9 Michigan communities receive state funding to enhance downtowns

Detroit’s North End will soon be getting some special funds for summer events in the area. 

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced more than $130,000 in grants on Wednesday for nine Michigan communities, including Grand Haven, Saline, and Blissfield. 

The grants of up to $15,000 are part of the Michigan Main Street Vibrancy program, with money going toward community enhancement efforts and improvement projects. 

Other headlines for Wednesday, June 25, 2025:

• Former Judge and state legislator Virgil C. Smith has died at 77 years old. Smith served for more than a decade as a Wayne County Circuit Court judge. He was working as Chief of Staff in the Wayne County Prosecutor’s office when he was appointed as a judge in 2004. Before that, Smith served in the state House for 11 years, and another dozen years in the state Senate. He was Michigan’s first Black Senate minority floor leader.
• The city of Detroit will hold a mayoral candidates forum Wednesday evening to give residents a chance to interact with candidates running in the August mayoral primary.  The event runs from 6 to 9 p.m. at the 3Fifty Rooftop terrace above Music Hall, 350 Madison St., Detroit.
• The Belle Isle Park Advisory Committee is hosting a meeting Thursday to get feedback from the public about potential redesign plans on the island. Belle Isle Conservancy CEO Meagan Elliot says the organization has been attending block club meetings and encouraging residents to make their thoughts heard. The meeting will be held at 9 a.m. at the Flynn Pavilion on Belle Isle. It will also be livestreamed.
• The Detroit Golf Club is getting ready to host another national event.  The Rocket Classic kicks off Wednesday, with more than 150 athletes taking part in the tournament — including a dozen of the world’s top ranked golfers. The tournament will be televised on CBS Saturday and Sunday afternoons. 

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The Detroit Evening Report is a three-minute daily round-up of the news that city residents need to know. Stories focus on the concerns, problems, passions and needs of Detroiters – specifically residents of color. On the weekends, we take a break from the news and spend some time with community members. Hosted by Sascha Raiyn, Jerome Vaughn, Tia Graham, Nargis Rahman, and Hernz Laguerre, Jr. Detroit Evening Report is a production of WDET, Detroit's NPR Station.