Detroit, MI

Fire ravages former site of historic Detroit church

Published

1 year ago

June 3, 2025

Fire ravages former site of historic Detroit church

Detroit officials are investigating what sparked a fire that burned through a historic, century-old church building for more than four hours Tuesday.

The Detroit Fire Department received a call at 12:34 a.m. about a blaze at the site of the former St. Agnes Catholic Church, at the corner of Rosa Parks and LaSalle Gardens, said Corey McIsaac, the DFD director of media relations.

Within four minutes, the department was at the scene and Fire Chief David Nelson called a second alarm, activating more crews, McIsaac said.

While they managed to preserve the “structural integrity” of the vacant building, she added, its old rectory next door was rendered a total loss.

Due to the condition of the building, firefighters were not able to get inside, McIsaac said. “They did an awesome job, and due to their hard work and great work, they were able to preserve the structure of the church building.”

There were no injuries to residents or firefighters Tuesday night, according to the department.

The St. Agnes Catholic Church has long been considered a community landmark, drawing figures such as Mother Teresa, who visited the building twice, once in June 1979 and once June 1981, and established a convent for the Missionaries of Charity Sisters at 1969 LaSalle Gardens, according to the Archdiocese of Detroit.

The St. Agnes Parish was established in 1913 by Bishop John Foley and the spot celebrated its first Mass in 1914 in a frame house a few blocks away from the current site. Construction on the 1,500-seat site designed by the firm Van Leyen, Schilling, Keough & Reynolds started in May 1922, according to the archdiocese.

The church was blessed in June 1924 in a ceremony led by Bishop Michael J. Gallagher. St. Agnes Parish was closed in 1989 and the Martyrs of Uganda Parish was established at the site that year, the AOD said.

The Martyrs of Uganda Parish was closed in 2006, and the property was sold in 2009.

Holly Fournier, the AOD’s media and public relations manager, told The Detroit News: “The Archdiocese of Detroit has had no connection to the property since then and has no information about current ownership or plans for the site.”

In 2022, the Detroit City Planning Commission approved a recommendation to the City Council to approve a rezoning request to redevelop the 5-acre site, according to Historic Detroit.

afayad@detroitnews.com

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Detroit, MI

Tigers top Chicago White Sox 4-1; Detroit pitcher Troy Melton allows 1 hit in 6 innings

Published

9 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Press Room

Tigers top Chicago White Sox 4-1; Detroit pitcher Troy Melton allows 1 hit in 6 innings

June 20, 2026 / 4:22 PM EDT
/ AP

Troy Melton allowed one hit in six innings and the Detroit Tigers’ offense came alive late in a 4-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday.

Dillon Dingler had two hits, including a home run, and drove in two runs as Detroit won its second straight game after losing four of five.

Melton (4-0) gave up a homer to Sam Antonacci on his second pitch of the game but allowed only four more baserunners — on three walks and a hit batter. He struck out five while allowing two or fewer runs for the fourth time in five starts this season.

Two Tigers relievers finished, with Kenley Jansen pitching the ninth for his ninth save.

Sean Newcomb started Chicago’s bullpen game with three perfect innings, but Tyler Davis walked the bases loaded with two out in the fourth. Joe Rock came out of the White Sox bullpen and struck out pinch-hitter Jahmai Jones to loud boos from the Comerica Park crowd.

With a runner on first and two out in the fifth, Kevin McGonigle got Detroit’s first hit of the game — the first hit for either team since Antonacci’s leadoff homer.

Dillon Dingler followed with an RBI single off Rock (0-1) to tie the game.

Detroit took the lead in the sixth when Spencer Torkelson doubled and scored on James Outman’s single. Jake Rogers made it 3-1 later in the inning with an RBI single.

Chicago didn’t get its second hit until Braden Montgomery doubled off Tyler Holton with one out in the seventh.

Dingler hit his 17th homer in the seventh, giving Detroit a 4-1 lead.

Up next

The teams finish the series Sunday in what was originally scheduled to be Justin Verlander’s first start as a Tigers player in Detroit since 2017. His hamstring strain means RHP Keider Montero (3-5, 3.67) will come back from the bullpen to face RHP Davis Martin (9-3, 3.31).

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Detroit, MI

Today in History: June 20, race-related rioting erupts in Detroit

Published

20 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Press Room

Today is Saturday, June 20, the 171st day of 2026. There are 194 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On June 20, 1943, race-related rioting erupted in Detroit; federal troops were sent in by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to quell the violence that resulted in more than 30 deaths.

Also on this date:

In 1782, the Continental Congress approved the Great Seal of the United States, featuring the emblem of the bald eagle.

In 1837, Queen Victoria acceded to the British throne following the death of her uncle, King William IV.

In 1893, a jury in New Bedford, Massachusetts, found Lizzie Borden not guilty of the ax murders of her father and stepmother.

In 1947, gangster Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel was shot dead at the Beverly Hills, California, home of his girlfriend, Virginia Hill, likely at the order of mob associates.

In 1967, boxer Muhammad Ali was convicted in Houston of violating Selective Service laws by refusing to be drafted and was sentenced to five years in prison. (Ali’s conviction would ultimately be overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court).

In 1972, three days after the arrest of the Watergate burglars, President Richard Nixon met at the White House with his chief of staff, H.R. Haldeman; the secretly made tape recording of this meeting ended up with a notorious 18 1/2-minute gap.

In 2002, in Atkins v. Virginia, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that executing people with intellectual disabilities qualified as cruel and unusual punishment and was therefore in violation of the Eighth Amendment.

In 2025, a powerful tornado tore across southeastern North Dakota with winds topping 200 mph (322 kph) and an EF5 category, the strongest classification for a tornado and the first of that strength confirmed on U.S. soil in a dozen years. The tornado killed three people and heavily damaged a regional airport.

Today’s Birthdays:

Filmmaker Stephen Frears is 85.
Singer Anne Murray is 81.
TV personality Bob Vila is 80.
Musician Lionel Richie is 77.
Actor John Goodman is 74.
Rock bassist Michael Anthony (Van Halen) is 72.
Rock bassist John Taylor (Duran Duran) is 66.
Actor Nicole Kidman is 59.
Filmmaker Robert Rodriguez is 58.
Actor Josh Lucas is 55.
Actor Christopher Mintz-Plasse is 37.
Actor Kayla Maisonet is 27.
Actor David Iacono is 24.

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Detroit, MI

Best barbershop in Metro Detroit: Finalists for this year’s Vote 4 The Best

Published

1 day ago

June 19, 2026

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Best barbershop in Metro Detroit: Finalists for this year’s Vote 4 The Best

Voting on finalists open from June 22 through July 20

What is the barbershop in Metro Detroit? We’ve got our finalists for this year’s Vote 4 The Best category for best barbershop.

Here are this year’s finalists:

Andino’s Barbershop in St. Clair Shores
Bennies Barbershop in Trenton
Chivalry Barber Co. in Royal Oak
The Garage Cuts and Coffee in Plymouth
Walter T’s Grooming Company in Waterford Township

We received more than 16,700 nominations across our 80 Vote 4 The Best categories this year. Each category was then narrowed down to five finalists.

Click here to view the full list of finalists.

Now that nominations are over, voting on finalists can begin. Voting is open from June 22 through July 20, and you can vote for each category once per day during that time.