(WXYZ) — Hey, you're busy — we get it.
We know a lot happens throughout the week, and you may not catch all of our stories here at WXYZ. So we've decided to gather the most talked-about stories from the past week all in one place that you can check out during your free time over the weekend.
Have a story idea or tip? Feel free to let us know using the contact form below.
Here are the big stories from the week beginning May 26.
Detroit police announce plans to crack down on drifting and street racing
Detroit police are promising to crack down on drifting and street racing in the city. It's a public nuisance 7 News Detroit has reported on over the last several years.
Police said they are stepping up enforcement actions and busted a drifting event on Monday night at the intersection of Grand River and McGraw avenues.
“Any given night, Detroit Police Department is going to have about a hundred officers that’s dedicated to drag racing and drifting along with block party response, and we’re going to respond as soon as citizens call and say there’s an issue of any kind,” Cmdr. Anthony O’Rourke told news media.
A resident, who wanted to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation told 7 News Detroit, “I was outside and they (were) on both sides of the streets. Both sides. Both sides. Making a whole bunch of racket. Cars spinning and all of that, and I was just like, ‘Oh.' I couldn’t rest."
On Tuesday, Detroit police vowed to command that respect if drifters and observers fail to obey the law.
O’Rourke, DPD’s head of the organized crime unit, said enforcement actions will range.
“It could be ticketing spectators of these events. It could be towing vehicles. It could be forfeiting. It could be making arrests. It could be ticketing the drivers of these incidents," he explained.
The commander said the perpetrators often come from outside of the city.
"One of the individuals was arrested from St. Clair Shores. We have located people in Howell, Michigan, Brighton, Michigan, Algonac, right?" O’Rourke said.
"Individuals come into the city and they are also paid visits by us when it's convenient for us with tow trucks and arrests or citations.”
7 News Detroit spoke with a couple of local drifters who said there’s no legal outlet for it, but that there needs to be.
They’re asking for the city to provide a space and a pit that is regulated where people can drift.
'We're all in intensive care': Greektown restaurant worried about losses due to construction
Downtown construction is taking a toll on a Greektown restaurant, who reached out to 7 News Detroit, fearing for the future of their business.
The owner of table No. 2 says when all the construction is clear, it's going to be a gorgeous stretch of downtown. But he's nervous his restaurant won't survive the wait, saying it's hard even to see the business front when walking by.
Table No. 2 has called Greektown home for two years. Its owner, Omar Mitchell, is hoping his third year will survive the Monroe Streetscape project. The $20 million state-funded project has shut down roads between Randolph and 375 Service Drive. It's expected to wrap up by the summer of 2026.
It'll provide the area with more public space, make the area more pedestrian-friendly, and give better lighting for enhanced safety measures.
Mitchell says since construction started, they're struggling. He's watching his sales drop by 95 percent, and on what should be busy weekends, he says he sees potential new customers walk past, just trying to get out of the crowded, congested sidewalks.
"They’re tripping over the fence pedestals. I’ve seen folks lean on the gates of the fence construction and almost fall through it. It’s very tight. It’s probably a 3-4 for clearance," Mitchell said. "Eventually when they find where they want to go they’re frustrated. They don’t even want to be here anymore."
"We’re all in intensive care and we just don’t know if that breathing machine is going to stop," he continued. "We hope we’re still here for a year because we’ve all put a lot of hard work and dedication into this."
Athina Papas, the Greektown neighborhood partnership's Board Chair and President responded to business concerns with the statement below.
The Greektown Neighborhood Partnership is proud to support our district during the Monroe Streetscape Project. We have worked to mitigate decreases in foot traffic by increasing directional signage and wayfinding, among other ongoing construction-related measures to maintain accessibility. Pedestrian access on Monroe Street remains open for visitors to continue to shop, dine, and explore all that Greektown has to offer. To support and highlight our diverse local businesses, we’re launching exciting neighborhood-wide events and partnerships starting with a wine stroll and district happy hour next month. These initiatives are part of a broader, community-led effort to ensure that Greektown not only endures but thrives during this transformation. We meet regularly to understand and evaluate our community’s needs. This collaborative approach helps ensure Greektown remains vibrant and welcoming throughout this transformation. Visitors can stay informed on parking info, upcoming events and construction updates by visiting our website https://link.edgepilot.com/s/09c026b4/pAva1_teNUW_44aA9V_Olw?u=http://www.greektowndetroit.org/ [link.edgepilot.com] and following our social pages.
Royal Oak residents weigh in on 11 Mile Road project plans
Royal Oak residents and business owners are sharing mixed opinions about a proposed multi-million-dollar left turn lane project on 11 Mile Road from Woodward to Stevenson Highway.
The project would reduce 11 Mile to one lane in each direction and add a center turn lane. The city is now seeking input on how to utilize the additional space created by the lane conversion.
Trey, owner of Hype House located near 11 Mile, believes traffic improvements are needed in the area.
"I think they need more parking, but the turning lanes. Since the freeway's closed, you can't get anywhere, so there's traffic everywhere. So if they do add some more lights, it would help," he said.
However, not all local business owners agree with the need for changes.
"No, I have no trouble with the traffic on 11 Mile. I experience ease of getting into out of my office. I don't think that all that construction is needed. I think that we've got a beautiful downtown community. If I were to have a vote, my vote would be leave it as is," said Sherry Major, whose Psychology Center for Positive Change sits behind 11 Mile off of Knowles Street.
Michael Aquilina, who, along with his wife, has lived in Royal Oak for more than 65 years combined, supports the project but has specific requests.
"I think it needs some work. Being a former bicyclist, I still get out and bike once in a while. I'd like to see them put in a bike lane," Aquilina said.
When asked if a middle turn lane would improve traffic flow, Aquilina responded affirmatively.
"Yes, I do. I would like to see a middle turn lane. And then at least one lane going each way and then a bike lane," he said.
Sister Pie in Detroit making 'temporary, necessary' changes in June amid challenging times
Sister Pie, the popular bakery in Detroit's West Village neighborhood, will be making changes to its operation early next month.
Owner Lisa Ludwinski posted to the bakery's Instagram page on Wednesday morning that the "temporary, necessary" changes come in the midst of "challenge and chaos."
"Although the spirit of Sister Pie is alive and well, I’ve arrived at the conclusion that the business isn’t working in its current state. There are multiple, intersecting factors that contribute to this, and most urgently in the form of a financial crisis," Ludwinski wrote in the post.
She spoke to us on Wednesday after making the post on Instagram. She said the COVID-19 pandemic hit hard and they have been struggling to recover every since.
"At the beginning of 2025, it became clear that something really radical had to happen in order for us to kind of climb back," Ludwinski said.
According to Ludwinski, starting the week of June 9, Sister Pie won't be open for regular business hours.
She said in the post that instead, the business will enter a period of "rest and radical reconfiguration, of exploration and experimentation, and of occasional pop-ups and events to keep the roof over our heads."
She did say that people will still be able to satisfy their Sister Pie cravings periodically.
Ludwinski also wrote the bakery will still be fulfilling special orders and teaching baking classes throughout the time. You can sign up for baking classes on the Sister Pie website.
"We are selling at Eastern Market over the summer, there's going to be new classes that we add that are going to be available for people to take," she said.
Hana's Garden, which honors life of Hana St. Juliana, to open at Seymour Lake Park
Hana’s Garden at Seymour Lake Park will soon be open to the public. Steve St. Juliana told us it’s about honoring his daughter and creating a gathering place.
“I insisted we have water here," said Steve.
Steve said they were able to fund this garden all through donations.
"So special. It’s still going to take a couple years to reach its full potential," he said.
Hana was one of four children, including Tate Myre, Madisyn Baldwin, and Justin Shilling, who were killed by a mass shooter at Oxford High in November of 2021.
"Hana was a bright personality. She loved flowers. Her name means flower," said Steve.
Since her passing, Hana’s father says he’s searched for a way to honor his daughter, who loved art, flowers and the color purple.
“The water flows out of the boulders and down," said Steve. “The entrance gateway has a Japanese influence to it. The concept of having water in the garden, lends remembrance to that part of Hana.”
He tells us more than two years of planning have gone into what you see here now, and there is symbolism all around.
A fountain and a sculpture are among the features of what’s meant to be a gathering place for healing and a sense of peace.
Detroit City Football Club reveals timeline & renderings for new Corktown soccer stadium
Detroit City Football Club is moving forward with its plans to transform the site of the abandoned Southwest Detroit Hospital into the city’s first soccer-specific stadium.
DCFC CEO Sean Mann said demolition of the long-vacant hospital in Corktown is set to begin in July, marking the start of construction on a 15,000-seat stadium designed to serve as a community hub.
“We’ve approached this with an aggressive mindset,” Mann said.
The stadium is projected to open by the start of the 2027 season, which would mark the club’s 27th year.
Renderings released this week show plans for a modern stadium, on-site commercial space, and a parking structure with 685 spaces. The design aims to blend the new facility into the Corktown neighborhood, Mann said.
“Our goal is to build a stadium that is community-oriented,” he added.
The project has been met with excitement from local residents and business owners, who hope the development will boost foot traffic and business in the area.
Ann Arbor grocery store on mission to support local farmers
A grocery store in Ann Arbor is changing the way we think about food by focusing exclusively on local items and giving farmers a significant financial boost.
Argus Farm Stop, which opened in 2014, now operates three locations in Ann Arbor, including two markets and a cafe.
The store's mission is to support farmers throughout Michigan by providing them with a much larger percentage of sales than traditional grocery stores.
"We are a year-round, everyday farmers market. We exist to help farmers, producers, and growers here locally have a spot to sell their stuff 7 days a week," said Laura Matney, general manager of Argus Farm Stop.
Nearly everything on the shelves, the vegetables, eggs, meat, and even items like flowers, beer and coffee beans, was made or grown in Michigan.
Signs around the store remind shoppers where their money is going, highlighting a key difference in their business model.
"In a traditional grocery store, farmers on average are getting maybe 15 cents on the dollar, and so we really are trying to flip that paradigm," said Matney.
Farmers who sell at Argus Farm Stop set their own prices and make 70% of the sale, while the store keeps the other 30%.
"The way this works for us is there's no middle distribution piece. The farmers pull right up to our store. Our goal is not to exist to make a bunch of profit. Our goal is really to exist a little over break even and send the money back to farmers, growers, producers, staff, and keep the lights on," said Matney.
The store has grown from supporting 40 local producers to over 300 since opening in 2014. One of those producers is Green Things Farm Collective located in Ann Arbor and known for their vegetables, flowers, and beef cattle.
