The U.S. presidential election is just a few weeks away, and early in-person voting has already begun in some communities.
As Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump’s campaigns ramp up in key swing states like Michigan, we continue talking to voters about what’s motivating them to vote in this pivotal election year.
The U.S. election special broadcasted live across the U.S. and Canada from 4-6 p.m. on Sunday, with many listeners from both the U.S. and Canada calling in to join the conversation and share how the election’s outcome could affect them.
Watch the video below to hear the full conversation.
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WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
Former President Donald Trump sought to bring together various parts of his coalition during an Oakland County roundtable Friday evening.
The talk included a New York businessman, representatives of the law enforcement community and members of the United Auto Workers and Teamsters unions. Each was there to highlight a different part of the Republican candidate’s campaign messaging.
For the union workers, Trump discussed his plans for U.S. trade policy should he win back the White House.
Trump has been using promises to jack up tariffs to appeal to autoworkers in particular. He says raising taxes on imported goods would boost the auto industry.
“The higher it goes, the more likely it is that they build in this country,” Trump said.
Presidential campaigns spend a lot of time in Michigan.
Whichever candidate gets the most statewide votes wins all of Michigan’s 15 coveted electoral votes. Kamala Harris (D) and Donald Trump (R) are nearly tied in most polls of the state’s voters.
The map below shows where we know candidates (and some surrogates) have publicly appeared in Michigan since July 15, 2024.
The height of each county on the map represents the number of voters in the 2020 presidential election.
The colors of each county show which party had the lead in votes and how big the lead was. Dark red means Republicans had a big lead and dark blue means the same for Democrats. Counties that look almost white had both parties nearly tied.
His Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, is also promoting some tariffs, including a 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicle imports.
Economists take a mixed view of tariffs, saying they can protect domestic industries, but companies could just pass the cost of the tariffs along to consumers rather than eating those extra costs themselves. Harris has characterized Trump’s heavy tariff plan as, effectively, a national sales tax.
For law enforcement, Trump renewed his “tough-on-crime” messaging. He called for the death penalty against people convicted in the deaths of police officers, and for greater support for law enforcement indicted for alleged crimes while on duty.
Trump said police should have greater shields from prosecution.
“You have a quarter of a second to make a decision and if it’s the wrong decision, your life is over. So, we’re going to do the immunity thing and we’re going to fight alongside them. We have to stop being so politically correct,” Trump said, presumably referring to the legal doctrine of qualified immunity while speaking with Police Officers Association of Michigan President Jim Tignanelli.
Qualified immunity has been criticized as shielding police officers from accountability when they’re involved in shootings or deaths of suspects.
During the discussion, Trump asked Tignanelli how many he felt were innocent out of the 16 officers that Tignarelli estimates are facing indictment in Michigan.
“Innocent, innocent? Probably about 10 of them,” Tignanelli responded.
Aside from the business and blue-collar worker communities, the roundtable also featured someone from Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s former Make America Healthy Again coalition.
Kennedy, who’s still appearing on the ballot in Michigan, tried to end his campaign in states where he thought his candidacy would hurt Trump.
Nancy Jaafar owns a wellness center in Dearborn. She said the Kennedy messaging made her feel a “glimmer of hope.”
“I have to say I am genuinely terrified for humanity in general. The world needs healing and I can only hope that you and your campaign are the catalysts for that,” Jaafar said.
While Trump campaigned Friday in Auburn Hills and Detroit, Harris was crossing the state trying to build her own coalition.
The Harris campaign has been working to bring together supporters including union members, women, and conservatives who worry about a second Trump presidency.
Both campaigns see Michigan as a critical state in their bids for the White House. Harris is in Detroit Saturday to rally supporters on the first day of early voting in the city.
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WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
Both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are campaigning in metro Detroit today.
The visits come before in-person voting begins in Detroit this weekend.
Harris joined a national radio show broadcast from Detroit earlier this week. The Democratic nominee will be stumping in Grand Rapids and Lansing on Friday, before finishing with an event in Oakland County.
She’s expected to be in Detroit on Saturday for the start of early in-person voting.
Harris needs a strong turnout from the typically Democratic stronghold, where Trump has tried to make inroads.
He’ll be in Oakland County as well on Friday for a roundtable discussion, before heading to a rally at Detroit’s Huntington Place — a convention center Trump falsely claimed was the site of massive voter fraud in 2020.
The general election is taking place on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. For the latest election information, visit WDET’s Voter Guide at wdet.org/voterguide.
Reporting by Quinn Klinefelter, WDET
More headlines for Friday, Oct. 18, 2024:
Million Muslim Votes, Black Muslim Leadership Council and Dream of Detroit are hosting Muslim Vote Fest 2024, a get out to vote rally, from 1-3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 20, at the Jam Handy in Detroit.
The Black Political Power Tour, hosted by Capital B, is taking place at 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24, at Spot Lite Detroit, featuring vital discussions about the political landscape of Black Detroit, networking opportunities and more.
Monster’s Ball, Detroit’s largest annual Halloween event, is coming to the Russell Industrial Center in Detroit on Saturday, Oct. 19, featuring live music, food trucks, and a variety of unique costumes.
Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.
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WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
As the election season comes to an end, both Democrats and Republicans are ramping up their messaging to reach out to voters. In a special LIVE edition of our weekly series, MichMash, host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow and Alethia Kasben discussed these matters at Urban Beat in Lansing. They sat down with Andrea Bitely, founder of Bitely Communications, and Josh Hovey, partner at Martin Waymire, to discuss the strategy from both parties.
Political messaging in the last month before the general election
Republican and Democratic strategies for voter outreach
Which way voters are leaning coming Election Day
Bitely shared how she has personally been getting inundated with waves of messaging from both sides on the hot topics that take over the national headlines, like the topic of abortion. She expressed her fatigue over the amount of messaging about how the election would affect abortion rights.
“To be frank, I want to know more about what these candidates are saying. I have a uterus and she is lovely but I also have a brain and a pocketbook and I drive a car on our roads. I want to know what else the candidates have to say about the world around us.” Bitely said.
Hovey explained how that type of political messaging is aimed at trying to sway voters — especially those that are still undecided.
“It is about segmenting that small portion of the electorate that can be motivated. This year margins are expected to be razor thin,” said Hovey. “Every little bit has to count and has to be well targeted.”
The general election is taking place on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. For the latest election information, visit WDET’s Voter Guide at wdet.org/voterguide.
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Michigan’s marijuana industry has grown significantly since adult recreational use was legalized by voters in 2018. But the direction it goes in the future may depend on what happens next at the federal level.
Michiganders are talking about what kind of presidential leadership they would like to see when it comes to federal marijuana regulation.
One way of assessing how much marijuana has become mainstream in Michigan is the fact that a dispensary grand opening in Saginaw back in August included not only the local Chamber of Commerce, but also U.S. Senator Gary Peters.
These are pretty high times for Michigan’s cannabis business. Sales topped three billion dollars in 2023.
But there are headwinds.
In September, more than 1,500 people attended a marijuana industry showcase at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids.
Brett Thompson is a cultivator and processer in southwest Michigan. He was at the conference looking to expand his cannabis business to other parts of the state.
He’d like to see the next president lead on loosening federal banking regulations and de-schedule marijuana as an illegal drug on the federal level. Though Thompson is concerned about what that may mean.
“It’s one of those things, “be careful what you ask for,” said Thompson. “We’re trying to pay our taxes, and more than willing to pay our taxes; just give us a break.”
Michigan law enforcement also wants to see presidential leadership on marijuana.
Robert Stevenson is the executive director of the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police. He said marijuana, medical and recreational, has been a challenge for Michigan law enforcement.
Stevenson said marijuana being illegal federally and legal on the state level has put police officers in something of a legal limbo.
“What we need is some clear direction out of Washington. If it’s going to be legalized, let’s legalize it. If it’s going to stay illegal, then let’s enforce it,” said Stevenson. “But having laws on the books that aren’t enforced or that are ignored, generally is not good for public safety. Doesn’t matter whether it’s marijuana law, or any type of law, if you have a law it should be enforced.”
Banking and scheduling are not the marijuana industry’s only challenges at the federal level.
Dave Morrow is the CEO of Lume, Michigan’s largest cannabis company. He wants to see presidential leadership on dealing with a loophole that allows hemp producers to sell THC products in states where marijuana products are illegal.
“People of like our general age don’t really understand the Delta-8 Delta-9 business, simply because we’re adults and can afford to go into a store to buy regulated product. When you go to Florida, people walking into these vape shops buying this stuff aren’t people like you, they’re 16-year-old kids,” he said.
Gordon MacDougall is also concerned about teenagers getting access to THC products. The Ludington man’s 16-year-old son Henry died in a car crash, after consuming an intoxicating level of marijuana.
MacDougall wants the next president to reassert federal controls on marijuana over state regulation.
“It’s like you have 50 children running around and some making poor decisions,” said MacDougall. “I believe the federal government should play parent in this and be the responsible adult.”
Both Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump favor rescheduling marijuana to reduce federal penalties.
Click on this link to learn more about how all the presidential candidates on the Michigan ballot stand on this and other issues.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has issued guidance for election workers and law enforcement on everything from new voting laws to dealing with disturbances at polling places.
The 14-page document outlines laws about ballot drop box security, carrying firearms at and near polling places, electioneering near voting locations, the roles of election challengers and dealing with disruptive behavior.
“This guidance is critical to keep us all on the same page, preserve the rights of Michiganders in every community, and to maintain a safe environment at every voting location across the state,” Nessel said Thursday in a Zoom press conference.
One of the points addresses the use of police body cameras at polling places. The advice says officers need to ensure if they are called to a polling place, body cameras cannot violate the right of voters to privately fill out their ballots.
Nessel said law enforcement has a lot of discretion to address threats and disruptions but also a legal obligation to help ensure an orderly election.
“And it’s up to law enforcement from my office to our State Police to sheriff’s departments and local agencies in every community to preserve public safety and help ensure a secure legal voting environment,” she said.
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WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
Jeremy Hobson is the host of The Middle, a National Public Radio call-in show about the geographic middle of our country and how it’s overlooked, but it also reaches into the realm of politics and culture and philosophy to find places where Americans can connect.
He joined Created Equal to help define the American Middle and discuss how it’s perceived, the impact of social media on our national discourse, and the important election issues to watch out for.
Later this week, Hobson will join Ian Hanomansing — co-host of CBC Radio’s The National and host of Cross-Country Check-Up — at WDET Studios for a live, international call-in version of Cross Country Check Up and The Middle.
The broadcast, titled America Votes: A Cross-Border Conversation, will air across Canada and the U.S. from 4-6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20, pre-empting WDET’s regular programming.
Guest:
Jeremy Hobson is the host of the NPR call-in show The Middle and the former host of Here and Now and the Marketplace Morning Report.
Listen to Created Equal with host Stephen Henderson weekdays from 9-10 a.m. ET on 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
This weekend, we’ve got last-chance art exhibits, early holiday shopping and lots of beer.
Plus, 101.9 Day! Read on to learn more.
Sip some brews
This Friday, Oct. 18 is our beer release party with Batch Brewing! Ryan Patrick Hooper (host of In The Groove weekdays noon to 3 p.m.) will be your host for the evening as you get to be the first to try “It’s So Kölsch In The D,” an easy-drinking German-style lager designed to appeal to the masses — just like the programming at WDET. Guests will also enjoy live music from Sugar Tradition, Winestoned Cowboys and the Allen Dennard Trio while cozied up on Batch’s heated patio. Doors open at 6 p.m., the show starts at 7 p.m. and tickets are $25. For more information, visit our events page.
Then, keep the brews flowing at the 15th Annual Detroit Fall Beer Festival at Eastern Market on Saturday, Oct. 19. Guests will get to sample Michigan-made beers while listening to a lineup of local musicians between 1-6 p.m. Food from Detroit-area restaurants will also be available for purchase. Tickets are $60 in advance or $70 at the door while supplies last. For more information, visit mibeer.com.
Rep your radio station
Saturday, Oct. 19 is also 101.9 Day, which is the perfect opportunity to join Team DET! Show off your public radio pride with a Team DET t-shirt, baseball hat or zipper tote bag when you make a sustaining gift of $10.19 per month at wdet.org/give. Your gift supports Detroit’s legendary public broadcaster during our 75th year of service to the community.
Start your holiday shopping
On Saturday, Oct. 19, the Michigan Makers Market returns to The Hawk in Farmington Hills. This indoor juried art fair features more than 50 local artists across various disciplines, including painting, sculpture, jewelry and other wearable art, fiber art, ceramics, printmaking, and more. This year’s market features an Oktoberfest feel with live music on The Hawk patio and beer, wine and hot pretzels available to enjoy while shopping. The market goes from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and admission is free and open to the public. For more information, visit their Facebook event.
Explore new music
This week through Saturday, Oct. 19 is Edgefest 28, an annual avant-jazz festival at the Kerrytown Concert House in Ann Arbor. This exploration of new music — both improvised and composed — features a diverse roster of innovative international and local artists. Day passes are $60 to $80, and packages are available starting at $200. For more information, visit kerrytownconcerthouse.com.
Catch this exhibit
This weekend is your last chance to see Double ID at The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Through the lens of W.E.B. DuBois’ work, Double ID showcases striking contemporary artworks that focus on the inner self, identity and evolving spirt of Black men. The exhibit features works from the CCH Pounder-Koné collection, where artists across the diaspora capture the images of Black men amid a myriad of influences. For more information, visit thewright.org.
Walk with purpose
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is holding annual community walks across the country this weekend, allowing people to remember loved ones who died by suicide while also working as a community to create more mental health support. The Metro Detroit Out of the Darkness Walk will take place at Cricket Field on Belle Isle this Saturday, Oct. 19. On-site registration starts at 8 a.m. and the program starts at 10 a.m. For more information, visit support.afsp.org.
If you or someone else needs support, a trained counselor can be reached by calling or texting the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.
Save the date
Mark your calendars — The Rock & Roll Horror Show is coming back from the dead on Friday, Oct. 25! Now in its second year at the Cadieux Cafe, the show will feature live performances from garage rock royalty, The 3-D Invisibles and Eastside Elvis & the Motor City Mafia, as well as tarot readings from Moon Club (featuring our own Amanda LeClaire), all hosted by Modern Music’s Jon Moshier. Join us for a night of spooks and scares, and wear your best costume to be featured on stage as best dressed! This event is 21+ and tickets are $25. For more information, visit our events page.
Support Detroit Public Radio.
WDET is celebrating 75 years of people powered radio during our 2024 Fall Fundraiser. Become a member and invest in WDET’s next chapter of news, music and conversation.
Detroit’s Poletown neighborhood is now home to a restored forest.
Detroit Future City and Arboretum Detroit worked with community members, the city of Detroit’s Neighborhood Beautification Program and others to restore 1.3 acres of land back to nature.
Circle Forest is located along 12 Poletown city lots and will serve as a communal space for residents in the neighborhood.
Kemp addresses Circle Forest visitors from the “stumpscape,” one of many native restoration projects led by Arboretum Detroit in the reclaimed space.
Arboretum Detroit Executive Director Birch Kemp and Park Maintenance Assistant Robyn Redding joined The Metro on Thursday to talk about the forest project and trail.
The first step in the Circle Forest project was clearing 60 yards of garbage from the site, Kemp said.
“There’s this healing aspect that happens with liberating the land from garbage. And everybody who’s been a part of these volunteer work days has felt that, right?” Kemp said. “And planting a tree too, you feel like you’re actually doing something in this world [that] is very tangible, and we’re doing it together and basically building the Detroit we want to see.”
Use the media player above to hear the full conversation with Birch Kemp and Robyn Redding of Arboretum Detroit.
More headlines from The Metro on Oct. 17, 2024:
Detroit, like other cities around the country, is trying to reduce its emissions and ensure clean air, clean water, and safe green spaces for residents to explore. One recent step the city has taken to make Detroit more environmentally-friendly is offering a new composting program. Patrice Brown, associate director of urban agriculture for the city of Detroit, joined the show to discuss the initiative.
The fall colors are beautiful in Michigan. And while you’re admiring the trees, Michigan state officials are also asking people to keep an eye out for invasive Asian long-horned beetles, which pose a danger to trees — especially maples. To talk more about this invasive species, we’re joined by Axios Detroit reporter Annalise Frank.
For all you beer and Detroit Public Radio lovers out there, we’ve got something special brewing in honor of WDET’s 75th anniversary. WDET’s Ryan Patrick Hooper joined The Metro to talk about a new collaboration between the station and Batch Brewing commemorating the milestone. Our new WDET Beer – “It’s So Kölsch in the D” – will be unveiled at a special beer release party tomorrow night at Batch.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 11 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
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WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today »
It’s believed to be the first mental health center inside a mosque in the U.S.Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan says ICD has come a long way from its humble beginnings.
“ICD is now the center of this community, and I’ve been here for food programs. I’ve been here for youth programs, been here for recreation programs, and now opening of a mental health clinic is going to serve the whole community,” he said. “It’s just a terrific day for Detroit.”
The clinic provides free on-site and virtual therapy and counseling sessions, as well as ASL services, career coaching, annual health fairs, and initiatives for the special needs community.
My Mental Wellness has served 200 people so far. ICD hopes to add additional health care services for the community in the near future.
Detroit is looking for a new top cop. Police Chief James White is set to become the CEO and president of the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network after the group’s board of directors voted to appoint him to the role at their meeting on Wednesday.
The Michigan Education Justice Coalition Youth Collective is hosting its second virtual statewide candidate forum on Monday, Oct. 21, called Student Strong.
Six local Black tech founders have been awarded a total of $120,000 in grants from the “Community Regrant” program from Black Tech Saturdays and Rocket Community Fund. Each recipient received $20,000 for projects that will help bridge the digital divide in the city of Detroit.
The Wayne County Treasurer’s Office and the city of Detroit are hosting a foreclosure prevention seminar for seniors and individuals with disabilities on Saturday, Oct. 26, at Perfecting Church, 7616 Nevada Ave., Detroit. Call 313-244-0274 to schedule an appointment and Lyft Service to the event.
Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
London’s Matt Johnson has released records as The The since the early 1980s.
After a 25-year hiatus, he has returned to the studio to produce his first full The The album. Ensoulment sounds as relevant as ever, cinematic, and lyrically in tune.
Johnson joined me on In The Groove during my week as guest host, just as he arrived in Georgia to prepare for the United States’ leg of his current world tour. We discussed the new album, the life-threatening circumstance that led to The The’s first improvised song, “Linoleum Smooth to the Stockinged Foot,” and the meaning behind “Cognitive Dissident” — the first song released from Ensoulment.
We also spoke about the use of his music in films, including “Guardians of the Galaxy” and the new Francis Ford Coppola film, “Megalopolis.” Closing out the conversation is a thoughtful reflection on the role nostalgia plays in moving life forward.
The The will perform two sets at the Masonic Cathedral Theatre in Detroit on Wednesday, Oct. 23. The first set features the new album, and the second set is a retrospective of songs throughout The The’s discography until now.
Use the media player above to hear my entire conversation with Matt Johnson.
Support the shows you love.
WDET’s unique music programs are dedicated to exploring the music and culture of our region and the world.
Voters on Grosse Ile will decide whether to let the local government buy one of the two bridges connecting the island to other communities Downriver.
The gateways to Downriver
Nestled in the Detroit River between the United States and Canada, Grosse Ile is home to about 10,000 people. It has a grocery store, three golf courses, and an airport that was once a U.S. Naval Air Station. For those who don’t own a boat, a plane, or a helicopter, the only way on or off the island is by crossing the bridges over the Trenton Channel.
The “free” bridge carries most of the traffic between Grosse Ile and the city of Trenton.
Most islanders use the Parkway Bridge — or the “free bridge” as they call it — near the south end of Grosse Ile. Wayne County, which owns and operates this span, estimates about 16,0000 vehicles cross it every day. It’s the older of the two bridges. Island historian Tony Krukowski says it predates the automobile.
“The free bridge was part of a rail line that was built in 1873 to carry cargo to and from Canada,” Krukowksi said. “It was built by the Canadian Southern Railroad. The Railroad stopped running in 1924 and the county converted the railroad trestle to a vehicle bridge in 1931.”
Competition arises
But the free bridge was not the first to allow automobiles to cross. In 1912, a man named Edward Voigt started building his own bridge. Krukowski says the German immigrant owned a farm at the north end of the island.
“He raised Percheron horses on his farm, and he also owned a brewery in Detroit,” Krukowski said. “So, he used the bridge to transport his Percheron horses over to Detroit to pull his beer wagons.”
Horses gave way to automobiles, and Voigt opened his bridge to vehicle traffic in 1913. He charged car owners a fee to cross. Today, the toll is $3.50.
The Grosse Ile Toll Bridge was the first to carry automobiles across the island into Riverview.
The Voigt family still owns the toll bridge, but not for long. Edward Voigt’s great-grandson, Paul Smoke, is putting it up for sale, and giving the island’s government first dibs.
How would local leaders pay for it?
Grosse Ile Township trustees voted unanimously to put that question to the voters in the form of a new property tax. Township Supervisor Jim Budny says the 1.67 mill levy would raise $59 million to buy the bridge and upgrade it.
“The first step would be passing the proposal in November,” Budny said, “and then we can get into all the other stuff that we have to do, selling the bonds, getting the designs, getting the work scheduled.”
That work includes increasing the toll bridge’s weight limit of 7.5 tons per vehicle, which only allows commuters to cross. Heavier vehicles use the Parkway Bridge to deliver goods and services such as fuel and groceries. But the free bridge is in bad shape. Wayne County plans to close it twice in 2025 to repair damaged piers and pressure plates. Those closures could last weeks or months. Budny says that could put Grosse Ile in a bind.
“We couldn’t get any food to the island,” Budny said. “We couldn’t get any gas to the island, we couldn’t get any big trucks onto the island, we couldn’t get our waste OFF the island. We could get our emergency vehicles off the island. We couldn’t get emergency vehicles onto the island.”
Grosse Ile residents listen to details about the toll bridge millage at a public meeting in September, 2024.
Budny says the toll bridge needs work, too. But because it’s privately owned, he can’t force the current owners — or another buyer — to improve it. He says if the township owned the bridge, it could decide what kind of vehicles can cross and how much they pay.
Island residents consider their options
That appeals to island resident Fay Givens, who expressed her support at a public meeting in September.
“We’d be able to control the tolls coming off and on that bridge,” Givens said. “We would have, in cases of an emergency, we would be able to act quickly. We would not have to go through an owner that doesn’t live on the island.”
Givens says she’ll vote yes on the millage. Another resident, Brian Kostielny, isn’t sold yet. At the same meeting, he said he’d likely vote no unless he gets more information.
“I’m just looking to go ahead and get a breakdown of how much revenue the bridge makes, you know, what the cost of repair is with the sale of the bridge,” Kostielny said. “I don’t even know how they valued the bridge. I mean it’s not like you can Zillow the value of a bridge.”
That information is subject to a non-disclosure agreement between the township and the toll bridge’s owners, who declined comment for this report. If voters reject the millage, Budny says they probably won’t get another chance.
“If it doesn’t pass, then the seller will go to the open market and sell it to some other private individual,” he said. “There aren’t any municipalities that want it that I’m aware of around here. So, it’ll go to another private individual who would probably keep it the way it is.”
Voting ends Nov. 5
With absentee voting already underway, Grosse Ile residents will decide whether the millage is a bridge to the future or a bridge too far.
For more information about the Grosse Ile Parkway Bridge Projects, visit waynecounty.com.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
WDET will pre-empt its regular programming from 4-6 p.m. this Sunday, Oct. 20, to host a special collaboration between Canada’s national broadcaster, CBC Radio, and American National Public Radio to bring a special international call-in version of CBC’s Cross Country Checkup and NPR’s The Middle.
The broadcast, titled America Votes: A Cross-Border Conversation, will air across Canada and the U.S., bringing international focus to the city of Detroit. The collaborative show will focus on the impending national election’s impact on the U.S. and Canada’s relationship; and WDET’s distinction as a cross-border broadcaster at North America’s largest trade corridor sets us up as the appropriate station to host this international conversation.
Jeremy Hobson, host of The Middle, and Ian Hanomansing, co-host of CBC’s The National and host of Cross-Country Check-Up, will both be present at WDET for the live interactive broadcast.
Listen live at 101.9 WDET FM in Detroit, or online at wdet.org.
Or, join the conversation by filling out the form below.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
Tonight on the Detroit Evening Report, we cover Harris’ recent visit to Detroit to shore up support from Black male voters; the opening of the new Dr. Maya Angelou Village in northwest Detroit and more.
Vice President Kamala Harris spent part of the day in Detroit on Tuesday to take part in an “audio town hall” moderated by Charlamagne Tha God, host of iHeartRadio’s nationally syndicated radio show “The Breakfast Club.” Discussion topics ranged from the economy, to the use of misinformation, to the violence on Jan. 6, 2021.
“Donald Trump incited a violent mob to try and undo the will of the people and undo the results of a free and fair election,” Harris said Tuesday. “That violent mob attacked the United States Capitol. Over 140 law enforcement officers were injured. Some of them were killed. And he has said since then, that there will be a bloodbath after this election.”
Harris has been working to attract more Black male voters in recent weeks, making several trips to Detroit in the process.
Harris and Trump in Detroit Friday
Both Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are scheduled to campaign in metro Detroit on Friday. The Harris campaign announced Wednesday that former President Barack Obama will come to Detroit next Tuesday. Michigan is a key battleground state in what is expected to be a very close presidential election.
Duggan to host District 6 meeting
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is scheduled to hold a charter-mandated community meeting in District 6 Wednesday night. It’s an opportunity to hear from the mayor and his administration about important news and events in the area. Officials from the Detroit Police Department will be there to give a presentation to residents about code enforcement. The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. at the Kingdom Apostolic Ministries, 4735 W Fort St., Detroit. Interested residents can also join the meeting via Zoom.
Maya Angelou Village opens
A new development named after renowned poet Dr. Maya Angelou has opened in northwest Detroit, Model D reports. The mixed-use permanent supportive housing development, located near Grand River and Burt Road, is a partnership between a Chicago-based developer and the Detroit-based non-profit Alternatives for Girls. The non-profit focuses on serving at-risk girls and young women in Detroit.
Devin Scillian retiring
Longtime Detroit television anchor Devin Scillian is retiring. He announced the move last night on WDIV.
“I am currently in my 30th year here at WDIV. And maybe it’s the roundness of that number, but I’ve decided to move on to the next chapter of what has been a most enjoyable and gratifying book,” he said.
Scillian started at the station in 1995. In the past three decades, he has covered politics, natural disasters, court trials, the Olympics and a wide range of news stories in metro Detroit. Scillian gained national prominence shortly before coming to Detroit, when he covered the Oklahoma City bombing for a local station there. He says he has decided to retire now to devote more attention to some of his other passions, including writing children’s books and singing with his band. Scillian’s last newscast will be sometime in December.
Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.
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It’s no secret that America’s politics are polarized. According to one preacher and educator, they’re not broken beyond repair. Jim Wallis, author of “The False White Gospel” says the Christian gospel is one way to bridge the political divides in the United States.
Wallis says the teachings of Jesus Christ are at odds with the white Christian nationalism that has dominated conservative politics for a long time.
“Jesus did not say ‘blessed are the peace lovers, or the peacekeepers.’ He said blessed are the peace makers — which means conflict resolvers,” Wallis said.“White Christian nationalism is a conflict maker, dividing people. And Jesus says we’re supposed to be peacemakers, conflict resolvers.”
Guest:
Jim Wallis is a writer, educator and preacher. He is the author of “The False White Gospel” and is the inaugural holder of the Chair in Faith and Justice and the founding Director of the Georgetown University Center on Faith and Justice.
Listen to Created Equal with host Stephen Henderson weekdays from 9-10 a.m. ET on 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand.
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Democratic congresswoman Elissa Slotkin and former Republican congressman Mike Rogers debated issues including education, immigration, abortion and electric vehicles. It was the final scheduled U.S. Senate debate of the election season.
Dennis Darnoi, a political consultant, says this election is uniquely focused on the two candidates’ principles instead of their party affiliations with President Joe Biden or former President Donald Trump.
“Both of them have long records upon which to run, they have reputations within the party and within the state. So, it’s not as if they are new candidates that no one’s ever heard of,” Darnoi said.
Dennis Darnoi is a political consultant for Densar Consulting.
Zoe Clark is the political director at Michigan Public.
Listen to Created Equal with host Stephen Henderson weekdays from 9-10 a.m. ET on 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand.
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WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
The presidential campaign for Vice President Kamala Harris is taking its messaging to Black men in Detroit this week.
That’s through the release of a new policy platform and events aimed at Black male audiences, like a nationally syndicated radio appearance with The Breakfast Club host, Charlamagne tha God.
During that interview, Harris fielded questions about the border, the stakes of the election, and how she would advance the Black community if she wins in November. Harris took that chance to highlight parts of her recently unveiled agenda for Black men.
Those include proposals for increased downpayment assistance for first-time homebuyers, and forgivable loans for Black businessowners, before being ribbed by Charlamagne that some of her general talking points have become her “greatest hits.”
“The needs of the Black community are not just about criminal justice,” Harris said. “The community is not going to stand up and applaud just because everybody has a job. That should be a baseline.”
Harris also fielded a question from Detroit rapper Icewear Vezzo, who has said he’s dissatisfied with Democratic politicians, over whether her proposals for the Black community were opportunistic, given the timing.
Harris said her plan “is not new and not for the sake of winning this election,” before continuing into her record working with Black business owners prior to running for president.
The push to shore up Harris’ support among Black men comes at a time when there’s been reporting that her Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump, was making inroads in that community.
In that vein, the Harris campaign hosted an event this week in Detroit also geared toward Black men. Harris was not there, but it featured range of speakers, including political commentator Bakari Sellers and actors Don Cheadle and Delroy Lindo.
Lindo said he got involved after hearing about doubts young Black men had about Harris.
“For me, it’s a question of coming out, meeting people where they are, if I can, talk to as many young people as I can, and try to understand why are you feeling that way. Well, let me tell you what I feel, let me tell you what I understand. And see if we can have a meeting of the minds,” Lindo said.
Campaign staff said the Tuesday event built upon ones in other states.
BET personality Jeff Johnson, who also spoke, said this is the first presidential election he’s seen campaigns discuss what he calls the “complexity of Black men.”
“To help make Black men the center of this election is a blessing and I’m excited about that. And I think it gives us an unbelievable opportunity to really show who we are and what our power is in a way that the country has never paid attention to before,” Johnson said.
The Trump campaign says he has a history “delivering for Black Americans.”
Janiyah Thomas is Black media director for the campaign.
“Under his leadership, we saw historic job creation, rising wages, and real opportunities for building generational wealth. In contrast, the Harris-Biden administration’s policies have reversed these gains, leaving many Black families burdened by higher living costs, stagnant wages, and a surge in crime,” Thomas said in a statement.
The statement went on to criticize Harris for some of the ways she’s campaigned for the Black vote.
“While Kamala Harris panders to Black voters with collard green recipes and cheap ads at the BET Awards, Team Trump is actively making inroads with Black voters,” Thomas said.
Both Harris and Trump will be in metro Detroit on Friday.
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WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
This week on MI Local, I received another visit by a local artist/musician, so that they could personally share a new song with our listeners! R&B singer-songwriter C3 stopped by to premiere his latest song, “The Other Man,” which he spoke about during our interview.
“I really just wanted to write a record for the good guys,” C3 said. It’s about finding “a good-hearted individual” who can “protect you and love you, forever.”
It’s also a song that’s quite danceable, while also showcasing C3’s vocal talents.
Along with this premiere, we heard brand new music from Detroit rock trio Shadow Show, and Ypsilanti-based singer-songwriter Kylee Phillips. We also previewed WDET’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Horror Show II, hosted by Jon Moshier next weekend at the Cadieux Cafe.
Stream the whole show and you’ll also hear some great local tracks that capture a quintessentially autumnal vibe, including Kalamazoo-based artist Jordan Hamilton and Detroit’s own Zilched.
See the full playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the player above.
MI Local Playlist for Oct. 15, 2024
“The Good Parts” – Kylee Phillips
“Baba Yaga” – Shadow Show
“The Other Man” – C3 (In-Studio Guest)
“Graveyard Rockin'” – The 3-D Invisibles
“The Morning After (The Monster Mash)” – Norcos Y Horchata
“Dark Dance” – Detroit Riddim Crew
“Mezcal” – Duende
“Sun” – Windy & Carl
“Like The Dead” – Carmel Liburdi
“Halloween” – Misty Lyn & the Big Beautiful
“Believe In” – Jordan Hamilton
“Radio Tower Blues” – Raw Honey
“Loveless” – Zilched
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WDET’s unique music programs are dedicated to exploring the music and culture of our region and the world.
After a lovely WDET Travel journey to Switzerland, I’m back in the fold and dropping new stuff from Nilufer Yanya, Julian Lage, Kokoroko, GOAT, Las Palabras & Angélica Garcia, plus lots more new discovery. Also had to put an artist spotlight on IDLES and their fantastic album from earlier this year, Tangk. I can’t stop listening to this more gentle take on post-punk from the group — definitely their best album yet. And it’s always a pleasure to play a jazz epic from Jeff Parker as he gets ready to release a new album later this year on International Anthem (I’ll be spotlighting this label later on this month).
Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.
In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for Oct. 15, 2024
“Just A Western (Boy Harsher Remix)” – Nilufer Yanya
“Things You Do For Love” – Apiento
“To Ardent (feat. Nancy Sinatra) [Horse Meat Disco Remix]” – Black Devil Disco Club
“Jungle” – IDLES
“Roy” – IDLES
“POP POP POP” – IDLES
“Why Am I Alive Now?” – Anohni
“You’ve Been In Love Too Long” – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
“Elevator” – Gavin Turek
“Don’t Leave Me” – Sugar Tradition
“Northern Shuffle” – Julian Lage
“Three Piece Suit (feat. Azekel)” – Kokoroko
“Late Autumn (feat. Anna Butterss, Jay Bellerose & Josh Johnson)” – Jeff Parker & ETA IVtet
“Hit Or Miss” – Odetta
“Little Failure (Live On WDET)” – Winestoned Cowboys
“Sorry Tomorrow (Live On WDET)” – Winestoned Cowboys
“Pour Man” – Lee Hazlewood
“It Ain’t Nothing To Me” – Sanford Clark
“Ouroboros” – GOAT
“I Can’t Hardly Stand It” – The Cramps
“They Call Me Country” – Sanford Clark
“La Misma Luna” – Las Palabras & Angélica Garcia
“First Class” – Khruangbin
“Gemini” – Angelica Garcia
“Billboard Heart” – Deep Sea Diver
“Farewell Transmission” – Kevin Morby & Waxahatchee
“On the Floor (Noise NY version)” – Galaxie 500
“Free Money” – Patti Smith
“I’ve Never Loved A Man” – Aretha Franklin
Listen to In The Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.
Support the shows you love.
WDET’s unique music programs are dedicated to exploring the music and culture of our region and the world. Keep the music going. Please make a gift today.
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