Detroit, MI

MEDC approves incentives for EV-related companies to move into Detroit

Published

2 years ago

January 23, 2024

MEDC approves incentives for EV-related companies to move into Detroit

The governing body of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. on Tuesday approved incentives for numerous projects, including two developments for electric vehicle-related companies planning to set up shop in Detroit.

The Michigan Strategic Fund board awarded nearly $12.7 million in tax incentives to USA Fortescue Piquette LLC. The global green energy, metals, and technology company plans to invest $210 million to revitalize an old facility at 530 and 601 Piquette for its U.S. Advanced Manufacturing Center. The factory will sit in the Milwaukee Junction neighborhood and is expected to create up to 600 manufacturing and engineering jobs.

The board also approved Tuesday a $1.5 million performance-based grant for German EV infrastructure company EcoG to open its U.S. headquarters in Corktown. According to the company, project is expected to generate $14.4 million in private investments and create 45 high-wage jobs.

The arrival of the companies in Detroit come as the city moves toward becoming an EV hub with Ford Motor Co. building an electric- and autonomous-vehicle campus in Corktown.

Fortescue’s first battery assembly line is expected to be installed in the first half of 2025 with production lines ramping up to 2030, officials said.

“Fortescue’s Advanced Manufacturing Center will breathe fresh life into the birthplace of the automotive industry,” Fortescue Energy CEO Mark Hutchinson said in a statement following the vote. “We are committed to investing in the next generation of green manufacturing projects that will help decarbonize business and heavy industry, and in turn create a strong future for manufacturing jobs in the United States.”

The incentives approved Tuesday for Fortescue are: a $9 million Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant, a 15-year, 100% state essential services assessment exemption valued at $1.3 million and state tax capture valued at $2.37 million for the reimbursement of brownfield activities at the site.

Mayor Mike Duggan thanked the Michigan Strategic Fund for its support of the project.

“Fortescue’s decision to locate in Detroit to develop its new Advanced Manufacturing Center adds to our city’s momentum in attracting sustainability and clean energy investments and the good-paying jobs they bring,” Duggan said. “It also is another major piece of the revitalization taking place on this stretch of Piquette Street, along with the redevelopment of the Fisher Body 21 and Studebaker plants into hundreds of units of new mixed-income housing. We are grateful to the Michigan Strategic Fund for its support of this project.””

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer also acknowledged the project Tuesday.

“Report after report shows that Michigan is leading the future of advanced manufacturing and clean energy” she said in a statement. “Fortescue’s expansion in Michigan and so many of the other investments we are competing for and winning are helping us make communities across our state better places to live, work, and invest. Let’s keep our foot on the accelerator and keep delivering on the issues that make a real difference in people’s lives so anyone can ‘make it’ in Michigan.”

In Corktown, EcoG’s U.S. headquarters will be housed in the historic Book Depository Building on Ford’s Michigan Central. EcoG develops hardware and software solutions for interoperable EV charging stations. The company was launched from a Techstars Mobility Accelerator in Detroit in 2017.

“Right now there is unprecedented momentum behind the EV transition in the US,” Joerg Heuer, CEO and Co-Founder of EcoG, said in a statement. “EcoG’s solutions are acting as the catalyst for manufacturers in the US making it simple to introduce American-built products into the EV charging market and transforming the EV charging landscape across the country. We’re excited to contribute to this next phase from our new office in Detroit. We admire Michigan’s strong drive to transform the mobility industry and are excited to collaborate with other innovation leaders out of Michigan Central.”

Whitmer also applauded EcoG’s project in Corktown, saying: “We’re thrilled to welcome this $14.4 million investment from EcoG, creating 45 high-wage jobs and securing the future of mobility and electrification right here in Michigan. Together, we are bringing critical supply chains and investments back home, proving that anyone can ‘make it’ in Michigan. Thanks to announcements like today’s by EcoG, Michigan will remain a global leader in the future of mobility and electrification.”

The board also approved on the west side of the state a $2 million performance-based grant for B & L Systems LLC, doing business as Fifth Wheel Freight. The Kentwood-based third-party logistics and transportation provider plans to invest up to $40 million and add up to 352 jobs as it expands its operations, according to a MEDC briefing memo.

In addition to the new approvals Tuesday, the board voted to amend a previously approved incentive, combining the Michigan Business Development Program and Jobs Ready Michigan Program under one $3 million MBDP grant agreement for Global Life Sciences Solutions USA LLC.

The company is retrofitting a 168,000-square-foot development in Muskegon Charter Township to manufacture resins for use in biological, pharmaceutical and diagnostic and medical products, according to a briefing memo.

cwilliams@detroitnews.com

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Detroit, MI

Detroit Pistons’ loss to Cavs shows weaknesses before playoffs

Published

1 hour ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Detroit Pistons’ loss to Cavs shows weaknesses before playoffs

CLEVELAND – In just five days, the Detroit Pistons faced the Cleveland Cavaliers twice.

They split the games to finish their season series against the Central Division rivals, but with a potential reunion looming in the second round of the NBA playoffs, the Pistons came away from both games unsatisfied.

On Friday, it was the Pistons needing overtime to overcome a Cavaliers team missing James Harden and Donovan Mitchell at Little Caesars Arena. On Tuesday, March 3, in Cleveland, however – with Harden back in the lineup – the Pistons struggled in the areas they usually thrive, for a 113-109 loss.

The Pistons’ first loss on the road since Jan. 29 didn’t feature their usual fire for much of the night.

“I’m frustrated with the effort level, the attention to detail that we played on that end of the floor,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “The times and opportunities where we did do the right thing, did get stops, we let people outwork us to come up with offensive rebounds. We can’t afford to not play at maximum effort. That’s been our superpower all year long and, tonight, I felt like there were times where we were outworked. If we’re outworked, this isn’t going to be the results that we want.”

The Pistons work at being the league’s most disruptive team via turnovers has given them a top-three defensive rating. They force turnovers on 17.2% of possessions – best in the NBA –and only trail the Houston Rockets in offensive rebounding percentage. They also lead the league in steals and blocks per game. Getting out in transition and capitalizing on second-chance opportunities has created an above-average offense despite struggles on 3-point shooting.

For three quarters against the Cavaliers, little of that materialized – as least until the Pistons grabbed seven steals in the final period (after just two in the first three). Overall, the Pistons were beat on the offensive glass (11-10), mustered just 10 fastbreak points (their lowest total since Jan. 27) and picked up 11 second-chance points (their least since Feb. 6).

It was, in all, a lackadaisical defensive performance, with the Pistons repeatedly losing shooters behind the arc as the Cavs knocked down 17 3-pointers – eight more than the Pistons.

“Obviously they’re a good team, but we haven’t been playing to our standard on that side of the ball,” Pistons wing Javonte Green said. “Coach talked about the effort we need to bring every game. We just need to play harder. We can’t get outworked on offensive rebounds and 50-50 balls, that’s our identity. I feel like we needed to pick up that slack.”

The Pistons also were hurt by a poor shooting performance by Cade Cunningham; he finished with 10 points and 14 assists but shot 4-for-16. Cleveland threw multiple defenders at him all night, and he obliged by passing the ball and setting up his teammates. It led to a big second half for Tobias Harris, who scored all 19 of his points in the last two quarters.

But it wasn’t enough.

“On the defensive end we just couldn’t put up a wall, couldn’t get a stand going,” Cunningham said. “Personally, I had a lot of bad closeouts; just off the ball, I didn’t feel sharp. Just gotta clean all that stuff up.”

With 22 games remaining, the Pistons are focused on cleaning up the margins so they’ll be ready for postseason play. These two games against the Cavaliers have given them a list of areas to clean up.

Friday, they needed an extra period to win after rallying from a late nine-point deficit despite losing Cunningham late after he fouled out with just under two minutes left in the fourth quarter. Jalen Duren and Daniss Jenkins stepped up in overtime after Duncan Robinson also fouled out.

Mostly, the Cavaliers have proven they can pounce during soft stretches on defense. Thursday brings another rematch with a contender, as the Pistons wrap up a three-game road trip against the San Antonio Spurs (another opponent from last week).

“We didn’t play our best basketball the other night,” Bickerstaff said of the Cavaliers’ game on Feb. 27. “Give our guys credit because we played 53 minutes and were able to pull it out in some adverse conditions. Cade fouls out, Duncan fouls out, our guys still figure out a way to get it done.

“We need to be better. We need to be better defensively, we need to impose ourselves on the game a little bit more than we did last game. I thought the last two quarters of the Orlando game [on Sunday] were the best quarters we’ve played defensively since New York [on Feb. 19]. I hope, and told our guys, that we can continue to build off that, because that’s where it always starts for us. You can tell the tone by how we are defensively and how we’re getting after it.”

Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky and/or X @omarisankofa.

[ MUST WATCH: Make “The Pistons Pulse” your go-to Pistons podcast, listen available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) or watch live on YouTube. ]

Next up: Spurs

Matchup: Pistons (45-15) at San Antonio (44-17).

Tipoff: 8 p.m. Thursday, March 5; Frost Bank Center, San Antonio.

TV/radio: FanDuel Sports Network Detroit; WXYT-FM (97.1).

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Detroit, MI

Police search for suspect, accomplice after teen injured in shooting outside Detroit school gym

Published

14 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Police search for suspect, accomplice after teen injured in shooting outside Detroit school gym

March 3, 2026 / 6:54 PM EST
/ CBS Detroit

The Detroit Police Department is searching for a suspect and an accomplice in connection with a shooting last week that injured a teen outside a school gym.

The shooting happened in the 3400 block of St. Aubin, the same area where the Detroit Edison Public School Academy’s Early College of Excellence is located. Police say that at about 8:27 p.m. on Feb. 27, there was an altercation inside the gym that continued outside.

Detroit police are searching for a suspect and their accomplice in connection with a shooting outside a school.

Detroit Police Department

Police say the suspect allegedly fired multiple shots at the victim, striking him. The teen was taken to a hospital for treatment. His current condition is unknown.

Police say the accomplice who was with the suspect was also armed.

Anyone with information is asked to call DPD’s seventh precinct at 313-596-5740, Crime Stoppers at 800-Speak Up or DetroitRewards.tv.

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Detroit, MI

Bruce Campbell announces cancer diagnosis; ‘Fear not,’ he tells fans

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Bruce Campbell announces cancer diagnosis; ‘Fear not,’ he tells fans

Treatment will delay the Royal Oak-born actor’s plans to tour his new film ‘Ernie & Emma’ this summer.

Royal Oak-born movie star and cult hero Bruce Campbell announced on social media on Monday that he has been diagnosed cancer — a type that is “treatable” but not “curable,” he said.

“I apologize if that’s a shock — it was to me too,” the “Evil Dead” star, 67, wrote in a message posted to Instagram.

He went on to say “I’m not gonna go into any more detail,” and he didn’t. He said the public announcement had to do with scaling back appearances on his schedule, including tour dates behind his latest film, “Ernie & Emma.”

Campbell planned to show the movie June 5 at the Redford Theatre; as of Monday night, that date is still on the Redford schedule, but Campbell wrote in his note he plans to get “as well as I possibly can over the summer so that I can tour with my new movie ‘Ernie & Emma’ this fall.”

The movie is written, directed by and stars Campbell as a man who goes on a journey following the death of his wife. Campbell produced the movie alongside his wife, Ida Gearon, and filmed it in Oregon, where he now lives.

Campbell told The News in January he dedicated “Ernie & Emma” to his childhood moviemaking pals, including Scott Spiegel, who died of a heart attack in September 2025.

“It’s a callback to the carefree days of Super 8, where we could do whatever the f–k we wanted to do,” Campbell said of “Ernie & Emma.” “So I thought, ‘All the boys are responsible for this,’ so they’re all in there.”

Campbell got his start making movies around Metro Detroit with his childhood pal, Sam Raimi. Campbell starred in Raimi’s “Evil Dead” trilogy and has since appeared in most of Raimi’s films; Campbell makes a brief appearance in a photograph in the background of an early scene in Raimi’s latest, “Send Help.”

He’s also an author; Campbell’s autobiography “If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor” was published in 2001.

In his post on social media, Campbell thanked fans and said he was not out to elicit sympathy.

“Fear not, I am a tough old son-of-a-bitch and I have great support, so I expect to be around for a while,” he wrote.

agraham@detroitnews.com

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