Detroit, MI
Sterling Heights budget plan includes resurfacing 14 Mile, new fire staff
The city of Sterling Heights is expected to approve a $252 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year that includes upgrades to 14 Mile and 18 Mile roads, adding a risk-reduction officer in fire prevention, and increasing water and sewer rates by 5.9%.
The Sterling Heights City Council is scheduled to vote on the budget at its 7 p.m. meeting Tuesday for the fiscal year that begins July 1.
Under the proposed budget, Sterling Heights would add two employees in the fire prevention division of the Fire Department. One is a community risk-reduction officer, who will look at “new and improved ways to inspect buildings,” said City Manager Mark Vanderpool. The other position is a mobile integrated EMS health coordinator, who will help reduce the number of low acuity ambulance runs in the city.
The city is also planning over $22 million in road work in the upcoming fiscal year, including the $10 million revitalization of Clinton River Road. The city is planning to reconstruct the road between Hayes Road and Canal Road, close sidewalk gaps and add bike lanes or a non-motorized path. Jennifer Varney, the city’s chief financial officer, said the initial work on the project, like environmental studies, will occur in the next fiscal year, but construction might not start until summer 2025.
The budget includes resurfacing 14 Mile from Van Dyke to Maple Lane, 18 Mile from Utica Road to the Plumbrook Drain and 17 Mile from Mound to Van Dyke.
Sterling Heights council members haven’t made any amendments during the budget process. Councilwoman Barbara Ziarko said the council can change the budget at any time during the fiscal year, though.
“This is just making sure that the majority of us approve of what’s there and we have a roadmap to where we’re going,” Ziarko said of the impending budget approval.
New employees for fire prevention
The budget includes hiring a community risk-reduction officer, who would develop new ideas for fire inspection processes. For example, the city’s Building Department conducted virtual inspections during the COVID-19 pandemic, so something similar could be done for fire inspections, the city manager said.
“The risk reduction officer is gonna identify more of these types of ideas,” Vanderpool said, “so that we can be more productive in our fire inspections, be able to do more of them and continue to keep our community very safe.”
A mobile integrated EMS health coordinator would also be added to the fire prevention division. Vanderpool said EMS personnel across the country are “overloaded” with a growing number of EMS runs. He said this is due in large part because people call 911 “for any ailment.”
“And the vast majority of those 911 calls are low-acuity calls,” Vanderpool said. “They don’t require a 911 EMS life-threatening response.”
Vanderpool said the mobile integrated EMS health coordinator would conduct outreach and work with “habitual callers.” The coordinator would educate these residents about alternatives to 911. The position also involves working with senior living facilities.
Ziarko said the city has residents who are “regulars” when it comes to 911 calls.
“How do we help them cope with their needs?” she said, adding that the city could suggest to them how to make their home safer.
Water and sewer rate increase
The FY 2024-25 budget includes a proposed combined 5.9% hike to the water and sewer rates. Varney said the Great Lakes Water Authority, which supplies the city’s water, and Macomb County, which treats the city’s sewage, are increasing their rates.
She said Sterling Heights’ average water use has been decreasing, but the city still has to maintain the system and pay workers, so the city has to charge higher rates to ensure it has enough money coming in.
Ziarko said that when utility providers give the city a rate increase, the city has had a history of not passing it on to residents.
“In this case, it’s necessary in order to balance our budget,” she said.
Other budget highlights
The city’s fund balance is “in a really good position,” said Varney, the city’s chief financial officer. The general fund balance will rise to about $38.4 million in fiscal year 2024-25, according to the city’s budget document.
“I think we’re well-positioned in case there’s any unexpected financial turmoil,” she said.
The city will have a millage rate of 16.5938 mills, a slight increase over the current rate of 16.3800 mills, due to an increase in the refuse collection millage rate. Last year, the City Council approved a new refuse collection contract, which went into effect last Wednesday, Varney said. The contract includes inflationary increases and additional services, including universal curbside recycling and automated cart collection, she said.
Varney said that under the old contract, residents had the option of paying $57 a year to the waste company for a curbside recycling subscription. Under the contract with the new company, recycling is universal. So the residents who were previously paying for a subscription will see a slight decrease in how much they’re paying for waste services.
“Obviously by … everyone having curbside recycling, we hope that recycling in the community increases exponentially,” she said.
asnabes@detroitnews.com
Fans pack Campus Martius for USA-Belgium World Cup match
USA fans pack Campus Martius in downtown Detroit for the World Cup Round of 16 match vs Belgium watch party hosted by Detroit City FC on July 6, 2026.
Another Team USA match in the World Cup means another party in downtown Detroit.
Hundreds of fans filled out Campus Martius Park ahead of Team USA’s Round of 16 match against Belgium. If USA wins at Lumen Field in Seattle, it’ll be its first time the Americans made the World Cup quarterfinals in more than 20 years.
This is the fifth Team USA watch party held by Detroit City Football Club for the World Cup.
One US soccer fan, Ankur Gupta, came with a red, white, and blue Einstein wig. Gupta said he hopes the fanfare at Campus Martius matches the in-person experience for Team USA matches.
“I went to the US-Seattle, US-Paraguay games, and they have this complete (expletive) show,” he said. “And it’s awesome.”
The conversation around tonight’s match has been dominated by FIFA’s last-minute decision to allow Folarin Balogun to play, nullifying a one-game suspension from his red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
With Balogun available, the USMNT has an improved shot to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002, and only the second time ever.
Detroit watch party erups after USA goal vs. Belgium in World Cup
The downtown Detroit crowd reacts as USA’s Malik Tillman scores against Belgium in the World Cup Round of 16 match on July 6, 2026.
This story will be updated.
USA TODAY contributed.
Energy Storage Safety Products International (ESSPI), based in Newlab Detroit at Michigan Central, has launched Med Hawk, a new division of the company focused on bringing its ground-based transportation monitoring system to the skies.
With this launch, ESSPI will provide drone operators with insight and analytics when aircraft are transporting medical supplies beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS).
“The drone industry has built the foundation for incredible unmanned aircraft, but now ESSPI is working to demonstrate how we can make those same drones work for us,” says Ron Butler, CEO of ESSPI. “Using Med Hawk’s real-time data and monitoring systems, we are able to help ensure that medical supplies are delivered quickly and safely, ultimately helping to save lives.”
Med Hawk has partnered with Brighton autonomous drone logistics company Blueflite to demonstrate its drone battery monitoring and data logging capabilities and is utilizing the Michigan Central AAIR to replicate deliveries in real-world deployment scenarios.
“Blueflite is excited to work with ESSPI in flight testing their innovative and unique cold storage solution for medical logistics,” says Andrew Zeimen, program manager at Blueflite. “We are looking forward to flying with a Michigan designed and manufactured product on our mission to continue making drone delivery accessible to those that need it, where and when they need it most.”
ESSPI technology is built on the understanding that batteries often exhibit measurable environmental changes before catastrophic failure, the company says. Designed through three years of collaborative development with the U.S Department of Transportation, ESSPI’s DNOC framework — Detection, Notification, Operation, and Communication — allows Med Hawk to provide real-time visibility, data logging, and alerts so drone operators can take action before issues escalate.
Advanced aerial mobility is expanding access to medical deliveries, improving emergency response capabilities, and driving efficiencies across logistics and supply chains. Michigan Central and the Michigan Department of Transportation created AAIR to help scale these technologies, providing 28 square miles of dense, urban environment for testing and scaling new drone technologies into market-ready solutions.
“The diversification of ESSPI’s market offering showcases the transition we’re seeing many companies make, identification and commercialization of products which will make aerial mobility a viable platform to scale their business, while providing solutions for communities that better serve their needs,” says Matt Whitaker, director of the mobility innovation platform at Michigan Central. “What we are seeing with ESSPI and Blueflite is exactly what the Michigan Central ecosystem was built for. To create the foundation for talent and inspiring collaboration between member companies, leading to the next generation of advanced mobility innovation being born in Detroit.”
The collaboration is said to reflect broader momentum across Michigan Central’s aerial mobility ecosystem, which has supported more than 1,200 drone flights and multiple BVLOS deployments focused on logistics, infrastructure inspection, public safety, and delivery applications.
For more information about ESSPI, visit esspi.com/.
For more information about blueflite, visit blueflite.com/.
For more information about Michigan Central AAIR, visit here.
Detroit, MI
Power outage forces flaring at Marathon’s Detroit refinery; portion of Schaefer Road closed
Southwest Detroit – A power outage at Marathon’s Detroit refinery has led to operating conditions that made flaring necessary, the company said Sunday.
Flares are safety devices that allow for the safe combustion of excess gases under certain operating conditions, according to Marathon.
Refinery personnel are conducting off-site air monitoring, the company said.
As a precaution, a section of Schaefer Road from I-75 to Dix Road is closed. Local law enforcement is managing the closure.
Marathon said the company’s top priorities are the safety of employees, responders and the community, as well as limiting any environmental impact.
Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield said her administration is monitoring the situation closely.
“EGLE (the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy) and refinery personnel are conducting air quality monitoring both on-site and in the surrounding neighborhoods. At this time, monitoring has not detected gas readings of concern,” the statement said.
Local 4 reached out to EGLE and a spokesperson said the agency is sending all media inquiries to the city of Detroit.
Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
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