Detroit, MI

Jimmy Carter built houses with Habitat for Humanity in Detroit, Michigan | Letters

Published

1 year ago

December 30, 2024

Jimmy Carter built houses with Habitat for Humanity in Detroit, Michigan | Letters

President Jimmy Carter, who died on Dec. 29 at 100, leaves a legacy of compassion, humility, kindness, and peacemaking. While world leaders reflect on his greatness, we in Detroit had the privilege of working directly with him. We consider ourselves fortunate, as he profoundly impacted our lives.

During our tenure with Habitat for Humanity in Detroit, we oversaw and managed several Habitat Blitzes, where six to 20 homes were constructed in a week. Our dedicated team of staff, volunteers, donors, business executives, corporate volunteers and religious leaders came together with families to help them build and own homes, lifting them up in the process.

Many involved with Habitat for Humanity Detroit, including us, had volunteered with President Carter in different countries. He was well aware of the power of his name, and willingly offered it along with his volunteer service. As we recall, it was President Carter who suggested to Habitat International that the 2005 Habitat for Humanity build should take place in Michigan, specifically in Detroit, Benton Harbor and Windsor, Canada. He chose Benton Harbor because he had witnessed the civil unrest there and wanted to heal the divide by bringing people together to build homes for those in need. Detroit opted to build 30 homes in the Core City Neighborhood, a place chosen for its strong community involvement.

As is customary, we hosted a fundraising event to thank donors and welcome guests. The atmosphere was electric, but it was President Carter who set the tone. Despite having Secret Service agents around him, they were unobtrusive. He approached us with a handshake and introduced himself simply: “Hello, I’m Jimmy Carter.” He mingled with the guests, posed for photos, and when the program began, we had to adjust the schedule to accommodate local politicians who were in a hurry. In contrast, President Carter stayed until the end.

True to form, he explained to the audience that he was in Detroit, Benton Harbor and Windsor to volunteer. He and his team would be building homes, and if possible, he preferred not to be disturbed while working. Those of us who had traveled abroad with him knew the protocol and ensured it was followed.

Like all volunteers, President Carter began his day by holding hands with the family whose house he was building and then started hammering. Each house had a leader, sub-leaders and volunteers. His team was a mix of skilled carpenters and volunteers, many of whom had never held a hammer before. Since the build was spread across three locations, President Carter divided his time between Detroit, Benton Harbor and Windsor. While on-site, he worked alongside his team, including members of his family who mirrored his work ethic. Volunteers came from all over the world to participate in the Jimmy Carter Build, including the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem and several bishops. When his work was done, he visited each construction site, posing for pictures with volunteers who were thrilled to work alongside him.

President Carter was not an ordinary man or political leader — he was a servant leader who led by example. He was a man of deep conviction, dedicated to building a peaceful, healthy and safe world for all. As president, he was ahead of his time, but more importantly, he redefined what it means to be a humanitarian.

His accomplishments are too numerous to list, but for those of us fortunate enough to meet and work with him, we aspire to follow in his footsteps by serving and healing the world. He was a rare human being, a great American who will be deeply missed. More importantly, he will be remembered as a humble, honorable and powerful example of all that is great about America.

John E. Mogk

The writer is a former chairman of Habitat for Humanity Detroit Former HFHD Chairman

Terrry Ahwal

The writer is a former president of Habitat for Humanity Detroit Former HFHD Chairman

Rob Dewaelsche

The writer is a former executive director of Habitat for Humanity Detroit

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Detroit, MI

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

Published

21 minutes ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

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.

Click here to vote for finalists in all 80 categories.

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Detroit, MI

Top 10 ‘Hour Detroit’ Covers, As Voted By Readers

Published

11 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

Top 10 ‘Hour Detroit’ Covers, As Voted By Readers

As part of our 30th anniversary celebration last month, we asked Hour Detroit readers to vote for their favorite covers from the magazine’s history. With all votes tabulated, here are the top 10 Hour Detroit covers, as voted by our loyal readers.

10. May 2022

Our May 2022 cover story by Nolan Bianhi highlighted the rise of Detroit City Football Club. The cover itself, photographed by Sal Rodriguez and featuring DCFC’s rabid Northern Guard Supporters, also birthed the very funny #EdDuckerForever social media trend.

As explained by Editor-In-Chief Kate Walsh in her Editor’s Letter in the June 2022 issue, “When the DCFC fans noticed a fan holding a scarf that said “Ed Ducker Forever,” some were left scratching their heads…Most people figured out that Ed Ducker was born to cover a profanity front and center on our cover, but they didn’t leave it at that. #EdDuckerForever became a thing on Twitter, with DCFC fans and others creating a backstory for this fictional character, including tales of his prowess on the pitch and in the sheets, saving (or dropping) babies, his love of beer, etc.”

Truthfully, the whole incident is symbolic of the overall vibe at any DCFC match. If you’ve never attended one yet, what are you waiting for?

Another piece of trivia: former Hour Detroit digital editor Christina Clark is among the group of fans — she’s the one with pink hair. Coincidentally, the photo was taken before she joined the magazine.

9. July 2023

Featuring a stunning aerial photograph by William Cunningham, the cover for the July 2023 issue of Hour Detroit just draws you in with its beauty. The cover story by Kate Townley chronicled the many reasons (65, to be exact) why the Great Lakes are so great. Frankly, there are plenty more reasons to add to this already extensive list.

Hour Detroit's July 2023 cover featuring an aerial shot of one of the Great Lakes

8. April 2024

Like the DCFC cover, the cover for the April 2024 issue, created by Ryan Olbrysh, has an incredible kinetic energy. Based around Detroit hosting the NFL Draft, the “City Guide” cover story explored all of the details any visitor to metro Detroit should know and featured contributions from Bill Dow, Dana White, Juliana Lumaj, Mickey Lyons, and Jack Thomas.

Hour Detroit's April 2024 cover featuring fans gathered in the city of the 2024 NFL Draft

7. May 2020

For the May 2020 issue, Hour Detroit chronicled the impact of COVID-19 on metro Detroit in a nine-page special report by Steve Friess, Amy Haimerl, Joanne C. Gerstner, and Ashley Winn. The cover depicts the Spirit of Detroit monument wearing a mask and hospital scrubs. The poignant image is an original oil painting by Luke Mack for Hour Detroit.

Hour Detroit's May 2020 featuring a rendering of the Spirit of Detroit statue wearing a mask

6. January 2018

Abdul El-Sayed graced the January 2018 cover of Hour Detroit, was profiled by Lou Blouin, and photographed by Matthew LaVere. At that time, he was a 33-year-old Michigan gubernatorial candidate gaining lots of attention for his rising grassroots campaign.

The former director of the Detroit Health Department lost the Democratic nomination to Gretchen Whitmer. However, the man some thought could be the first Muslim governor in the United States now has a chance at becoming the first Muslim person elected to the United States Senate. El-Sayed, now 41, is in a very competitive 2026 Democratic primary race against Rep. Haley Stevens and State Sen. Mallory McMorrow. Primary elections for the open Michigan Senate seat vacated by a retiring Sen. Gary Peters will take place on Aug. 4, with the Democratic and Republican primary winners facing off in the midterm elections on Nov. 3.

Hour Detroit's January 2018 issue featuring Abdul El-Sayed

5. February 2021

On this cover photographed by Julia Pickett, contributor Steve Friess summed up Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s 2020 rather perfectly: “A pandemic. An ‘SNL’ parody. A kidnapping plot. And mean tweets from the president. Did anyone have a more bizarre and intense 2020 than ’the woman in Michigan’?” Friess’ cover story on Whitmer explored her 2020 experiences and describing them as “surreal” could be the most apt use of that word ever.

Hour Detroit's February 2021 cover featuring Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

4. January 2024

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell headlined our annual “Detroiters” list in 2024, which highlights the people making unique impacts on metro Detroit. His striking portrait, courtesy of the Detroit Lions, appeared on the cover, with contributor Jim McFarlin detailing the rise of Campbell becoming one of the most beloved Detroit sports figures in recent history.

Hour Detroit's January 2024 cover featuring Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell

3. June 2005

Detroit has been very fortunate to have some incredible local news anchors over the years. WDIV-TV’s Carmen Harlan is certainly among the most iconic. A Detroit native, Harlan joined WDIV-TV in 1978 as a general assignment reporter. Three years later, she became an anchor. Paired with Mort Crim, another legendary Detroit news anchor, Harlan continued to serve as anchor until her retirement in 2016. Photographed by Roy Ritchie, Harlan appeared on the cover of Hour Detroit in June 2005 for our “Best of Detroit” issue. In the 2005 edition of our readers’ poll, Harlan won three honors: Best local TV anchor, best TV hairdo (female), and best-looking TV personality.

Hour Detroit's June 2005 cover featuring legendary WDIV-TV anchor Carmen Harlan

2. April 2026

Our latest “City Guide” feature took on the theme of “Hidden Detroit.” In it, we examined lesser-known aspects and treasures in metro Detroit. The cover was of Tintoretto’s “The Dreams of Men,” which is featured in the Detroit Institute of Arts, but it’s in a surprising location. If you’re looking to find out where to spot this gorgeous painting, Jack Thomas and Kate Walsh share its location in their piece appropriately titled “Things You May Have Missed at the Detroit Institute of Arts.”

Hour Detroit's April 2026 cover featuring Tintoretto's 'The Dreams of Men,' which can be found on the ceiling at the DIA

1. June 2019

The 2019 “Best of Detroit” list served as a tribute to Aretha Franklin, who passed away in Aug. 2018 at age 76. Not only did the “Queen of Soul” win the honor of “Detroit Legend,” but she appeared on the cover via an original oil painting by Kim Frank Fujiwara. (Fujiwara won in the category of “Best Fine Artist.”) Simply put: This is a breathtaking cover. We admire and agree with our readers’ outstanding taste in their choice for the best Hour Detroit cover.

Hour Detroit's June 2019 cover featuring an original oil painting of Aretha Franklin by Kim Frank Fujiwara

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Detroit, MI

First responders honored after rescuing 12 people from capsized sailboats near Belle Isle

Published

21 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

First responders honored after rescuing 12 people from capsized sailboats near Belle Isle

DETROIT – Detroit first responders and several private citizens are being credited with helping rescue a dozen people after multiple sailboats capsized in the Detroit River near Belle Isle during severe weather last week.

The incident occurred shortly after 7:30 p.m. on June 10 as a line of thunderstorms moved through southeast Michigan, bringing strong winds to the area.

According to the Detroit Fire Department, crews were dispatched to Belle Isle near the beach following reports of overturned boats and people in the water.

Firefighters, EMS personnel, Engine 27, and Fireboat 2, known as the Sivad Johnson, responded to the scene.

When crews arrived, they found multiple small sailboats overturned in the river.

Officials said 20 people aboard seven sailboats were involved in the incident.

Twelve people were rescued from the water, while eight others safely returned aboard two boats that remained upright.

Fireboat 2 rescued four people from the water.

The Detroit Police Department Harbormaster rescued two more, while a private boater assisted three people. Another three were brought to safety by a nearby boat club vessel.

The operator of the sailing group said as many as 26 people were on the water before the storm arrived, with six making it back to shore on their own before rescue efforts began.

Despite the dangerous conditions, no serious injuries were reported. Officials said all rescued individuals declined medical treatment.

Authorities praised the coordinated response among firefighters, police officers, boat club members, and private boaters who assisted during the emergency.

“Be aware of your surroundings,” said Detroit Fire Department Fireboat Operator Daniel Familant. “To be honest, we do make a lot of the saves by the private boaters out there that are fishing or just having a good time, and people were out there screaming, ‘Help, help,’ and there they go, so everyone helps out. It’s an all-hands effort.”

Emergency crews remained on scene until everyone involved was accounted for.

Officials noted that one member of the Fireboat 2 crew was serving on the vessel for the first time during the rescue operation.

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