preparing for a surge in demand if federal food aid is paused this weekend from the government shutdown. The outlets were already struggling after federal program cuts this year. Now, SNAP benefits are set to pause Nov. 1. It’s the latest in a string of hardships placed on charitable food services. Food banks and pantries across the country are concerned about meeting the growing need left in the wake of that pause.
• President Trump nominated Hamtramck Mayor Amer Ghalib as ambassador to Kuwait earlier this year, but the discovery of social media posts criticizing Israel have pushed some Republican Senators to say they will not back his nomination in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Ghalib says he will not withdraw his name from consideration for the position.
• City officials gathered on Detroit’s east side Wednesday to break ground on a new housing development. The project, called “The Arthur Murray”, will renovate a historic building in the East Warren-Cadieux area. The long vacant building will be turned into affordable housing and commercial space, including 32 apartments.
• Detroiters are continuing to get a break at the gas pump. Analysts say the annual switch to winter blends of gasoline is helping to lower prices, as is reduced demand for gas as we approach the colder weather months.
• ESPN is reporting that the Detroit Lions have agreed to a huge contract extension with defensive end Aiden Hutchinson. He’s considered one of the best pass rushers in the league.