Zena Issa
Criminal Justice ReporterZena Issa is Michigan Public’s new Criminal Justice reporter, joining the team after previously working as a newsroom intern and Stateside production assistant. She has contributed to award-winning projects like Voter Voices and What the Vote. A fluent Arabic speaker and experienced multimedia journalist, she has reported for WLNS-TV, WDIV-TV, and WBAL-TV, and brings strong social media storytelling skills to her new role. She's also a graduate of the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. (Go Blue!)
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Detroit leaders say the city closed 2025 with major reductions in violent crimes including homicides, shootings, and carjackings. -
A new bill introduced in the state Senate would require certain Michigan movie theaters to offer captioned screenings during the first three weeks of a film’s release to improve accessibility for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. -
Mayor Mary Sheffield was sworn in on January 1, 2026, as Detroit’s 76th mayor, making history as the first woman elected to lead the city. -
County prosecutors are running out of time to make key decisions for people serving life without parole for crimes they committed as young adults. Progress varies by county. -
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is launching a new grant program to help farms transport and sell Michigan-grown food to local buyers. -
Dearborn is equipping all Dearborn Public Schools buses with stop-arm enforcement cameras. The technology is designed to improve student safety by deterring drivers from illegally passing stopped school buses. -
Force Detroit celebrated its 10th anniversary with a gala highlighting its community-led work to interrupt cycles of violence and support young people, and a new fellowship honoring founder Alia Harvey-Quinn. -
Michigan lawmakers are weighing legislation that would require major social media platforms to verify users’ ages and obtain parental consent for anyone under 18. -
A Michigan mother refuses to let her son wait decades for the parole-mandated classes he needs, turning to outside education programs like the nonprofit Level when the prison system offers none. -
Work is getting started on the Brewster Wheeler redevelopment, which is set to create 211 affordable housing units and restore the historic Brewster Wheeler Rec Center.
