Daily Detroit News Byte

Today's episode is all about cars — specifically, about how the law has paved the way for their dominance in our everyday lives and shaping the way we live in fundamental ways. Our guest is Gregory Shill, a Law Professor at the University of Iowa who grew up here in Metro Detroit. Professor Shill recently wrote a piece in the Atlantic headlined, "Americans shouldn't have to drive, but the law insists on it." https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/07/car-crashes-arent-always-unavoidable/592447/ It's an especially germane topic here in Detroit, where there's been so much controversy over adding protected bike lanes on busy roads and the recent decision to permanently close the Spirit of Detroit Plaza to vehicle traffic.

It's late summer. Things slow down a bit. Think of this episode as a summer book at the beach before fall hits us with crisp breezes and hectic schedules. Today, we're going to talk about having meaning in your everyday life. To chat about that is Lynne Golodner. She's the host of the Make Meaning podcast. A former journalist, Lynne Golodner has dedicated her life to sharing stories about how people find meaning in the mundane. Her podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-make-meaning-podcast/id1448252358 My favorite episode with Rachel Lutz of the Peacock Room: https://www.yourppl.com/podcast/episode-33-transcending-transactions-with-rachel-lutz/

Oakland County is under new leadership — and Democratic control — after former Ferndale Mayor David Coulter was sworn in Friday as new county executive. Coulter will serve out the remainder of the term of longtime boss and Republican, L. Brooks Patterson, who died Aug. 4. Coulter is a former member of the Oakland County Board of Commissioners who had been mayor of Ferndale for almost nine years. On this episode, Jer and I talk about Coulter's track record in Ferndale and what it suggests about how he might govern from the County administrative building on Telegraph. (Hint: No more comments about blankets and corn, for starters.) Other things you'll be delighted to hear about: The QLINE will now accept a universal fare card called the DART that also covers bus far on DDOT and SMART, yay! But what else does Detroit's underwhelming streetcar need to really get rolling? Ford and Lincoln plan to launch two electric crossover utility vehicles based on a common EV platform that will be built at the Flat Rock Assembl

Today's episode hits on three topics. First, journalist Darren Nichols joins us to add context around a racially charged incident in Royal Oak that's made national headlines. A white woman called police on a black man who looked suspicious. And Royal Oak Police questioned him for 30 minutes outside of a popular restaurant, while a bystander broadcast the thing live on Facebook. We dive into previous incidents in Royal Oak and in Detroit's history. You may know Darren from his work at the Detroit News. Today he freelances and also hosts a weekly local podcast, Beyond the Headlines. Recommended reading: Origins of the Urban Crisis. Second, the drama around who will be Oakland County Executive next continues. And third, Detroit City FC finally is truly going professional and Sven will tell you all about it. Plus, Sven's back from up north!

On today's show, we go to the Two Way Inn to talk about celebrating the 198th birthday this weekend of Colonel Philetus Norris. The civil war veteran who fought on the Union side built a place now known as one of the best dive bars in America - the Two Way Inn - and more in a village called Norris. Now, it's the Nortown neighborhood of Detroit, and they're looking to take Philetus's old house and fix it up into something good for the community. It's an interesting story in a corner of town that doesn't get a ton of headlines. Here's a link to the event Saturday afternoon and early evening if you want to go. 100 percent of the proceeds go to the Norris House restoration. Also: Ford is now covering repair costs on clutches for 560,000 Focus and Fiesta vehicles. Soft serve shop Huddle is open downtown. Ilitch property up in Farmington Hills will become the headquarters for Mercedes Benz Financial and Royal Oak has a new interim city manager. 

The eyes of the nation have been on Metro Detroit, as this is where Chaldean Christian Jimmy Al-Daoud was picked up for deportation to Iraq. The 41 year old Oakland County man came to the United States legally as a baby, and as an adult, dealt with health issues like diabetes and schizophrenia. He also had numerous problems with the law, which got him the attention of the Federal Government. A couple months after his deportation, Jimmy died in the city of Najaf. But the story goes deeper, and beyond Mr. Al-Daoud. Although all the media attention is on the Mexican border and talk of the wall, it is Michigan that has been the incubator for the U.S. government's recent policies and practices on deportation. And the first group to deal with mass roundups was the Chaldean community, mostly in suburban Oakland and Macomb County. So joining us is Clarence Dass. He's a lawyer who personally dealt with more than 25 of these kinds of cases. We have an interesting conversation on something that is dividing the nation, i

Our public school system in Detroit has a lot of needs. Not just for the district itself, but as a lot of families don't have money, a lot of programs that kids in the suburbs just do? Well, they don't in Detroit. Like travel and fees to robotics competitions, for instance. Often in the suburbs, parents pick that up. In Detroit, often, the families don't have the money. Here's some context. The median household income in the city of Detroit is less than $30,000 a year. Statewide, it's nearly $55,000. It's not just about what the district itself gets per student in state funding, but the impact of poverty on families and educational outcomes. Mix that with all of the other challenges big city districts have here in Detroit and around the country and there's a lot to deal with. So my conversation today is with Pamela Moore. She's the president of the Detroit Public Schools Foundation, a non-profit that works to raise money and give grants to the Detroit Public Schools Community District and non-profit organizat

On today's show for August 9th, 2019: Up in Royal Oak, there may be a new plan for the site of long-time Italian restaurant that recently closed. A local brewing magazine, MIBREW, is ceasing publication after a controversial photo spread. Electric buses are coming to DDOT and SMART. Detroit bike share service MoGo is getting E-Bikes. A Pokemon-themed bar is coming to town. Shianne talks about her trip to the Lobster Pound up in Birmingham. And Jer and Sven Gustafson try the newly released Stroh's Detroit Lager before it hits stores. 

On today's show: Wahlburgers opens in Royal Oak, Jeff Goldblum descends upon Detroit on a bicycle, Jack White is re-releasing some great stuff, there's a cat film festival coming and Arts Beats and Eats releases their lineup. Also: Sister Mary Jane Herb stopped by the studio to talk about the future of the Marygrove campus after the closure of the college later this year. The plans are big and funded. Fletcher Sharpe and Sven break down what's happening in the land of Detroit City FC ahead of their extra season and the possibility they will change leagues. Thanks for listening to your Daily Detroit! Be sure to tell a friend about the show. 

There's a beer battle brewing in Michigan. Our guest on the show is Dayne Barscht, Managing Director of Eastern Market Brewing to talk about it. They're leading a petition drive to change state law to make it easier for small breweries in Michigan to self-distribute their beer, without having to go through a distributor. Also, Riopelle Street in Eastern Market is getting redone as a part-time pedestrian street that will be shut down during the evenings to create a space between EMBC and Detroit Distillery to enjoy. Additionally on today's show… We highlight election results from around town, including oft-criticized Warren Mayor Jim Fouts coasting to victory in his primary. Townhomes in Detroit's Islandview neighborhood are going for $620,000 each. As part of the deal, developers have also rehabbed the home of an existing resident. They're calling it 'reverse gentrification.' It made us scratch our heads and we'll talk about it.  The giant tower being built on the old Hudson's may get downsized. Kroger is hi

Today on the show, it's Jer's birthday! dBusiness Editor and Publisher R.J. King joins us at the Podcast Detroit studio to talk about Hantz Woodlands. Created with a lot of controversy during Detroit's bankruptcy, the operation has, well, grown. RJ talks about his cover piece for the July/August issue of dBusiness on newsstands now. Also: Dan Gilbert is sounding alive and recovering from a stroke. Pizza-shaped windows are finally going into the Little Caesars HQ And StockX lost 6.8 million records to hackers and wasn't exactly up front about it.  Thanks for listening to your Daily Detroit. Be sure to tell a friend about the show. 

L. Brooks Patterson, who died Saturday at age 80 at his home in Independence Township, was one of the Detroit area's most consequential and controversial figures in local politics. To some, he represents the ascendancy of an economic powerhouse, in Oakland County, and the very pinnacle of good governance and fiscal stewardship. But he's also a key player in the region's ugly racial divides, through his bitter rivalry with former Detroit Mayor Coleman A. Young and his history as an attorney fighting bussing and school integration in the 1970s. Patterson was diagnosed earlier this year with pancreatic cancer, and while there were plenty of signs that the modern era was starting to pass him by, there is no denying that he left a major mark on the regional — and on regional politics. On today's show, I go back in time to when I was covering politics in the mid-aughts for The Oakland Press. We hear from state Sen. Jim Runestad, R-White Lake, who worked with Patterson when he served on the Oakland County Board of C

Detroit's Capitol Park has a long, storied history. And it's seen a lot of transformation the last five years. It also has a special place in my heart as it's a place I traveled often as a kid. My first Hot Wheels set was bought in a store where Prime and Proper is now. My McDonalds? As a kid, it'd be the one that was at State and Shelby streets when my dad went and painted offices.  On today's show, we dive in on the history with HistoricDetroit.org's Dan Austin. We take a tour of the recently renovated Farwell Building. It had sat basically abandoned since 1984. We talk to Capitol Cafe operator and Eatori owner Zack Yatim about his new spot. And with Brian Rebain of Kraemer Design Group.

Wolf Blitzer, Anderson Cooper, Don Lemon and the rest of the CNN teevee crew have packed up their new Shinola gifts and "Detroit Vs. Everybody" T-shirts now that the Democratic presidential candidate debates are over. Aside from the economic bumps for the Book Cadillac, Detroit Water Ice and no doubt many swanky downtown eateries, did Detroit learn anything from any of the 20 candidates hoping to end Donald Trump's presidency after one term? Do we know anything more about how the Democratic field will shake out? We talk about that and what issues are likely to resonate among Michigan voters with Matt Grossmann, director of the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research at Michigan State University. What does he think about the Democratic Party's epic struggle between progressives and moderates? Plus, Jer and I offer our own thoughts on a crowded debate stage. Thanks for listening to Daily Detroit. If you like what you're hearing, tell a friend about us, leave us a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts,

This week on Daily Detroit, we're dusting off our politics hats. The Democratic presidential debates are in town at the Fox Theater, after all, and Round 1 took place last night, with the second debate planned for Wednesday evening. Tuesday night's debate featured front-runners and progressive-wing standard-bearers Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, plus South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg. And they showed well. But Jer and I argue that former Grosse Pointe resident and self-help author Marianne Williamson arguably advanced her cause the most of any candidate on stage. Williamson, who recently penned a column for CNN discussing the school inequality she witnessed as a Pointer, used her limited air time to talk about issues like the Flint water crisis and even the hot-button issue of reparations, which she supports. Could last night's debate be Williamson's golden escalator moment? Also, I speak with former Democratic state Rep. Marie Donigan of Royal Oak for her take on the debate. Who strengthened the

On today's Daily Detroit podcast: Brian "Q" Quinn from the TruTV show Impractical Jokers will join us on the line. He's one of four that make up the comedy troupe The Tenderloins. They're coming to DTE Energy Music Theatre on August 9th. [Tickets here] A schedule change puts the Rocket Mortgage Classic and Grand Prix on the same weekend. A new incentive district is coming to the Livernois-McNichols area in Detroit to spur commercial development. Royal Oak is looking for a city manager [Royal Oak Tribune] And some local breweries win medals at the 2019 U.S. Open Beer Championship [Complete list of winners] Do you like what you're hearing? Follow the Daily Detroit podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you download your favorite shows. And thanks to Seth for joining us as a member! You can be cool like Seth at http://www.patreon.com/dailydetroit 

On today's show we touch on: Is there a restaurant bubble? Here's the original piece we discuss that's worth a read. Praise for Peso Excitement over Bowlero, a retro bowling alley coming to Oakland County Grand Circus Park with Bourbon Mudgies has one of the best sandwiches in America. Who else around here deserves a nod? 

Happy Friday. On today's show, Jer speaks with Detroit muralist Sheefy McFly — he's the one who was arrested while doing a city-commissioned mural on a Detroit viaduct. He's got a new mural that will be unveiled this weekend at the Mo Pop music festival on Detroit's riverfront. We also run down a few news stories from the past week: New affordable housing units are being planned in North Corktown aimed at "middle-income" residents. [Crain's] A shooting at a west-side gas station over stolen potato chips has sparked protests urging residents to support black-owned businesses. [Warrendale Blog] Raccoons are terrorizing a neighborhood near Rouge Park! [WXYZ] And Wine Spectator spotlights dozens of Detroit-area restaurants for their wine lists as part of its 2019 Restaurant Awards. Thanks for listening to Daily Detroit. If you like what you're hearing, tell a friend about us, leave us a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, or support us by becoming a Patreon member.

Today we take a trip to the near eastside suburb of Grosse Pointe park. There's a new pizza joint out that way called "The Bricks." Me, Randy Walker and Shianne Nocerini checked out a preview of this elevated neighborhood spot and had plenty of thoughts. Do they get three thumbs up to give it a shot when they open in August? 

Recovery Park works to re-build on vacant land, create jobs and help to revitalize a historic Detroit neighborhood. Unfortunately, they recently went through three thefts at their location on the east side of Detroit. But the community is rallying, and I thought it would be a great opportunity to check in on an organization doing important work – from farming to helping returning citizens get jobs – in Detroit. My guest is Anna Kohn, the Chief Impact Officer of Recovery Park. We talk about their GoFundMe, a link to that is here. Also: The Oakland County Executive says it's time for raises for 825 non-union employees to keep talent working for the county. Detroit City FC's pro league has a new name for their cup and a new schedule. [Detroit City FC] And Vernor's is honoring more Michigan lighthouses on their cans. Find them all here. Like the show? Be sure to tell a friend about the Daily Detroit podcast.