Daily Detroit News Byte

On today's show, we talk about the news that Hard Rock closed. Also, the bike share service MoGo shared a new report of ridership and usage. The Winter Blast is expanding and has a new sponsor. Shianne has all the details. And, two Detroit area restaurants get nods from Esquire magazine for being among the best new restaurants in America. Congrats to Voyager and Lady of the House. This show was recorded on November 28, 2018. Reminder: Our live show is on Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Detroit Shipping Company. Come by and have a drink! 

On today's show: President Trump is taking aim at GM's electric car incentives that were going to sunset anyway Ford's incentives for their $740 million Corktown campus are approved Shield's is opening in Midtown - https://www.metrotimes.com/table-and-bar/archives/2018/11/26/detroit-style-pizza-maker-shields-is-opening-a-midtown-location The historic building that until recently was home to Cheli's Chili Bar was sold to the Ilitches Detroit's getting a new Welcome Center And Shianne Nocerini gives you her picks for Noel Night, that's now expanded into daytime. This show was recorded on November 27, 2018. Two things before I let you go. One, we have an event on December 1st. A live podcast at 5pm at the Detroit Shipping Company. More on FB here: https://www.facebook.com/events/292222641404385/ Second, if you enjoy our work, we've started up a Patreon. Any support is always appreciated. http://www.patreon.com/dailydetroit    

General Motors dropped a bomb on Monday, saying it will likely close three assembly plants including Detroit-Hamtramck in a pre-emptive move to cut costs and headcount ahead of an expected downturn. The moves mean the elimination of as many as 14,000 jobs — including 1,500 at Detroit-Hamtramck — and the elimination of slow-selling sedans like the Chevrolet Volt and Impala and the Buick LaCrosse. A transmission plant in Warren could also close. It's a particularly dubious cap to the saga of the Poletown plant, which rose during the 1980s after the two cities it straddles worked with GM to condemn and raze a working-class neighborhood of the same name. On today's episode, we speak with Hamtramck Mayor Karen Majewski, who tells us the closure leaves a city defined by the auto industry without any actual auto manufacturing. It also leaves Detroit without an open auto-assembly plant. In fact, here's Mayor Mike Duggan statement about it: "This morning I spoke to Mary Barra and she advised me for the first time of t

Detroit will get a professional soccer team, but in a different way than many expected. No, Major League Soccer isn't coming to Detroit — not yet anyway — despite the efforts of Dan Gilbert and Pistons owner Tom Gores. Instead, the popular semi-pro club Detroit City FC has announced it will join a new pro league called the NPSL Founders Cup. What does that mean for the team? The players? And what exactly is happening? To sort that out, soccer journalist and Daily Detroit contributor Fletcher Sharpe joins Sven Gustafson for an interesting conversation. And then we unpack the soccer landscape and talk about some key differences between the U.S. and the rest of the world when it comes to pro soccer.  Like the show? We're wherever fine podcasts are found. Would you like to support the show? Check out our Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/dailydetroit   

Dan Gilbert made headlines this week when he issued an ultimatum to state lawmakers: Find a fix for Michigan's broken no-fault auto insurance system by mid-2019 or I'll bankroll an effort to put a proposal on the statewide ballot in 2020. On today's show, Jer interviews Jared Fleisher, vice president of government relations for the Quicken Loans Family of Companies, about why Gilbert and Quicken are jumping into the fray. Fleisher, who is running point for Gilbert's push to overhaul no-fault, says Quicken has 17,000 employees working in the city and has invested $3.5 billion to date in Detroit. He calls auto insurance reform "the single biggest but also most solvable barrier to the growth of the city." He also draws a comparison between Michigan's no-fault auto insurance system and the much-criticized Obamacare health overhaul. Fleisher says that while the Affordable Care Act requires people to buy insurance, it offers them a choice of benefit levels to pay for. Michigan's auto insurance law similarly require

There's a lot of competition between Metro Detroit area downtowns lately. Detroit, Ferndale, Royal Oak and others are aiming for shoppers, diners and residents as urban centers and more dense living and shopping are now the hot thing not just here but across America. For a time, Royal Oak was one of few downtown destinations in our area. Now, they've launched an ad and marketing campaign to get their share. That campaign is by Factory, an ad agency headed by Mark Lantz in downtown Detroit. Sven Gustafson talked with Lantz - who has some pretty impressive credentials with the Pure Michigan campaign, among others - about bringing folks into downtown Royal Oak to shop at their many restaurants and stores, as well as one of the most common debates in car-crazy metro Detroit, where to park. You can find Factory here: http://factorydetroit.com And Downtown Royal Oak here: https://www.romi.gov/101/Downtown Thanks for listening. Love the show? Tell a friend. 

Devon O'Reilly, international man of intrigue, is Daily Detroit's Man About Town. He joins us today for a week-ending episode devoted to the things that truly matter: Where to eat, what to drink and where are the best place around town to broadcast your every waking moment to the world on Instagram. O'Reilly gives us the lowdown on Besa, one of Detroit's newest restaurants. It just opened for business inside the refurbished Vinton Building, with a killer wine list, a raw bar and a dish that fuses scallops and a sauce made of — get this — white chocolate. Elsewhere, we discuss his list of favorite and least-favorite glassware, including why in God's name any bar would serve a mixed drink in a footed Irish coffee mug. And last but not least, the holiday season is upon us, ready or not. That means lots of twinkly lights, mistletoe, garland and beaucoup opportunities to Instagram your smiling mug, personal brand or current status to the whole wide world. Where are the best places in Detroit to set an Instagram pi

Your show for November 14, 2018: Greektown Casino will be sold to Penn National. Dan Gilbert's going to take the cash and invest in more Detroit properties. Two popular art pieces - one by Shepard Fairey, the other How & Nosm - on the side of a downtown building will be covered as part of an expansion. The iconic Cadieux Cafe changes hands. We hear there still will be featherbowling. Al Ameer gets Eater's nod again as one of the best restaurants in America, and the only Michigan entrant Atwater Brewery is launching a new stout that's aged for a year in an oak barrel. Like the show? Tell a friend. And don't forget to subscribe wherever you download podcasts.

Today we do a deep dive into a corner of Detroit. One that's making board games.  Jer's guest is Nemo Rathwald. He's the designer and creator of the board game Overworld, a recently successfully funded and delivered Kickstarter project.  What does it take to get your project successfully crowdfunded? What are some tips Nemo has for Kickstarter? And why is Michigan great ground to make board games? Enjoy the interview.  Links: Overworld Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/magicmeeplegames/overworld-16-bit-tile-placement-and-exploration-bo Game page: https://www.magicmeeplegames.com/overworld.html#overworld-form  

Welcome to the work week, automatons! Here's what to know: 1. We talk about the report Moody's Investors Services released on Detroit, which essentially asks where's the love (and money) for the neighborhoods. 2. Some development news: In Ferndale, craft beer retailer 8 Degrees Plato says it will close it store on Nine Mile by the end of the year. The beer will continue to flow at the Cass Corridor location, however. 3. In Northville, there's a battle brewing over the proposed demolition of a historic mid-century modern school. 4. That internet prank we told you about involving the Google results for Wyandotte Police Department? It's been fixed, but we solicit Downriver denizen and tech wizard/vlogger Tom Lawrence to try and get to the bottom of it. And where to go: 1. Shianne Nocerini fills us in on the new sculpture "Divergence" by artist Adriana Ohar. You can see it at New Center Park.  2. We have deets on this year's big Christmas tree lighting ceremony, which takes place Friday at Campus Martius, with c

On November 8, 2018: Ford made news today by buying Spin, an e-scooter mobility company. Jer head to the Ford World Headquarters to talk with the VP of Ford X, Sunny Madra, about the purchase and what they plan to do with the service. And, it's beginning service in Detroit. Plum Market is opening in downtown Detroit (More here). Karen Dybis talk with Sven about the Knight Arts Challenge Grants. She's a winner for her project to chronicle Detroit's vanishing Delray neighborhood.  Then, we chat about what's happening around town, including a signage cleanup at Bakers, an infamous motel known for being dirty getting remodeled and rebranded, and what's happening at the old Diablo's space in downtown Royal Oak (there are more in-depth details here).  Thanks for listening! Don't forget to tell a friend about the Daily Detroit podcast. 

It was a big Election Day here in Michigan, where the much-discussed "blue wave" helped sweep Democrats — all of them women — into the top statewide elected offices. A fourth, Debbie Stabenow, survived a closer-than-expected battle to win re-election to the U.S. Senate. We're devoting today's episode 100 percent to post-election results and analysis. Occasional host and Daily Detroit spirits advisor Nuri Gocay joins Jer and I to break down the results. He also talks about his experience shuttling people to and from the polls as a volunteer with the Detroit Bus Company. Later, I speak with Oakland University political science professor David Dulio. He helps provide context for Gretchen Whitmer's comfortable win over Republican Bill Schuette, the importance of suburban voters and the prospects for divided state government, with the state House and Senate remaining under GOP control. We also break down the three ballot proposals, which all sailed to approval, including the Proposal 2 anti-gerrymandering initiati

Happy Election Day, Detroit!  On today's show, we run down some news about long lines and voting machine hiccups across the region. Reports of long lines are widespread. Elsewhere, Amazon HQ2 is said to be headed to the New York City and Washington D.C. areas as a split second headquarters. That's given critics plenty of fodder, as we discuss. Remember when Detroit and Windsor joined forces to bid on HQ2? We had a great Happy Hour episode breaking down our fair city's failure to crack the top 20. It's so worth a listen. Officials from the Michigan Department of Transportation are hedging on an end date to the never-ending I-696 construction project. An upcoming fundraiser dinner at the DIA celebrates the food and art of Italy. And our own Shianne Nocerini gives us the lowdown on a delicious private dinner created by chef James Rigato at Mabel Gray. Find Daily Detroit wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Don't forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

Welcome to Monday, friends. Here's your Daily Detroit for Nov. 5: The workers strike at the Westin Book Cadillac hotel is over, as the Unite Here union announces a settlement and a new contract.  GM has rolled out e-bikes as part of its focus on mobility and cracking urban mobility markets. But it wants help from the public in coming up with a brand name. Beaumont Health and Universal Health Services will open a $40 million, 150-bed inpatient mental health hospital in Dearborn. An oil spill fouls the Red Run in Macomb County. Once a small network of rivers, the Red Run is now mostly used for sanitary and storm sewer runoff into the Clinton River. The Detroit Institute of Arts has opened an expanded gallery of Asian art, courtesy of the founders of Buddy's Pizza. Detroit gets a new bike signal on the edge of Palmer Park. And speaking of pizza, Melody Baetens at The Detroit News has the details about the new Detroit-style pizza being cooked up by the new owners of Como's in Ferndale. The place doesn't open

On today's edition of your Daily Detroit podcast, the team goes deep on the major statewide races and ballot issues that will appear on next week's Nov. 6 ballot. We're not making newspaper-style "endorsements," just breaking down each race and, yes, divulging who we're voting for. And agree or disagree all you want — just so long as you get out and cast your vote. It's the best way to preserve our fragile democracy. Also on today's show: The John and James L. Knight Foundation drops another $20 million in grant funding on Detroit to support art institutions and programs. Art matters, y'all! The as-yet unnamed regional group that aims to ramp up business attraction to southeast Michigan has named its new CEO. This is the same group L. Brooks Patterson accused of trying to persuade businesses to leave Oakland County for the city. Yay, regionalism. Nike has released the new "City Edition" version of alternate uniform for the Detroit Pistons. We have some thoughts on the alt-uni craze that is sweeping sports.

This is your Daily Detroit for October 31, 2018. Happy Halloween! A few of the stories on today's show. GM is offering buyouts to 18,000 workers. An update to the ongoing Michigan marijuana saga. Devil's night is no longer a thing in Detroit. Detroit's going to get significantly warmer by 2050. Bill Schuette's campaign might be out of (or low on) cash. The Ballmer Foundation makes their first investment here. HTI Cybernetics expands in Sterling Heights. And Shianne has a tasty preview of a new restaurant in Birmingham that's the talk of the town. Like to show? Don't forget to leave a review in Apple Podcasts.

This is your Daily Detroit recorded on October 30, 2018. On today's show, more than 200 medical marijuana businesses face closure in Michigan. Golden Tate is no longer a Detroit Lion. Brenda Jones wants to be a congressperson for more than a few weeks. Chef Godwin Ihentuge stops by to talk about his upcoming brick and mortar African and Caribbean eatery in Detroit's New Center. Here's a link to his Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/yumvillage/yumvillage-launches-brick-and-mortar-in-new-center And media and Public Relations expert Matt Friedman chats with Sven Gustafson about the possibility of a new regional sports network owned by the Ilitch family. http://tannerfriedman.com/ Like the show? Leave a review in Apple Podcasts or even better, tell a friend about the podcast. Thanks to our episode sponsor, Milo Digital. 

From the CityLab Detroit conference, this is your Daily Detroit podcast for October 29, 2018. We have four major components of our show today: First, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. He teased a new universal Pre-K program here at CityLab Detroit. Although we couldn't get him to talk more about that, we did talk to him about the skills gap in Detroit (he says there are only 50-60 licensed plumbers in the city of Detroit) and what he's doing to address it. Sven Gustafson also got into bike lanes with Mayor, who said that "he's designing a city for residents," and not Grosse Pointers who want to speed down Jefferson through it.  Second, Richard Florida. He's a leading voice about urbanism and cities with his daily blog. Florida and Jer talk about what's surprised him about Detroit's progress and what challenges lie ahead. Spoiler? Metro Detroit has to deal with transit and get over the suburban/city divide. Third, Sven talks about what Mary Barra said around autonomous vehicles. One thing? Barra has an eye to the fut

Your Detroit stories: The Ilitch organization is talking about launching its own regional sports network (and we discuss other sportsy news, including soccer in Detroit). First reported here: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2018/10/25/ilitches-weigh-starting-own-sports-tv-network/1756233002/ and then everyone else in Detroit media got more info. Detroit's historic Pewabic pottery studio unveiled its new Maxine and Stuart Frankel Pewabic Tile Studio today. Two Detroit brands that taste great together. That's what the companies behind beloved hometown brands Kar's Nuts and Sanders chocolate are hoping after a deal that sees the two snack makers merge. Columbia Street in downtown Detroit is getting yet another new restaurant. Sahara Restaurant is opening up a 4,500 square foot spot where they will serve Iraqi and Chaldean cuisine. The site of the old village hall on Jos. Campau at Grayling Street is now the location of Hamtramck's first-ever full archeological dig.   Saturday Night Live cast

This is your Daily Detroit for October 24, 2018 from the Podcast Detroit studios at the Detroit Shipping Company. If you're anything like us, then you're a huge fan of PBS, and you also love food. And if you check both of those boxes, then you're probably familiar with our guest on today's podcast. Pati Jinich https://patijinich.com/ is the host of the James Beard Award-winning, Emmy-nominated PBS television series "Pati's Mexican Table," which combines travel to explore the cuisine of her native Mexico and how-to guides of her cooking up delicious recipes. She's also the author of two cookbooks — "Pati's Mexican Table" from 2013 and "Mexican Today," which came out in 2016. Jinich tells Sven she is in Detroit all week as part of a series tracing the evolution of Mexican food in the United States. So far during her trip here, she's sampled Detroit-style pizza at Buddy's, pastries at Mexicantown Bakery, and she goes deep on Detroit Coneys, with a pretty nuanced take on comparing the competing offerings from Laf