Daily Detroit

The HBO show "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" last week turned its lens on the District Detroit, the Ilitch family's mostly unrealized plan to redevelop 50 blocks as a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood between downtown and Midtown. Predictably, it did not go well for the Ilitches, who received $324 million in taxpayer assistance in exchange for what so far is the Little Caesars Arena, a Kid Rock restaurant and a couple dozen parking lots. Being opinionated on the subject, we talk about the episode, plus: 6:05 – An update on the progress of the old State Fairgrounds 6:45 – We break down the recent ruling from three federal judges that Michigan must redraw 34 congressional and legislative districts by Aug. 1 because they were unconstitutionally designed to favor Republicans. 8:07 – Jer interviews Detroit historian and civil rights author Ken Coleman about the life and legacy of Judge Damon J. Keith, a longtime federal judge and civil rights champion from Detroit who died Sunday at age 96. Also, as a heads up, our next segment airs on Detroit Public Television's One Detroit on Thursday evening at 7:30 p.m. Thanks as always for listening to Daily Detroit. Tell a friend about us, or help support the project by supporting us on Patreon.

Today is a conversation with Howard Hertz, previewing the Detroit Music Awards that are happening this Friday. The annual event has been a lynchpin of the Detroit music scene for years. Hertz is not only the president of the foundation that puts on the event, he's an entertainment lawyer with a roster of clients that's a who's who of Detroit music. Here's that conversation with Sven Gustafson.

Because of disinvestment, changing demographics and the construction of the new bridge to Canada, the Detroit neighborhood of Delray is disappearing. Local author Karen Dybis is working to preserve that history. If she's successful, she could create a template for how the memories and stories of our entire city and region can live on for future generations. In this episode of the Daily Detroit podcast, we talk about her project and the importance of saving Detroit's memories. If you're motivated to help support it, the GoFundMe link is here.

Farmington Hills-based homebuilder Hunter Pasteur Homes says it plans to build 81 new housing units in Lafayette Park on five acres near St. Aubin and East Lafayette Street, right beside the Dequindre Cut. Called Pullman Parc, the units will be a mix of townhomes, park homes and corner flats, and they'll range from 620 to 3,500 square feet and run between $250,000 and $750,000. Hunter Pasteur has worked on the City Modern development currently under construction in Brush Park. They've teamed on this project with Detroit-based Broder & Sachse and Woodborn Partners. Also on today's show: Waymo, the self-driving vehicle division of Google parent Alphabet, said it will open a facility to install its hardware and software in Chrysler Pacifica minivans and Jaguar I-Pace electric crossovers in Hamtramck Investment bank UBS has opened an 11,000-square-foot office in downtown Detroit, its first in the city Plum Market will open an eatery in The Henry Ford Museum Longtime Eastern Market eatery Russell Street Deli says it will close following a dispute with its new landlord [Freep] The Michigan Plant Swap takes place Sunday inside the Fisher Building And Jer previews the ACLU's 100th birthday program, which takes place Wednesday, April 24 at Cobo Center with free daytime and evening programming Thanks for listening to Daily Detroit. Tell your friends about us, find us on Apple Podcasts, or support us via Patreon.

On your Daily Detroit for Monday, April 22, we dig into a proposal to develop part of Palmer Park as "Palmer Square," a mixed-use development featuring luxury condominium towers, "experiential retail" and futuristic architecture. We recently aired an episode looking into the city's nascent Detroit Exploration and Nature Center, which is being run out of the former golf course headquarters. The closed golf course figures to be ground zero for a lot of redevelopment proposals, but any such proposal is bound to face stiff opposition. Also on the show: We dive into the news that Baker College has abandoned its plans to build a new flagship campus in downtown Ferndale I discuss some of the highlights of covering the New York International Auto Show And the next episode of "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" will turn its focus to Ilitchville the District Detroit, another topic we've covered on this podcast. The episode airs at 10 p.m. Tuesday on HBO.

The news on Good Friday in Detroit was that Steve Yzerman is returning to the Detroit Red Wings as General Manager. As we do, we like to bring someone who's really knowledgable and passionate about the sport we're talking about when we cover it on the Daily Detroit podcast. For hockey, that's Walt Barnes. He's a co-host of the In The Box podcast, a seasonal show focused on hockey also on the Podcast Detroit network. I hope you enjoy our conversation. -Jer Of course, if you love the show, don't forget to tell a friend. It's the best way to push Detroit's conversation forward. And if you're feeling extra generous, we have a Patreon where you can become a member and support us. http://www.patreon.com/DailyDetroit.

There's a new real estate development team in town and they have grand designs for a big chunk of property in Detroit's historic Milwaukee Junction. Today we're sharing with you that story. Who are they? And what are their plans for this building in an area that's gaining steam very quickly? Amelia Patt Zamir and Rakesh "Rocky" Lala envision a $20 million redevelopment plan for five vacant buildings totaling more than 100,000 square feet. Sven Gustafson met them at the property and has the story. There are also photos of the current state of the development and rendering of what is planned for the future on Daily Detroit. If you like the Daily Detroit podcast, be sure to tell a friend! And follow us wherever fine podcasts are found. It's totally free.

On our edition of the Daily Detroit podcast for April 17, 2019: Finally, at long last, there will be one united bus fare card in Metro Detroit. It's going to be called DART and will work on both Detroit's DDOT and the suburban system, SMART. Could a high-speed rail service be viable between Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Toledo? The 110-mile-per-hour service could be. [Toledo Blade] A wild video of an incident with a tow truck, a bunch of cars and a woman bashing out the driver's side window of the truck has gone locally viral. We have the story behind it. The Detroit Science Center is free on Saturday, but you need to sign up ahead of time. The Wheelmobile is coming to Detroit, in case you wanted to be a contestant on the Wheel of Fortune. And the new off road park being built out in Oakland County needs a name. Enter your idea here. Thanks for listening to the podcast and be sure to check it out wherever fine podcasts are found.

Remember that beautiful old house on the TV show Rehab Addict? The one with Nicole Curtis? If you remember from that show, there was a lot of space around it. Open fields between it and some of the other fortunate old structures to survive. That's not the case anymore. City Modern is rising around it. It's more than 400 units and 24 buildings. The first part of it to open is The Lofts at 124 Alfred. On the podcast, we go to the grand opening and tell you the story of this affordable senior building with rents of just $400 a month next to a development with prices from $550,000-$850,000 (no, that's not a typo), talk with the first resident Leonard Walker and Detroit City Council President Pro Tem Mary Sheffield. We also touch on a couple other stories around town. You can find the Daily Detroit podcast for free wherever you download your favorite shows.

Tim Robinson, one half of the duo behind the recently canceled Comedy Central series "Detroiters," has a new Netflix show coming out. "I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson" debuts April 23 — that's a week from Tuesday — and will feature Sam Richardson, Robinson's sidekick in the sadly discontinued sketch comedy series, plus SNL vets Cecily Strong, Vanessa Bayer and Will Forte. The trailer, which you can watch below, looks bananas. Also on today's show: Part of the long-idled Michigan State Fairgrounds has a new owner, with Magic Plus acquiring two parcels along Woodward Avenue for a mixed-use development Bedrock has purchased the Fowler Building at 1225 Woodward in downtown Detroit Jonathan Wolman, a longtime journalist who was the editor and publisher of The Detroit News, has died at age 68 And the Grosse Pointe Public Schools is facing difficult decisions about closing some of its buildings amid an ongoing decline in enrollment Thanks for listening to Daily Detroit. Find us wherever fine podcasts are downloaded, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month. Or as much as you want.

In Detroit, we live surrounded by legends. The musical history of our city is deep, and it's in multiple genres. Today's guest is helping people keep dancing to this amazing music. Dan Austin is the voice behind the indispensable Historic Detroit, a well-connected man about town and a music fanatic who appears regularly on Ann Delisi's "Essential Music" show on WDET-FM. Today, he dropped by the Detroit Shipping Company studio of Podcast Detroit to talk all about his passion project. The Motor City Soul Club celebrates its fifth anniversary of shaking tail feathers around the city this Saturday, April 13 at the Marble Bar in Detroit. Dan tells us about the Motor City Soul Club's origins, how his love of the genre sprouted despite an upbringing defined by the likes of REO Speedwagon and Journey, and how he finds records to spin in 2019. If you're a music lover — and particularly of rare soul from the '60s and '70s — listen in. And if you're not, maybe it's time you checked it out.

The car is synonymous with Detroit. It is, after all, the Motor City. You might even be listening to this in your car. But what if there was a different way forward than a vehicle for every man, woman and even sometimes, child? What if instead of a half hour at the gym then a half hour in your car, you could bike or walk and get to where you're going? Or, like here in Michigan, get around without paying the highest car insurance in the nation? It seems like crazy talk, I know. But it's a growing movement in car-dominated America, and here in Metro Detroit. Both the city and some suburbs are making improvements aimed at making more walkable and bikeable neighborhoods. Our guest today is Doug Gordon. He's a co-host of The War On Cars podcast and a long time advocate of city life that actually experiences the city you live in instead of whizzing past it at 70 miles an hour.

This update edition of the Daily Detroit podcast for April 9, 2019 includes… The city of Detroit's Office of the Inspector General is opening an investigation of the Mayor and city officials after a Freep report that says a charity got preference. The city and Wayne State University strongly push back on the newspaper's report. The city calls it "completely false." Two people have pled guilty (when we recorded this, they were charged) as part of a Federal investigation into the Detroit Demolition program. The feds say they took bribes. [DetNews] [ClickOnDetroit] Self-driving cars have been overhyped and a lot longer off, says Ford's CEO [Bloomberg] There's a new report looking at if Flying cars are good for the environment A newly updated map shows Detroit's bike lane expansion and more [Detroit Greenways] Parson's Chicken and Fish will head to Frame Friday and Saturday for special dinners with Executive Chef Hunter Moore. There will be frozen Negroni Slushes [Daily Detroit] Thanks for listening!

Welcome to Monday, April 8, 2019. The weekend is over, that girl is totally not gonna call you, and your dreams are crushed. On today's show, Consumers Energy has issued a report into why its Macomb County natural gas storage and compression facility caught fire on Jan. 30, prompting the utility to issue an emergency request asking people to dial back their thermostats as the mercury plunged below zero. In other news, a man whom paramedics believed was suffering from a drug overdose ended up becoming combative and stole the ambulance. He was apprehended a short time later by police. Also, Shield's has opened its new Midtown location serving Detroit-style pizza. And the Detroit Shipping Company is getting a new Nepalese dumpling food stall called Momo Cha. Finally, the city of Detroit is hiring for 200 seasonal positions with its Parks and Recreation division. You can attend job fairs at the following times and locations, but you're supposed to apply online first. Thanks for listening to Daily Detroit. Tell a friend about us, leave us a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, and support us by becoming a Patreon member.

People's preferences are changing. There very well may be a day in the not too distant future where a majority of people do not own their own cars. Younger generations seem to be more into the shared economy as opposed to having a love for the personally owned motor vehicle. And sometimes, even if they do love cars, they don't have the financial resources that the previous generation did. To that end, you probably knew that Detroit is major center of the development of the automobile. But we're now transitioning to developing more than just the traditional vehicle — to creating technology and solutions that helps people get around. That's mobility. Today's episode talks about that mobility industry in Metro Detroit. Not just Detroit, the Motor City… but Detroit, the Mobility City. There are numerous startups and the big players – including Ford and GM – that are serious about it and there's a lot of money being spent. After all, that new Ford campus that's happening in Corktown? That's about developing this kind of technology right here in Detroit. That conversation, led by Sven Gustafson – is with Glenn Stevens. He's the Executive Director of MICHauto. That's an initiative of the Detroit Regional Chamber. And even though he's the head of a group called MICHauto, you might be surprised that his answers to the challenges and opportunities Metro Detroit has is not just to add more cars to the road. Mobility and transit issues are also very real where we live. We touch on the challenges everyday people have around those issues in a city with areas with different needs and the way forward for a region that will never have something like a subway. Thanks for listening! If you like the show, don't forget to subscribe free in Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

On today's episode, hear firsthand what it's like to bite into a coney pasty. That's a pasty, the traditional U.P. pastry, filled with a Detroit-style coney that's meant to dip into yellow mustard. They're from Ackroyd's Scottish Bakery in Redford Township and are available for the month of April. In other news, Amtrak wants to restore passenger rail service between Detroit and Toronto in 2020. That hasn't been available since the pre-Amtrak late '60s. [Curbed] Elsewhere, late-night Detroit TV legend The Ghoul has died. During the 1970s and '80s, Ron Sweed played the crazed host of eccentric late-night programming, inserting random sound bytes into bad horror movies and blowing things up with M-80s. The Ghoul represents an era and genre of local programming that mostly no longer exists. Also: Union Joints, the hospitality group that operates restaurants like Vinsetta Garage and Clarkston Union, plans to open its newest eatery inside the expanded Little Caesars headquarters in Detroit. Motor City Casino wants to add more parking, but in this case it's probably not worth the outrage it's receiving in some quarters of the interwebs. And the city of Sterling Heights has released renderings for a new Culver's and LA Fitness Signature Club, which people out that way really seem to care a lot about. If you wanna see them, they're here.

The Freep Film Festival starts next week with a gala screening April 10 for "Boy Howdy! The Story of Creem Magazine" at the Fillmore Detroit. On today's episode, we feature three great interviews to preview some of what's on offer during the festivities, which run through April 14: JJ Kramer, co-producer of "Boy Howdy!" JJ is the son of Barry Kramer, the founder and publisher of Creem Magazine, which launched in Detroit's Cass Corridor in 1969 and billed itself as "America's Only Rock 'n' Roll Magazine." Steve Byrne, the executive director of the Freep Film Festival and the arts and entertainment editor by day for the Detroit Free Press. And finally, Jennifer Washington, maker of the documentary "God Said Give 'Em Drum Machines: The Story of Detroit Techno," which explores that genre's roots in the 1980s. You can read about all this year's films and find all the showtimes at freepfilmfestival.com. Support Daily Detroit by telling your friends about us, subscribing and leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, or supporting our work for as little as $1 a month by becoming a Patreon member. Thanks for listening!

It's April, and that means baseball season has arrived to help chase the final remnants of winter out of Detroit. The Tigers play their first home game of the season on Thursday when they host the Kansas City Royals, with first pitch scheduled for 1:10 p.m. First on the podcast we checked in with Chris Brown, host of the podcast Locked on Tigers and a writer for Tigs Town, for his rundown of the Tigers' 2019 roster and their prospects for the season. Opening Day is practically a holiday in Detroit, of course, so in today's episode, we talk to our Man About Town, Devon O'Reilly, to get his picks for where to go and what to eat around town before and after the action on the field. Some of the ones you'll want to check out include: Nancy Whiskey The Detroit Shipping Company The Skip The Brakeman Queens Bar (no TVs, but good drinks at a reasonable price) Mootz (for grab and go slices with drinks) Slices (for grab and go slices without drinks) Don't forget, be safe! If you've indulged a bit too much, you can grab a Lyft ride home for half the price using the code WALLSIDE2019. Hope you enjoy our episode, have fun on Opening Day and please don't trash our city while you're out celebrating. Thanks for listening to Daily Detroit. You can do us a solid, and help us keep the lights on, in three ways: Tell a friend about us and help spread the word Subscribe to us free and on Apple Podcasts Become a Patron by supporting our work on Patreon

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has asked the state's insurance regulator to audit the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association after it said on Wednesday it would raise its annual fee by 14.6 percent, or $28, to $220 for every insured vehicle in Michigan. The fees go toward covering catastrophic medical claims from auto accidents, but the MCCA has never been particularly transparent about how it operates, its finances or how it sets its fees. So says our guest on today's episode, Bobby Raitt, a principal at Michigan Auto Law in Farmington Hills who has worked with lawmakers in Lansing on auto-insurance reform since 2005. "It's important, it's meaningful and hopefully it's a good start" toward fixing Michigan's broken auto insurance system, he said. Michigan has the nation's highest auto insurance rates, and nowhere is insurance more expensive than in Detroit. The announcement of the fee increase follows a study from the University of Michigan that found auto insurance is well above what is considered affordable in 97 percent of the state's zip codes. While the federal government considers auto insurance affordable at 2 percent of an average income, Michigan's no-fault insurance eats up 36 percent of drivers' income in some zip codes in Detroit. "Michiganders deserve to know why they are being forced to shell out hundreds of dollars in additional fees for car insurance, which is why I'm ordering an audit to provide drivers with the transparency they deserve," Whitmer said in a statement. Thanks for listening to Daily Detroit. Find us and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and consider supporting us by becoming a member on Patreon.

If you've ever event spent any time outdoors within a mile's radius of it — say, in Midtown or Eastern Market — then you've no doubt smelled the sickly sweet odor of the Detroit trash incinerator. Well, no more. Detroit Renewable Energy, the umbrella organization that owns and operates it, says it is shutting the incinerator down 33 years after it first fired up because of finances and complaints from the community. Operations will cease this week, but it'll take up to 90 days to fully power the trash-to-energy facility down. Mayor Mike Duggan says he's committed to making sure the site never again serves as a waste incinerator. What's next for that property, which is owned by the city, isn't yet clear. One novel idea comes from our friend Frank Nemecek over at the Warrendale Blog: Make every strip club in the city move there, like an amusement park of T&A. Moving on: The measles outbreak is now 22, which is an incredible thing to write in the year 2019, when we're also developing driverless automobiles Lisa Ludwinski of Sister Pie (we interviewed her here) and Zingermans Roadhouse are finalists for prestigious James Beard Awards People are losing their minds over a Chick Fil A popup downtown Developer Woodborn Partners plans a $16 million mixed-use development on Bagley in Mexicantown Marshall Mathers sent out the following all-caps tweet about the new American Alliance of Football Backers of a bid to refurbish Hamtramck Stadium, the former home of the Negro League's Detroit Stars, hit their $50,000 crowdfunding goal and will celebrate Saturday at Baker Street Car Bar A tall ship is coming to Detroit this September, and you can get tickets for a ride The 6,000 square-foot space that formerly housed Gayle's Chocolates in Royal Oak will get a ginormous coffee shop, with a second-floor kiddie play space We run down a bunch of the changes and improvements to the Avenue of Fashion on Livernois And Stacey Hotwaxx Hale and John Collins are spinning at Motor City Wine this Saturday, starting at 9 p.m. Listen to our interview with Hale here. Thanks for listening. Find Daily Detroit, subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, and consider supporting us on Patreon to assure we keep new episodes coming.

Welcome to your Tuesday edition of Daily Detroit, where we deliver two pieces of big news: 1. Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson says he has stage four pancreatic cancer and won't seek an eighth term in 2020. 2. DTE Energy says it expects to sign a deal with the city to swap a decommissioned power plant on the east riverfront so it can be used to store Jeeps built at a new factory being pursued by parent Fiat Chrysler. [Freep] Why is this sad, you ask? This is the important line. FCA said it needs DTE's Conners Creek land for storage of vehicles for the Jeep plant to be built at Mack and St. Jean. - Detroit Free Press n my opinion, this somehow feels quintessentially Detroit, a repeat of what we've always done: surrender to the automobile. Weren't we supposed to be trying to reclaim our riverfront? And wasn't DTE Energy crowing about redeveloping that parcel? (Why yes. Yes, they were.) In other news, measles cases are on the rise in Oakland County after being traced to a man who visited the area from Israel, circa New York City. We recently spoke with an infectious disease specialist from Beaumont Health about measles and why it's coming back. On the lighter side, both John King Books and Motor City Gas get nods for their excellence from Mentalfloss and Yelp respectively. And finally, Jer speaks with James Chapman of Rock Ventures about the Quicken Loans Demo Dayon June 14 and how you can get involved. Thanks for listening to Daily Detroit. Find us and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, and consider supporting us as a member.

At least three boutique hotels are coming to Detroit, bringing a dose of luxury to still-gritty parts of the city. The Mid will take shape next to the old hammer-and-nail building on Woodward, while the West Elm Hotel will incorporate the old Bonstelle Theater several blocks south. And downtown, there are plans for a new 154-room hotel at 600 West Lafayette, plus the old Park Hotel downtown just sold to a hospitality company, suggesting yet more hotel rooms could be possible. Most of the hotels include mixed-use space, including some high-end "luxury" housing. On today's show, we talk about what's driving that, and why the spate of recent hotel development still isn't enough to start landing us the really big mega-conventions and sportsball events. And on a tangent, we also dive into the idea that Detroit needs more Kroger or Meijer stores. FYI, there are some solid grocery stores here. In other news, Sterling Heights has announced the five finalists for naming the so-called "Golden Corridor Icon" of Hall Road. Also: Ferndale's metered parking rates, and hours of enforcement, will go up April 1 — no April Fool's joke here And drinking aficionado website Liquor.com has named two Detroit bars at the opposite end of the spectrum among the best places to drink around the world Thanks for listening to Daily Detroit. Find us, leave a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, and consider supporting us on Patreon.

This is a bonus interview edition of your Daily Detroit and this episode is all about cannabis - a potcast, if you will. Marijuana is poised to become a big business opportunity here in Michigan, after voters overwhelmingly voted to grant full legal status to weed last November. Meanwhile, medical marijuana has been legal in Michigan for a decade now, with a new licensing system under way that is reshaping the industry. Weed is estimated to become a $1.7 billion market here in Michigan. On today's show, we speak with Rush Hasan, who runs operations and business development for The Reef, a medical marijuana dispensary on Detroit's east side.

The last piece of the new Shinola Hotel will open its doors Monday when The Brakeman starts pouring beers inside its new digs on the corner of John R and Farmer in downtown Detroit. It's part of a new wedge-shaped building that took over a former surface parking lot, and it's an airy, light-filled space, thanks to several garage-door windows that will be able to roll up when the weather warms up. On this episode of the Daily Detroit podcast, spirits advisor Nuri Gocay and I speak with partners Joshua Pickard and Luke Ostrom from New York-based NoHo Hospitality Group, about Detroit's newest beer hall concept. It'll feature a rotating list of Midwestern and Michigan craft beers, a full bar, and fried chicken and other eats from the adjacent Penny Red's. It's definitely a nice addition to a fast up-and-coming corner of downtown. We have a bunch of pictures up on Daily Detroit as well: http://www.dailydetroit.com/2019/03/21/a-look-inside-the-beautiful-brakeman-beer-hall/ Find Daily Detroit and subscribe on Apple Podcasts. You can also support our work on Patreon.

A den of coyotes has taken up residence near downtown Detroit — specifically, in that weird no-man's-land site of the old Brewster housing projects where I-75, I-375 and the spur to Gratiot Avenue converge. The Michigan DNR says not to worry. But if you live nearby in, say, Brush Park, you might want to keep a much closer eye on your pets. Also: Yes, we inaccurately datelined yesterday's episode as a Monday. It brought to mind this classic scene from "Groundhog Day." In other news, Dan Gilbert has a new podcast in the pipeline. It's called "Speed of the Game," and it has a tagline straight from a shoe company ad. Hmmmm….. Also: Ford plans to invest $900 million and create 900 new jobs in the coming years, mostly to build electric vehicles Downriver in Flat Rock The Detroit Regional Chamber is the first big business organization in Michigan to officially endorse Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's plan to "fix the damn roads" "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda surprises show-goers with an appearance at the Fisher Theater last night The 10th annual Marche du Nain Rouge happens Sunday All that and a bag of fun on this episode of your Daily Detroit. Find us and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, and consider supporting Daily Detroit on Patreon.

Welcome to Tuesday, March 19 and the final day of winter, YAY! On the show today, we run down the news that not only does Detroit have a homegrown winery, but Detroit Vineyards aims to open a tasting room in the Stroh's Ice Cream building on Gratiot near Eastern Market this spring. Will wonders never cease? Elsewhere, Beaumont Health is proposing to open a $140 million, 117-bed hospital in Oxford, filing a certificate of need application with the state. That makes Beaumont the latest in a list of big health systems that have tried to win approval for a new hospital in the growth exurbs of northern Oakland County. What else, you ask? Freshman U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, wants to prohibit auto insurers from using a person's credit history to set insurance rates Tigers pitching ace Michael Fulmer may undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery to reconstruct ligaments in his right elbow Three nonprofits are getting funds to help Detroiters get better jobs A new Mexican bar and restaurant called Peso is set to open in the space formerly occupied by Fist of Curry (and before that, the beloved Huron Room, may it rest in peace) There could be a Lego kit of Mackinac Island's famed Grand Hotel, if enough of you vote to make it happen Detroit neighborhoods could get residential parking permits under a proposed city ordinance And the city of Detroit has finally begun posting restaurant health inspection results online Thanks for listening to Daily Detroit!

It's Monday, and your weekend warrior dreams have been dashed. Back to work, automatons! Oh, and the city of Sterling Heights would like the public to help rename (or name) the sculpture it calls the Golden Corridor Icon in the median of Hall Road. There are a ton of prizes on offer for first-, second- and third-place entries, so find more information here. In other news of the absurd, Little Caesars is unveiling a bacon-wrapped deep-dish pizza, ringed with three and a half feet of bacon. Yes, we discuss some real/serious news as well: A former UAW vice president has been charged as part of a wide-ranging federal corruption investigation President Trump wants General Motors and CEO Mary Barra to re-open its Lordstown, Ohio plant, which made the Chevy Cruze until earlier this month Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber says the league still can't get behind Detroit's bid for a new franchise because of Ford Field Detroit's Islandview neighborhood is getting some apartments that cost as much as $850,000 at the Saint Charles Residences Today is Transit Driver Appreciation Day, so hug your local bus driver And in a new segment, Jer, Shianne and I each take turns sharing a cool place, new or otherwise, that we've recently visited. We covered Petite Cabane in Birmingham, the Lexus Velodrome, Taqueria El Rey and the Mutiny Tiki Bar Thanks for listening to Daily Detroit. Find us and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, and consider supporting us on Patreon.

On a recent episode of this podcast, I went on a brief side rant praising my local Meijer store for accepting plastic bags for recycling and had a minor freak-out over the looming global environmental crisis over our increasingly all-plastic everything. That caught the attention of Joe Munem, a Daily Detroit podcast listener who works as director of government affairs and public relations with GFL Environmental USA, a trash hauler and recycling service. He wrote us to say that municipal recycling programs have some very tough choices to make in the wake of official government actions by the People's Republic of China, halfway around the world. It's so bad, he said, that the city of Westland recently notified residents it has begun landfilling all the recyclable materials people put in their bins. We had Munem drop by the Detroit Shipping Co. studio of Podcast Detroit, for some insight into the looming crisis facing residential recycling programs across the country. It's a fascinating discussion, and you can listen in the player above. Or, subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. We're on all the podcast things, in fact. If you really want to keep the show going, be sure to support us on Patreon. http://www.patreon.com/dailydetroit

There's a new house in a modest neighborhood of northeast Ferndale, made of shipping containers, that is listing for $450,000. Is Ferndale about to become like Midtown Detroit? Oh, SNAP! Also on today's show, we discuss the new measles case identified in Oakland County, and we speak with Dr. Nicholas Gilpin, an infectious disease specialist and chief medical officer at Beaumont Hospital in Grosse Pointe, for more about the virus. Elsewhere: Michael Bloomberg joins Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in announcing a $10 million grant to combat the opioid epidemic in Michigan. We run down a host of road-construction news, ranging from the I-75 reconstruction project in Oakland County to a slew of projects in Macomb County. The Detroit News uncovers new details about the FBI investigation into Taylor Mayor Rick Sollars. Macomb County Public Works officials have identified two unknown substances fouling the Bear Creek drain near 11 Mile and Mound roads. And Customs officials seized 10 pounds of meth during a search of a car traveling from Montreal to Calgary … at the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron. More than a little bit out of the way for them. Love the show? Tell a friend! Word of mouth is how the show grows. And if you really love the show, consider becoming a Patreon member!

It's March 13, or written another way, 3/13, or #313Day. It's become quite a thing locally on social media. And it's become, in Jer's words, "a meme holiday." Although it's good to spread positivity, it could be a lot better. He's got a different proposal to try and infuse some more action into it. We talk about it on the podcast. There's lots of real news we cover on today's show, as well: Ford is issuing pink slip to salaried workers in Dearborn Fiat Chrysler is recalling some 860,000 vehicles that don't meet federal emissions standards City Airport is getting its main runway replaced, which would seem to put rumors of redevelopment to rest The Foundation Hotel faces a lawsuit alleging racial discrimination, now a group of Trump supporters says it's on the wrong end of discrimination by the hotel We circle back to the fact the Masonic Temple inked a deal with AEG Detroit vs. Everybody is teaming up with Adidas for a new line of sneakers and apparel And Anthology Coffee is moving to Eastern Market Thanks for listening. Don't miss another episode of the Daily Detroit podcast – subscribe free in your favorite podcast app.

"Weather and sex are huge factors." That's the, uh, money quote from a Sports Illustrated piece about the best and worst NFL cities as perceived by free agents. Detroit fares poorly, ranking in the bottom five for NFL cities, dinged for its dysfunctional locker room but also because we're seen as having boring nightlife. We discuss. A second white Detroit police officer has lost his job in the wake of the release of a Snapchat video mocking a black motorist. The video showed a 23-year-old woman walking after a traffic stop with captions including "What black girl magic looks like" … and "Celebrating Black History Month." The officers were also heard making disparaging verbal comments in the video. President Trump has released his budget proposal for fiscal 2020, and it once again does not reflect well on the Great Lakes. Trump's budget would slash $270 million in funding from the $300 million Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, virtually wiping it out. But the proposal doesn't have much chance of passing. We cover a new report from a transportation research agency that adds heft to calls for drastic measures to fix the damn roads. Specifically, it says Detroit-area drivers pay an extra $824 on average for costs that are attributable to our decrepit roads. Statewide, the average is $646. One of just three known remaining log cabins in Detroit has met the wrecking ball. The cabin measured 16 feet by 20 feet and it is believed it may have pre-dated the Civil War. Detroit's Motown Museum says it has received a $1.5 million grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to broaden programming as part of its ongoing $50 million expansion campaign. The daughter of a Funk Brother has been picked on "The Voice," making it two women from our area that are on teams on the hit NBC show. Beth Griffith-Manley picked Kelly Clarkson over John Legend as coach for the season after impressing the judges with her rendition of Aretha Franklin's "Until you come back to me." Griffith-Manley is the daughter of Johnny Griffith, who was a keyboardist with the Motown label's backing band. And, Ridesharing service Lyft has teamed up with Budweiser's new Non-alcoholic "Prohibition Brew" for a discount code in Metro Detroit this Saturday and Sunday. Just use promo code PROHIBITIONDTW — that's all one word, all-caps — to get half off one ride, up to $8 off. Thanks for listening. Here's where you can subscribe to the show free in popular podcast apps. If you really like the show and want to help keep it going, you can become a member on Patreon.

It's been a looooooooooonnnnnng winter, comrades. So your intrepid Daily Detroit team was intrigued to see a new sign outside the former Palmer Park Golf Course HQ announcing that something called the Detroit Exploration and Nature Center was coming to our favorite local park. On this episode, we stop by the still-nascent nature center and walk deep into the heart of the Detroit wilderness with naturalist Jac Kyle, a recreation instructor with the city of Detroit's Parks and Recreation department. Kyle has been working in Rouge Park, where the city last year resurrected its overnight group camping program at Scout Hollow. She talks about what she and the city are envisioning for programming at Palmer Park, which features a mature hardwood forest book-ended by the former golf course meadows. Palmer Park has a rich history that dates back to the 19th century, and today, it boasts a surprising array of wildlife, from wild turkey and fox to raccoons and opossum. So join us for a little walk in the wintry woods and learn about one of Detroit's unsung natural gems. So enjoy our mini audio documentary! If you like what you're hearing, be sure to tell a friend about the show. Also, you can help keep this show going by supporting our Patreon.

Though it's still technically winter, it's never too early to look ahead to springtime. And in Detroit, the pace of restaurant openings is continuing apace. On this episode, Daily Detroit's Man About Town, Devon O'Reilly, joins us to rap about all the latest restaurant news in town. For starters, there's a lot of Detroit-style pizza coming, with Shield's Pizza coming to the Maccabees Building in the Cultural Center, Buddy's headed downtown and newcomer Michigan & Trumbull headed closer to its ancestral home of Corktown from Pittsburgh, according to Eater Detroit. Devon and I also compare tasting notes on Mootz Pizzeria, the newest addition to the Z Garage/Belt Alley, which is serving up New York-style 'za. We also discuss the emerging mini-district between the Shinola Hotel, its new restaurant San Morello, the Element Detroit hotel in the Metropolitan Building, the Brakeman beer hall and Queens Bar. And we head uptown to spend some time discussing what's happening on the Livernois Avenue of Fashion district, including the forthcoming Bink's Grill and new location for Brixwine bar. Lastly, we discuss the noteworthy restaurant closing of Farmers Restaurant in Eastern Market. All that and then some. Click on the player above, tell your single friend about us, and don't forget we have a Patreon campaign that will totally help you score a date. This episode was recorded on Friday, March 8, 2019.

Today we're talking about the skills gap in Metro Detroit when it comes to coding and development. Our conversation today is with TechElevator's CEO Anthony Hughes. His company has job training centers in Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus and are opening up right here. We go over what skillsets are actually in demand (like Java and .NET), what it takes to get a job in these fields, and my skepticism of some training programs. The interview was recorded at Automation Alley in Troy. For more information, you can learn more at https://www.techelevator.com/

Happy Hump Day, errrrybody. Today's episode features a series of conversations. There's big news for downtown Detroit's emerging retail shopping scene, as fashionable Swedish retailer H&M is planning to open a store on Woodward Avenue this fall. Daily Detroit's retail maven, Shianne Nocerini, joins Jer to talk about it. Jer then talks with me all about Mayor Mike Duggan's State of the City address last night. I update you on medical marijuana. Dispensaries operating under temporary licenses will now have a hard March 31 deadline to get licensed or face closure. Plus a few other things to know about this industry. Finally, Shi and Jer talk about Empty Bowls Detroit, which is this Friday night at Shed 5 in Eastern Market. The annual event raises money for Cass Community Services. Those two will be serving up hot soup from local restaurants at the event, so if you are there, be sure to stop by and say hi. Find Daily Detroit wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Don't forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. And check out our Patreon campaign. Keep on keepin' on!

Governor Gretchen Whitmer today released her first proposed budget before a joint meeting of House and Senate appropriations committee members, and she's targeting investments to three problem areas for Michigan: roads, K-12 schools and contamination threats to drinking water resources. In a nutshell, the governor proposes to raise gasoline taxes in three installments of 15 cents to an extra 45 cents by October 2020. To pay for it, she'd undo some of the tax reforms championed by Gov. Rick Snyder, her predecessor. It's a big pill to swallow, but there can be no doubting that Michigan has racked up a massive bill all these years of kicking the can down the road. On today's show, we also run down some of her other proposals, including boosting funding for K-12 schools and creating a free community college program for Michigan high-school graduates. There's news about a new demolition contract for Joe Louis Arena, with the wrecking ball arriving this spring. A new $30 million skilled-trades training center is planned in Detroit. Jer also gets nerdy about the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservancy, which will be closed until July, maybe even on weekends, due to some major reconstruction work. And a shout-out to Shelby Township's Alena D'Amico who has made it on The Voice! Thanks for listening to Daily Detroit. Support the show through our Patreon - http://www.patreon.com/dailydetroit

On today's show, we have some fun discussing the return of the WLLZ call letters to Detroit's FM airwaves, and by listener request we talk about the elephant in the room, the so-called District Detroit, in the wake of the big story that ran over the weekend in Crain's. First up is a new Patronicity campaign to help restore Hamtramck Stadium, which hosted Detroit's various Negro Leagues baseball teams during the 1930s. Hometown rock star Jack White ponied up $10,000 to jump-start the campaign, which seeks to raise $50,000 to restore the playing field and install signage. Elsewhere: Former Detroit Red Wing and NHL Hall-of-Famer Ted Lindsay has died. In addition to winning four Stanley Cups with Detroit, he played a big role in helping players to form a labor union. Detroit's Wheels is back after IHeartMedia converted 106.7 over to the revered call letters WLLZ, giving it a classic rock format that frankly sounds different than the old classic-rock format of old. The Detroit Economic Development Corp. is looking for a developer for three buildings in the old Rivertown District. And we unleash many months worth of thoughts and observations about the District Detroit, the Ilitch family's planned mixed-use, walkable and vibrant urban neighborhood surrounding the Little Caesars Arena. Do yourselves a favor and read the Crain's package, which does a great job shedding light on a project that has so far delivered little other than a new arena and ample, overpriced parking. As always, thanks for listening to Daily Detroit. If you wanna do us a favor, tell a friend about us, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, or support us via Patreon to help keep the shows coming.

Yes, there's a "beach" you'll be able to visit in Detroit through the middle of April. The Beach Detroit is located in 1001 Woodward, and it's a fanciful experience. Sven and Jer chat with Alex Mustonen of Snarkitecture, the creative group brought in to create the beach. Snarkitecture is a New York-based collaborative design practice established to investigate the boundaries between disciplines. The name is drawn from Lewis Carroll's The Hunting of The Snark, a poem describing the "impossible voyage of an improbable crew to find an inconceivable creature." In its search for the unknown, Snarkitecture creates work that includes large-scale projects, installations and objects. The worked with the local Library Street Collective to make this project happen. Time at the beach is free, but tickets are encouraged. You can go to TheBeachDetroit.com to book ahead of time and get more details. Thanks for listening and don't forget to tell a friend about the show.

We spent the day at the Detroit Regional Chamber's Detroit Policy Conference. Though we'll be sharing more of the interviews in their entirety in future episodes of the podcast, we asked six different leaders of different kinds what their vision for Detroit is for 2030. Our guests include: Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II IT in the D's Bob Waltenspiel Rush Hasan, Business Development for The Reef, one of Michigan's largest dispensaries Glenn Stevens, Executive Director of MICHAuto Courtney Smith, Founder of the Detroit Phoenix Center Governor Gretchen Whitmer Thanks for listening! Be sure if you like the show to subscribe free wherever fine podcasts are found.

We recorded today's episode at The Rattlesnake, which is joining as a sponsor of your Daily Detroit. We have some more tasty more details on the new Buddy's location in downtown Detroit. Elsewhere, we discuss Campbell Soup Company's planned sale of Ferndale's Garden Fresh to a company based in Quebec, Canada. Co-founder Jack Aronson had bid to buy back his old company, but couldn't seal the deal. We also cover the Big News out of Sterling Heights, that a Target is closing down. How big, you ask? Big enough that the mayor, Michael C. Taylor, issued a statement about it. Two other news bits: Developers opened a new $7.2 million affordable housing in a handsome old multi-unit apartment building in Detroit's North End And Meijer has announced a new program to encourage people to safely discard unused or expired prescription drugs at pharmacy locations We then speak with the Rattlesnake's Executive Chef Jeff Lanctot all about the venerable riverfront institution and its participation in Detroit Restaurant Week, which runs through March 2 (take it from us, the food is very good, we wouldn't let them on if it wasn't). Michelle Taylor, the director of catering, also joins us. Be well, faithful listeners! Thanks for supporting Daily Detroit.

Another day, another truckbed-full of news in Detroit. Fiat Chrysler made arguably the biggest splash with its announcement that it plans to invest $4.5 billion in five Detroit-area plants and create nearly 6,500 jobs. Central to that is plans to convert the Mack Avenue Engine Complex on Detroit's east side to an assembly plant to build the next-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee and a yet-to-be-named three-row Jeep SUV. If all goes according to plan, construction could begin by mid-year. Forbes will hold its Under 30 Summit in Detroit for three years, starting this fall State environmental regulators have issued a violation against the Marathon Oil Refinery in Southwest Detroit after residents complained of foul odors The Detroit Public Schools Community District is reclaiming three of its buildings from charter schools, and a fourth from a church, Chalkbeat Detroit reports City Council President Brenda Jones has ordered a draft ordinance that would prohibit the construction of any more bike lanes in Detroit without Council's OK Meanwhile, Council Member Raquel Castaneda-Lopez wants a report from the Ilitch family's Olympia Development on how District Detroit is squaring with early promises (so far, we're guessing the answer would be, "not very well") GM and Ford agree to buy wind power from DTE Energy to cover operations at facilities including GM's RenCen offices and two Ford assembly plants The owner of Flowers of Vietnam eyes a new Mexican concept on Michigan Avenue in Detroit

A Hollywood film director makes a giant splash at the Oscar Awards when he says Shinola is "saving Detroit" and the interweb asplodes. We talk about what that ridiculous, off-the-cuff comment means about the city and its nascent comeback. There's a lot more news to be had on today's episode. We also discuss that Medium blog post announcing a new bodega — that's essentially New York City parlance for "party store" — for the hard-hit Russell Woods neighborhood on Detroit's west side. It'll reportedly be part of a larger development, and the post ends with the hashtag, #MakeTheHoodGreatAgain. Also on today's show: Notorious Detroit landlord Dennis Keffalinos has the building that formerly housed El Zocalo on Bagley Avenue in Mexicantown – DetNews The Canadian government aims to waive tolls for cyclists using the Gordie Howe International Bridge – CBC The Fonz is coming to Motor City Comic Con Dearborn gets a nod as one of the top suburban, uh, suburbs in the country in which to eat – Thrillist Detroit City FC will take on the Bucks, which have moved to Flint, in a final preseason friendly Oakland County downtowns and businesses can apply for $2,500 matching small-business grants through a county program Mardi Gras is coming, and along with it, PAZCKI and assorted festivities like the Tour De Troit 5K – SIGN UP As always, thanks for listening. We love you.

On a bonus interview episode of Daily Detroit, our guest is Dennis Archer, Jr. He's the owner of Ignition Media, proprietor of the successful Central Kitchen and Bar, and chair of the upcoming Detroit Policy Conference. We talk on a variety of topics around Detroit's comeback and a vision for 2030 for the city and region. The Daily Detroit team will be at the Detroit Policy Conference on Thursday, February 28, 2019. If you're going, make sure to say hello at our podcast table. If you're interested in going, the speakers and tickets can be found here. http://www.detroitchamber.com/dpc/

On today's show, Chase Bank makes a $15 million commitment to neighborhood redevelopment efforts in Detroit. The money — $10 million in long-term, low-cost loans, and $5 million in philanthropy — will go through the city's Strategic Neighborhood Fund. Elsewhere, Sven speaks with Wayne State University constitutional law professor Robert Sedler about the lawsuit Michigan and 15 other states filed this week against President Trump. The states argue the president's national emergency declaration over the U.S.-Mexico border wall is unconstitutional. Lastly, Shianne speaks with women's empowerment champion, Laura Khalil, about her upcoming Vocal Self Defense Workshop. The event will be on Wednesday, February 27 at the SheHive in Ferndale.

Detroit's Q*Bert-esque convention center has been named after former Mayor Albert Cobo since it opened in 1960. That's set to change, with today's announcement that the authority that runs Cobo awarded naming rights to Chemical Bank for $1.5 million per year for 22 years. Mayor Mike Duggan has said for years that he thinks the convention center should be renamed, and on today's show, we fill in the why. Jer speaks with local historian and writer Ken Coleman about Cobo's complicated and divisive legacy, and what was behind the decision to rename the building that bears his name. Also: The nonprofit small-business incubator Ponyride is moving out of its Corktown building. And a new study of urban real estate finds that home prices increased faster in Detroit than in any other big city in North America. But there are qualifications. Thanks for listening to Daily Detroit. Like what you're hearing? Tell a friend about us. Or, become part of the show by becoming a Patreon member at patreon.com/dailydetroit.

On today's show, Jer tags along with the Salvation Army's Bed and Bread truck, which delivers 3,800 meals each day to hungry Detroiters. He also speaks with former Detroit radio legend, Dick Purtan, about the upcoming Bed and Bread Club Radiothon, which runs Thursday through Friday on WJR-AM 760. Here's what else is happening around town: A federal corruption probe could be expanding to Taylor, as FBI agents raided the City Hall and homes of Mayor Rick Sollars. There's also a tip line set up at 313.965.4545. GM says it's investing $20 million in its Romulus Powertrain Plant to expand capacity. The American Center of Mobility, a 500-acre-plus test bed for self-driving cars at Willow Run, announced a new CEO. Autorama suffers a setback in its plans to jump a "Smokey and the Bandit" replica car next month over the event's history of using Confederate flags. New legislation could expand a state law banning texting while driving to any use of social media apps. And Bob Seger has added a third night at DTE Energy Music Theater to his farewell tour. It'll be June 12. Thanks as always for listening, and tell a friend about Daily Detroit. Or, consider supporting us via Patreon.

On today's show, we break down the top 10 restaurants in Southeast Michigan as determined by users of Open Table for February. Of note: None of them are in the city proper, while one's in Flint and another is in Ann Arbor. Elsewhere, we catch up on the news that Amazon has agreed to invest $700 million in startup electric vehicle company Rivian. We talked about the possibility this would happen on an episode last week, and Jer has some more thoughts about what Amazon's equity stake could mean. Elsewhere: "The Russian Five," the documentary about the legendary Detroit Red Wings that helped the team establish a dynasty in the '90s, is launching next month at theaters across Michigan. Here's where to catch and screening and buy tickets. Star Trek alum George Takei is coming to Motor City Comic Con March 18 and 19. The city of Detroit is hiring for commercial drivers for parks maintenance. The Detroit Optimist Society plans a dual Korean bar-chef's choice sushi counter in a vacant building in Southwest Detroit. BONUS: Here's a fun drone video of Detroit's Fisher Building. Enjoy. Don't forget. If you love the show, you can help power it through becoming a member.

The city of Detroit has announced plans to sell Lee Plaza, the hulking and abandoned former apartment tower on West Grand Boulevard near Linden, to a pair of developers for a cool $350,000. The Roxbury Group and Ethos Development Partners plan to convert it to 180 apartments and retail as part of a $50 million redevelopment. It's good news for an ailing but iconic building in a part of town that could use some love. Also on today's show, we run down the first partisan fight of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's tenure. Republican lawmakers have overridden her executive order restructuring the state's main environmental department. They objected to her effort to do away with industry-friendly panels overseeing environmental rules and permitting. Here's what else you'll hear: An update on the Piet Oudolf garden coming to Belle Isle Details on Michigan's new Move Over Law Bob Seger adds a Detroit-area date to his farewell tour, which is currently under way A new Meijer is coming to the new shopping center development taking shape at 13 Mile and Woodward in Royal Oak Jer and I talk about the news that Amazon is scrapping its plans to build part of its HQ2 campus in New York City amid a wave of local opposition about the incentives on offer and other issues. As a reminder, Detroit offered similar incentives as part of its package to try and woo the e-retail behemoth, and we devoted an entire podcast episode to doing the postmortem on why the Detroit-Windsor bid fell short. And finally, an interview with Ryan Landau from the staffing agency Re:Purpose. Thank you for listening to our show. Happy Valentine's Day, errybody. We Like the show? Want it to keep going? Become a monthly Patron.

On today's pod, we cover a bunch of transportation-related news. First up: Rivian, the electric vehicle startup we've covered in a Detroit Public Television segment and on this pod, may get a big investment from Amazon and General Motors. We discuss how that could be a huge boost for the company as it eyes the launch of its first vehicle in fall 2020. But what does it say about GM and Amazon? Next, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan was in Lansing today to talk auto insurance reform. As a reminder, Michigan has the nation's most expensive car insurance. Republicans have signaled the issue as a priority for the current legislative session, and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signaled an openness to working on it. As a refresher, check out our interview with Steven Gursten of Michigan Auto Law a while back on the state's no-fault law and Duggan's lawsuit. Completing our transportation trifecta was Gov. Whitmer's discussion of the need to "fix the damn roads" in last night's State of the State address, her first. Republicans are even starting to come around to the idea that more revenue may be needed to fix our dismal roads and bridges. Could toll roads be one solution? Whitmer also discussed wanting to strengthen civil rights protections for gay and transgender people in her SOS speech, and she targeted the practice of making controversial legislation referendum-proof. We talk about both of those proposals. In other news: Detroit City FC have announced a preseason friendly match against NCAA College Cup semifinalists Michigan State University on April 20 And two Detroit-area eateries have yanked CBD oils off their menus

Today on the podcast, an eight-and-a-half-mile section of I-75 that has been falling into third-world disrepair lately is set to see reconstruction soon. The Michigan Department of Transportation has announced details of the reconstruction project, which will zero in on the stretch between 13 Mile and Coolidge, including 18 bridges. There's no word on when exactly work will start, but it will likely have to wait 'til the current icepocalypse is done. Also on today's show, both the Freep and News have stories about an apparent conflict of interest in the Wayne County Treasurer's office. Treasurer Eric Sabree's wife has been buying up properties from the Wayne County foreclosure auction, despite the office's own rules barring family members from doing that. In related news, a shout-out to Detour Detroit and Outlier Media, who are holding an event Feb. 21 to build an independent database to better track the Wayne County tax auction. More information is on their Facebook page, if you'd like to help. Elsewhere: Ford faces a lawsuit from three MIT professors who say the automaker stole their patented technology for use in EcoBoost engines Bipartisan legislation under development in Lansing would lift some caps on the number of snow days for school districts in Michigan, meaning it'd be less likely to have to hold make-up days that cut into summer A new Polish restaurant is coming to West Village. And Impossible burgers are coming to Michigan locations of Qdoba Mexican Eats. As always, thanks for listening. Don't forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, and consider supporting Daily Detroit via Patreon.