Detroit, MI
Thompson: Detroit mayor’s race remains unpredictable
With no clear frontrunner and no fundraising advantage demonstrated by any of the candidates currently in the race, the battle for the next Detroit mayor is tough to forecast.
Mayor Mike Duggan’s decision not to seek reelection and to instead run for governor has left the seat wide open for anyone who has the political skills, fundraising ability and a powerful, convincing message to capture the votes of Detroiters.
So far, the candidates in the race have yet to demonstrate that.
First-term Detroit City Council member Fred Durhal III became the latest entry into what is expected to be a chaotic race. Durhal joins council President Mary Sheffield, former council member Saunteel Jenkins and attorney Todd Perkins.
But Durhal being in the mix doesn’t shake up the race or add significantly to the campaign. He has been an elected official for a significant part of his life, including as a lawmaker in Lansing. Aside from that there is nothing to distinguish him from the other existing candidates.
His announcement last week wasn’t compelling. Like a typical politician, he said all of the right things about Detroit needing to be a world-class city and what that requires. But it was typical political platitudes. There was nothing game changing in the speech.
What a candidate determined to win ought to do is draw the battle lines, explain where the current administration is lacking and discuss in detail what Detroiters need from their elected officials. The Duggan administration has improved parts of the city, but its most vulnerable population has basically been a spectator to the economic recovery.
The divide between overwhelming support for downtown at the expense of the rest of the neighborhoods remains a thorny issue.
Businessman Dennis Archer Jr. has been mentioned lately as a potential candidate. As the son of former mayor Dennis Archer and someone who could net corporate support, he would be a high-profile candidate if he joins the race. But Archer would have a lot of explaining to do on the campaign trail.
That includes his views on the issues of poverty and economic inequality, particularly since he has not taken many public positions on controversial issues that have shaped the Duggan era, such as the $600 million over taxation of homeowners. He would face perhaps more scrutiny as a well-connected entrepreneur who is viewed favorably by some business leaders.
Another issue that is being overlooked is how the policies of President Donald Trump could impact Detroit. Candidates cannot avoid Trump. They have to show Detroiters that they are willing to take on the president and protect their communities from some of the adverse policies of the administration.
X (formerly Twitter): @BankoleDetNews
bankole@bankolethompson.com
Bankole Thompson’s columns appear on Mondays and Thursdays in The Detroit News.
In the lead-up to the 2026 NFL Draft, NBC Sports’ Chris Simms gave his one and only prediction of who he believes will be selected in the first round on April 23, including where the Detroit Lions go after at the No. 17 overall pick.
Along with several draft boards and experts, the general consensus is that the Lions will prioritize an offensive tackle with their lone first-round pick, given the dire need to replace now-released Taylor Decker at the left tackle position next season.
In his April 20 prediction posted on X, Simms has the Lions addressing that need by selecting 6-foot-7, 352-pound Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor at their No. 17 overall draft position.
While there are some mock drafts that predict the Lions trading up to grab their desired draft target, the franchise certainly would not be opposed to Proctor, who is ranked as the No. 2 overall offensive tackle by NFL.com, perfectly falling to them at the No. 17 position.
If Detroit can land Proctor, it would likely be viewed as another successful first-round selection by general manager Brad Holmes and an excellent way to kick off the NFL Draft weekend in the Steel City.
For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews
DETROIT (WXYZ) — Michigan has some of the greatest natural resources in the country, and those working to protect them met Tuesday for an annual conference.
The fourth annual MI Healthy Climate Conference happened at Huntington Place in Detroit. I had a chance to see some of the innovative ways they are working to protect our environment.
Watch Glenda Lewis’ video report below:
4th annual MI Healthy Climate Conference held in Detroit
“One thing that brings Michiganders together is understanding the beauty and the importance of the environment around us,” said Jeff Johnston with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.
In attendance for the event were 700 speakers and about 50 speakers who are passionate about preserving what’s most precious to the state of Michigan.
“We’re right here on the beautiful Detroit Riverfront, part of the Great Lakes system. We’ve got 3,200 miles of coastline in Michigan on the Great Lakes, 11,000 rivers. I’ve got all these amazing numbers that talk about just how important our relationship with the natural world is,” Johnston said. “To engage in climate action, to mitigate the problems of greenhouse gases and fossil fuels that endanger that environment, endanger our livelihoods and our lives is just some of the most important work we can be doing.”
WXYZ
The conference focuses on green funding and a strong future.
“I worked on a youth magazine to engage young people in conservation,” said Jenny Kalejs, a MI Health Climate fellow in the Upper Peninsula. “So, we do land stewardship protection of ecologically sensitive lands, organizing community partners, so we can better collaborate.”
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Michael Goldman Brown Jr. is an MI Health Climate fellow in Detroit.
“I’m sited at Transportation Riders United right here in Detroit, and I’m working on expanding and advocating for better transit here in Detroit but also the entire state of Michigan,” MI Health Climate fellow Michael Goldman Brown Jr. said.
We caught up with a couple of the more than two dozen people working as fellows with a number of nonprofit organizations and green-focused businesses and municipalities to help create an air of change.
“About a third of pollution comes from transportation, from cars and trucks and planes and everybody getting where they need to go,” said Megan Ownens, the director and Transportation Riders United. “So that’s why we at Transportation United are part of this. We want to make sure people have options other than their car.”
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Executive director of Community 2 Me Network Shawna Forbes Henry wants to protect Detroit’s footprint.
“Detroit is an area that is heavily impacted by various climate changes and emergencies, so we are here to ensure that our residents have the training that they need, have the economic resources that they need and the have the ability to feed that pipeline for employment,” Henry said.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer spoke to all the conference attendees by video, announcing a $1.8 million grant competition for industrial decarbonization, where applicants will come up with cost effective ways to reduce greenhouse emissions.
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