From our state’s major teacher shortage to large numbers of long-term substitutes, to students not making it to school (let alone the political challenges in Lansing). Michigan’s education system is in real trouble. Students are falling farther and farther behind, and this issue is one of the most important to talk about as it’s literally the future of our region and state. We do a deep with Ron French from Bridge Magazine as to why. The main pieces we talk about, if you’re following along, are ...
Dec 11, 2019•18 min•Ep. 395
Jer here. I have a lot of personal connection to the east side of Detroit. My grandmother lived just blocks from where this new pop-up bookstore, 27th Letter Books, just opened. They're the winners of the Hatch Detroit contest, and before their permanent space has been found they've set up shop in a neat old retail storefront on Van Dyke. What follows in today's episode as a conversation with the owners, Drew and Erin Pineda. We talk about their journey to get set up in Detroit, books and more. ...
Dec 10, 2019•11 min•Ep. 394
On today's show: - "Sweeping" changes are coming to Detroit's Animal Care and Control, including more people and money - Detroit's darling watch and luxury goods maker, Shinola, is doing layoffs and outsourcing. Will we have to undergo a true culture shift to be able to make things in America again? More on Fox 2: https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/shinola-lays-off-employees-plans-to-outsource-some-operations Our previous Shinola story: http://www.dailydetroit.com/2019/07/18/shinola-is-laying-peop...
Dec 09, 2019•12 min•Ep. 393
So what exactly is the state of our Detroit region as we head in 2020? It’s important to look at, as regardless of what angry people on the internet might think, our region is economically and culturally connected. Most metro Detroiters live in one county or city and work in another. We all use the same infrastructure to commute, to visit family, to shop. And I know from personal experience that in the eyes of the world, we compete on one Detroit team, even though proponents of our long-standing...
Dec 06, 2019•28 min•Ep. 392
On today’s show: At some point over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, a portion of the riverbank near Fort Wayne collapsed into the Detroit River. That riverbank is believed to contain material left over from the Manhattan Project. If you remember, that was the National effort to create the Atomic Bomb during World War 2. And, suffice it to say, that’s not good. Dave Battagello from the Windsor Star-who broke the story ( you can read it here ) joins us to talk about it. Also, give him a follow o...
Dec 05, 2019•11 min•Ep. 391
Detroit-based pizza purveyor Buddy’s is on the way to opening their second Detroit location and first downtown. So Sven and Jer stopped in to check it out, try some pizzas and chat with their new-ish CEO, Burton Heiss. Plus: The end of the licensing agreement between Kid Rock’s Made in Detroit restaurant and Little Caesars Arena has made national news. We give you a rundown on what happened, and then some thoughts. Also, here’s a map of the 2019 Noel Night festivities. And here’s the Noel Night ...
Dec 04, 2019•19 min•Ep. 390
Now that we’re in December, we’re in the holiday season. And one of my favorite events in Detroit is Noel Night. Now in its 47th year, it has swung the doors of Midtown open to crowds and revelry, cheer and merriment. And this year, it promises to be better than ever. Today is a preview of that event that’s coming Saturday, December 7, 2019 with Annmarie Borucki from Midtown Inc. who organizes the extravaganza. Have a listen to the podcast in the player below: Also, here’s a map of the 2019 Noel...
Dec 03, 2019•16 min•Ep. 389
Welcome back to the week! On today’s podcast: The UAW and Fiat Chrysler have a tentative deal, meaning 7,900 more jobs and an additional $4.5 billion in investment. The Palace of Auburn Hills is being demolished. Trenton Mayor Kyle Stack has died. Beaumont Hospital has brought back their Moonbeams for Sweet Dreams. Register here to join. The first day of recreational marijuana sales has come and gone, here are the numbers . Downtown Hamtramck has free parking for the holidays, we talk about a fe...
Dec 02, 2019•15 min•Ep. 388
Happy Thanksgiving Weekend! What's the big thing that happens around town this weekend? Sports! So first Jer talks about the Lions 24-20 loss to the Bears and wonders if getting rid of Jim Caldwell was such a good idea, and if the curse of Bobby Lane is still in effect. Then, Sven Gustafson and Fletcher Sharpe talk Pistons and reminisce about the Malice at the Palace. It was Fletcher's first NBA game. Our show is every weekday on Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/daily-detroit-...
Nov 29, 2019•17 min•Ep. 387
Greetings, comrades! I’m back from my week-long visit to Minsk, Belarus, halfway around the globe and a world away, as a guest of the good people at Press Club Belarus and the U.S. Embassy Minsk. It’s good to be back and rolling with the podcast. We’re planning to release an entire episode devoted exclusively to my visit to the former Soviet republic and what I learned about one of Detroit’s seven sister cities, sometime in the coming weeks. But on today’s show, we discuss my visit to Minsk and ...
Nov 27, 2019•34 min•Ep. 386
On today’s podcast, we visit the new Viola flagship cannabis retail operation near the old Boblo Boat docks. Viola, owned by NBA veteran Al Harrington, is a national cannabis company that’s going to invest up to $10 million in the space, with a goal of creating more than 60 jobs as he rolls vertical integration into the facility. We sit down with Harrington on the podcast and get an idea of what’s in store. We have pictures up on http://www.dailydetroit.com Also, we cover some interesting storie...
Nov 26, 2019•16 min•Ep. 385
Today’s episode is a first taste, if you will, of a new set of dining and drinking concepts that are to open today at the very top of Detroit’s most iconic building, the GM RENCEN. They’re called the High Bar, Hearth 71, and Highlands. There is also an event space. Of course, they’ll have some amazing views, being the highest point in the state. But do they have culinary promise? We check it out on the podcast. Of course, as with all early access things to restaurants, this isn’t a review. it’s ...
Nov 24, 2019•12 min•Ep. 384
Our guest on the podcast today is Steve Gursten. He’s the head of Michigan Auto Law and has been named one of Michigan’s top lawyers by multiple publications. Today’s episode is a response to many listeners who are seeing their auto insurance rates go up in metro Detroit, anywhere from 10 to 30 percent. That’s in stark contrast to what politicians, including Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Republican Senate Majority Leader Michael Shirkey and promised on the big porch on Mackinac Island...
Nov 22, 2019•25 min•Ep. 383
On today's podcast: - We share details on what happened on Wyoming Street in Detroit that resulted in the death of Detroit officer Rasheen McClain. It's the 239th in the department's history. - UAW President Gary Jones resigns - General Motors is suing FCA - Shianne and Jer make a trip down to the new H&M in downtown Detroit and check it out. We talk with Ezinne Kwubiri and Patrick Shaner. Shianne has her thoughts. - And a yacht crashed into the GM Riverwalk. Like the show? Tell a friend! We...
Nov 21, 2019•24 min•Ep. 382
On today's show: Our feature conversation is a deep dive into the proposed $250 million demolition bond that was denied by Detroit City Council this week. What was it? Why did it fail? And what's next? We chatted with Chase Cantrell from Building Community Value. The organization is on the ground providing tools to help Detroiters rebuild their city. You can find out more about them and sign up for their classes here: http://www.bcvdetroit.org/ Also around the region: A new scorecard is out for ...
Nov 20, 2019•21 min•Ep. 381
On today’s show for Tuesday, November 19, 2019: Two big stories. More mass transit may be moving ahead in Southeast Michigan - minus Macomb County. Shianne went to Royal Oak to learn more. And Greg Migliore of Autoblog joins me to talk about the brand new Mustang Mach-E from Ford. It’s an answer to Tesla and was even revealed next door to Tesla property. Mach-E Ridealong: https://www.autoblog.com/2019/11/17/ford-mustang-mach-e-ride-along-video/ More Mach-E Coverage: https://www.autoblog.com/2019...
Nov 19, 2019•16 min•Ep. 380
On today's show (yes, we're moving to mornings! Finally!) - A film focusing in part on a Detroit automaker, "Ford V. Ferrari," takes the top spot at the box office - Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer is in Israel - Gas price update from AAA - Taxpayers are on the hook for free health care for Warren's elected officials for life. In depth here: https://www.macombdaily.com/news/local/new-perk-for-warren-elected-officials-free-health-insurance-for/article_c6cc821a-070a-11ea-babc-070b87802b9a.html ...
Nov 18, 2019•17 min•Ep. 379
Michigan is the Great Lakes State. Detroit is literally named the city of the strait - our river. And one of the most important assets we have, and resources to protect, is our water and our environment. So when I heard Tracie Baker at TEDxDetroit talk about the contaminant soup we live in, my ears perked up. they perked up double when the Assistant Professor at the Institute of Environmental Health Sciences as well as the department of Pharmacology said that those contaminants can even impact o...
Nov 15, 2019•18 min•Ep. 378
On today's show: Internationally acclaimed photographer and Detroit resident Kenny Karpov joins us to talk about his upcoming photo exhibit, "Despite It All, We Never Learn." T he photos take you on a journey with Karpov on a refugee boat in the Mediterranean. It's quite the story, and the opening event is at M Contemporary Gallery in Ferndale. More info here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1422062574620647/ Also, Sven - a former print journalist - and Jer talk about the news that apparently th...
Nov 13, 2019•20 min•Ep. 377
Happy snowmageddon, Detroit! Hope you’re all staying nice and warm. On today’s episode, we dig out of the early and record-breaking November snowstorm and dig into a few of the things that aren’t working around town. Specifically, we talk about: That WXYZ investigation into a Detroit landlord whom the city has forgiven more than $1 million in unpaid taxes, fees and other fines he owes. It was part of the land swap the city orchestrated to pave the way for the new Fiat Chrysler auto assembly plan...
Nov 12, 2019•25 min•Ep. 376
It might surprise you that the 2.1 square miles of Hamtramck is the densest, as far as residents per square mile, of any in the state. With roots to before 1800, the city has seen a succession of immigrants. founded by French Canadian Commander Jean Francois Hamtramck, the township was settled by people from what we know today as the province of Quebec in Canada. Since then, it’s become a village of German farmers. And then, with Polish immigrants as the automobile industry rose in the first qua...
Nov 11, 2019•23 min•Ep. 375
That’s the voice of Rob Paulsen. Born in Detroit, raised in Michigan and now with a voice known to millions, the singer and actor is the kind of person that can light up a room with just a few words. Whether it is as the voice of Pinky in Pinky and the brain, on the Animaniacs, or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, it’s magic. He has more than 250 animated voices and a thousand commercials under his belt. Rob comes back from time to time, and we caught up with him at TEDx Detroit for a wide-rangi...
Nov 08, 2019•26 min•Ep. 374
On today’s show: We cover four things to know around town in our headlines, then we chat with the artist behind Sareytales. Sarey Ruden turns the creepy, scary, terrible and misogynistic messages she gets on a regular basis while online dating into art. The pieces ( some that you can view here ) will stop you in your tracks and shines a light on the dark side of online dating. Like what we're doing? Don't forget to share the Daily Detroit podcast! It's the best way to push Detroit's conversation...
Nov 08, 2019•17 min•Ep. 373
Despite a steady trickle of leaked recordings of him being horrible , Warren Mayor Jim Fouts was re-elected to a fourth term on Tuesday. On today’s show, we talk about and what it says about Warren. Then, we highlight some other races from around the region and discuss what they say about those cities, from Ferndale to Flint and Eastpointe to Livonia. Finally, we speak with Colleen Martin and Saharsh Hajela, two University of Michigan graduates who co-founded Shout . That’s a brand-new, non-part...
Nov 06, 2019•21 min•Ep. 372
On today's show: An old train depot in Holly from 1886 gets a big preservation grant Two metro Detroit communities get top billing as places to retire An annual festival in Oakland County will be back at least through 2024 H&M in downtown Detroit finally has an opening date Dr. Paul Thomas from Plum Health Direct Primary Care comes on to talk about their new office in Detroit’s Corktown And a Detroit teacher is driving Uber to pay for sweaters for her students whose parents can’t afford them...
Nov 05, 2019•12 min•Ep. 371
Gregg Garrett, our guest today, shares that four million jobs are going to be eliminated through autonomous vehicles from the U.S. economy. On the flip side, $7.8 trillion of value will be created. So how does not just our country, but our region that is the home of the automotive industry, deal with that? Whether it’s this or a litany of other stuff that’s happening that we discuss, there’s a train of change coming to Southeast Michigan. Welcome to your Daily Detroit for Monday, November 4th, 2...
Nov 04, 2019•22 min•Ep. 370
We’ve made it to the weekend! On today’s show: We break down the proposed FCA/PSA Peugeot merger deal. A lawsuit involving a popular brewery, Founders, has been settled out of court The new Hotel Cambria is coming to Detroit in the old WWJ Building on West Lafayette Ford and the UAW have a tentative deal, avoiding a strike but closing a plant Sven and Jer chat about the details we now know on bike-sharing expanding to the suburbs And the Oakland County suburb of Ferndale has a mayoral contest ne...
Nov 01, 2019•20 min•Ep. 369
The big news this week in development in Detroit is the announcement of a new University of Michigan Innovation Center, bankrolled and supported by billionaires Stephen Ross and Dan Gilbert. The $300 million building on a $750 million campus will transform a site that was originally planned to be a jail. But that old jail project was a mess and became the infamous Fail Jail through mismanagement and cost overruns. After visiting the unveiling, we take a look at the past - how we got here, back t...
Oct 31, 2019•13 min•Ep. 368
On today’s show: Turns out the demolishing a theater might not be a requirement to get financing for a redevelopment project that has preservationists up in arms. Nancy Schlicting steps down from the Michigan State University board. Sven breaks it down and talks about putting wins on the field or court over everything else. Some Wayne State University board members aren’t happy with a pledge for all high school grads in Detroit to get college and how the plan was rolled out. They’re calling for ...
Oct 29, 2019•18 min•Ep. 367
Lead in our drinking water has been in the news, with quite a few suburban communities learning they have levels of lead that require action. To help explain what’s actually happening, our guest on the show is Elin Betanzo. In August of 2015, Elin played a critical role in uncovering the Flint Water Crisis by encouraging Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, a Flint pediatrician, to conduct a study that discovered elevated lead levels in children living in Flint, Michigan. Elin continues to work on lead and d...
Oct 28, 2019•15 min•Ep. 366
