Both of Michigan’s U.S. Senators voted against a procedural move to end the federal government shutdown.

Seven Democrats and one independent joined Republicans last night, taking the first step toward funding the government. GOP Senators agreed to hold a vote next month on extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits. The deal does not guarantee they’ll be renewed. Democratic senators Elissa Slotkin and Gary Peters say promising to hold a vote on the issue isn’t good enough.

The compromise would reverse the mass firings that took place when the shutdown began and ensure federal workers get back pay.  

-Reporting by Pat Batcheller  

Additional headlines from Monday, November 10, 2025

Supreme Court order blocks SNAP payments

On Saturday the U.S. Supreme Court issued an emergency stay blocking the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition from issuing full payments for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP. This pauses benefits for 42 million Americans, including many children and the elderly.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services director, Elizabeth Hertel, says she is disappointed by the move. MDHHS began sending out full payments on Thursday, however the new order prevents the department from finalizing payments for Michigan residents who have not yet received their payments for November.

To fill the gap, Governor Whitmer announced an additional $4.5 million to the Food Bank Council of Michigan to feed families including food delivery services for families who are unable to visit a food bank. Dial 2-1-1 or visit mi211.org to find assistance. 

Last week, the city of Detroit launched a network of food pantries map with 85 certified food pantries. Mayor Mike Duggan says the city authorized $1.75 million for the project. People can visit detroitmi.gov to find a location near them.  

Catholic Charities provide hunger relief

Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan is providing emergency relief while SNAP benefits are in limbo for 1.4 million families in Michigan.   

People can drop into the Center for the Works of Mercy on 10301 Woodward Ave in Detroit on Thursdays between 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturdays beginning Nov. 22nd through Dec. 6th between 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.  

According to DetroitCatholic.com, the city of Detroit donated food from Forgotten Harvest to support the center.

The Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan are also asking people to donate unexpired AND nonperishable food on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. or provide monetary donations. The group is matching donations up to $20,000 thanks to an anonymous donor. The center is also looking for volunteers.  

MSU study brings solar panels and farming together 

Michigan State University researchers are building an outdoor laboratory to see if solar panels can improve crop production for farmers.

Anthony Kendall is an Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at MSU. He says the project involves researchers from different fields who can offer a variety of perspectives. 

“There’s a real asymmetry of solar installation information that exists right now. And we hope by doing open science with a lot of community feedback, to really just provide better information to everyone.”

He says they’ll also use the project to teach farmers how to use solar panels in under-producing areas of farm fields. The project is funded by a $3.6 million grant from the National Science Foundation.  

MDOT regulations

The Michigan Department of Transportation is still collecting public comment on a set of proposed regulations that could put parameters on how people can protest on MDOT owned roads.

The new rules would require protestors to get a permit before occupying an area such as an overpass or rest stop. MDOT’s Engineer Greg Losch said on the podcast “Talking Michigan Transportation” that the rules are a response to complaints from the public.  

“We’ll be responding to the public complaint, like, ‘hey, I stopped at whatever rest area and someone asked me to sign a petition and I don’t really want to be solicited for that. Why why are you allowing this, MDOT?’” 

Losch said the regulations intend to ensure public safety. Activists argue that this is an infringement of First Amendment rights. MDOT will be accepting public comments on its website through November 20th.  

If there is something happening in your neighborhood that you think we should know about, drop us a line at DetroitEveningReport@wdet.org. And don’t forget to subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report podcast, available wherever you get your podcasts. 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Seeing a doctor in America comes with numerous costs—the wait for an appointment, the hours on hold with insurance, the pit-in-your-stomach feeling when the bill finally lands and it is a lot more than you expected. 

Now, millions of Americans are bracing for another cost they did not see coming. 

The federal subsidies that have lowered health insurance premiums under the Affordable Care Act are set to expire next year and if they do, premium costs could rise by hundreds of dollars a month. 

Healthcare subsidies have been a key point of contention during the government shutdown. Last night, seven Democrats and one independent joined Republicans in a Senate vote that paves the way for an end to the shutdown—but not an end to the debate on healthcare subsidies. 

Senate Majority Leader John Thune agreed to allow a vote in December on the expiring tax credits. 

Meanwhile, here in Michigan, the uncertainty comes on top of another shakeup: some insurers are leaving the state’s individual marketplace, and thousands of people are suddenly searching for new coverage.

But some doctors are rejecting the traditional insurance model altogether. Their alternative is called direct primary care, a type of subscription-based service where patients pay a flat monthly fee and receive care when needed — no billing codes, no middlemen. 

Dr. Paul Thomas brought this model to Detroit a decade ago with Plum Health. His clinics promise same-day visits, transparent pricing, and time to actually talk with your doctor.

Thomas joined Robyn Vincent to discuss how he believes this model could help heal America’s broken healthcare system.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro

The sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald is a tragedy that is remembered with reverence and intrigue across the Great Lakes every year.

Twenty-nine sailors lost their lives on November 10, 1975, and the exact cause of the sinking remains a mystery. Gordon Lightfoot’s epic retelling, “The Wreckage of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” firmly placed the story of the Fitz’s in the national public consciousness.

But, the Edmund Fitzgerald—the largest freighter on the Great Lakes at the time— was always part of Detroit history. It was built, christened, and launched in the Detroit River. It carried record-breaking loads of iron ore and was known as a workhorse in Great Lakes shipping. It’s intended stop before sinking was Zug Island.

This year marks 50 years since the Edmund Fitzgerald sank, and the ship’s Detroit connection took center stage at several events over the weekend.

Victoria Stewart is Assistant Director of the Humanities Center at Wayne State University.

She created a pop-up exhibition “The Gales of November, Remembered: Detroit and the Edmund Fitzgerald.” It was on display at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum and Mariners’ Church in Downtown Detroit to commemorate 50 years since the ship sank in Lake Superior on November 10, 1975.

Stewart spoke to The Metro about the ship’s Detroit connections and the timelessness of it’s story.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro

Darren Revell’s Big Sonic Heaven ruled Sunday night radio in Detroit for over 8 years, beginning in 1995. After leaving the airwaves, the show continued to develop a fervent international following of folks looking for shoegaze, dream pop, brit pop, trip hop, and electronic music with online streaming shows.

WDET is proud to introduce the next chapter in this groundbreaking program with a new weekly radio show every Sunday night from 9 p.m. to midnight. Darren will also be joining the on-air talent team as a support host.

Big Sonic Heaven will begin broadcasting on WDET this Sunday, November 16, at 9 p.m., replacing rebroadcasts of the Don Was Motor City Playlist and Sound Opinions.

More jazz on Saturday nights, and farewell to The New Music Show on WDET

WDET listeners will have more opportunity to enjoy Kaleigh Wilder’s Visions (Monday 8-10 p.m.), with rebroadcasts every Saturday night from 8-10 p.m. beginning November 15.

The New Music Show wrapped up a fantastic run of shows with its last broadcast on Saturday, November 8. We want to thank Shigeto for an amazing 19-month run on WDET.

Fans of the Don Was Motor City Playlist (Friday 8-10 p.m.) will now find an encore broadcast every Monday night from 10 p.m. to midnight (replacing the rebroadcast of Acoustic Café).

The Progressive Underground (Saturday 6-8 p.m.) with Chris Campbell rebroadcasts Wednesday nights, 10 p.m. to midnight.

Download our updated program schedule to see the new layout.

“Old Man” – N’dea Davenport (Acoustic Cafe recording, 1998)

On this week’s episode of Acoustic Café, the trio from Australia’s Northern Beaches, Sons Of The East, return as our in-studio guests. During their first time in America in 2018, they had only an EP to their name… now, on their second full-length release called “SONS,” they are making their second appearance!

Also, some archived performances from Richard Thompson, Arlo Parks, Joy Clark and much more!

See the playlist below and listen to the episodes on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Acoustic Café Playlist for November 9, 2025

• “Million Dollar Intro” – Ani DiFranco
• “Petrichor” – Jon Batiste
• “Time In A Bottle” – Lucy Dacus
• “Just A Stranger” – Diana Silvers
• “Die Alone” – Marcus King
• “Black Dog” – Arlo Parks (in-studio performance)
• “Mellow Out (demo)” – Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
• “It’s Alright” – Sons Of The East (in-studio guests)
• “Pour The Wine” – Sons Of The East (in-studio guests)
• “A River Runs Through” – R.T. & The Sessionmen
• “Instead Of Calling” – Flock Of Dimes
• “Fluorescent Light” – Haley Heynderickx & Max Garcia Conover
• “Falling For Me” – Johnnyswim (in-studio performance)
• “The Highway Knows” – Molly Tuttle
• “Over” – Robert Glasper ft. Yebba
• “Wilderness” – Sarah McLachlan
• “Nevermind” – Tyler Ramsey & Carl Broemel
• “Shine” – Joy Clark(in-studio performance)
• “Keep Your Distance” – Danny Burns
• “Lotteryland – Richard Thompson (in-studio performance)
• “The Best of You” – Amber Mark
• “After The Ball” – Waylon Jennings
• “Time Will Tell” – Sons Of The East (in-studio guests)
• “Sweet Thing” – Sons Of The East (in-studio guests)

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

Harmful algal blooms form in western Lake Erie every summer. Scientists monitor the water for toxic bacteria and caution people not to swim in areas where they see green scum on the surface.

Lake St. Clair has its own algae problem. It has fascinated scientists and frustrated lakeshore residents.

What is it?

Its scientific name is Microseira wollei, but folks in Macomb County have their own name for it—the “muck.”

M. wollei has been a problem in the lake since at least 2010. That’s when large mats of algae were seen floating on the surface of the water near the Lake St. Clair Metro park beach in Harrison Township.

It caught the attention of biologists, including Donna Kashian. She’s the director of Environmental Science at Wayne State University. Kashian and three other scientists went to the beach in 2010 to take water samples and study the algae, which had a different name at the time, Lyngbya wollei. Whatever one calls it, Kashian says it’s not hard to spot.

“It forms these little balls,” she says. “When you’re walking along the beach, you’ll see these ribbons, essentially along where the water’s washing up, where you’ll see the muck accumulating.”

How bad is it?

The muck has spread to other parts of Lake St. Clair over the last 15 years. Steve Dobreff owns the Freedom Boat Club in Harrison Township. He says it has grown so thick in some places that people can’t use their docks.

“That guy over there has a boat launch,” Dobreff says, pointing to an area on Campau Bay near the boat club. “This guy over here used to have a dock…that’s gone.”

Dobreff says the muck has even fouled the water near the lakeshore neighborhood where he grew up near L’anse Creuse Bay. 

“This was beautiful water, and it was all sandy beaches,” he says. “This is where we spent the majority of our time growing up right here on this dock and hanging out right here in this area.”

Now, Dobreff says, the muck has made it unswimmable.

How did it get here?

But where did the muck come from? Prof. Kashian says the explanation is murky. She says it turned up in Lake Erie years before appearing upstream in Lake St. Clair, which is kind of backwards.

“Usually things move downstream, not upstream,” she says. “So we don’t know if it was transported by boats or it was possibly there at some low level.”

However long it’s been there, Kashian says removing the muck won’t be easy. She says warmer water, more frequent storms, sewage discharges, and fertilizer runoff are all variable factors in its growth.

“I think we’re going to see patterns where some years we have more of it, and then other years we won’t see it,” she says.

Cutting off its “food” might help

One way to see less muck might be to reduce combined sewer overflows into the lake. Kashian says the algae trap E. coli, a common cause of beach closures.

Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller says her department has reduced CSOs by half since she took office and will expand its infrastructure in 2026 to keep more sewage out of the lake.

“We’re going to be announcing another project, which will take us really just about to 0%,” Miller says. “I mean, you might have an occasional discharge, but we are doing pretty darn good.”

Miller says she’s working with state and federal agencies to solve the muck problem. The Michigan Legislature set aside $800,000 in its 2026 budget to start the process.

State Representative Alicia St. Germaine sponsored that appropriation. She says that’s how Alabama tackled the problem in its lakes.

“The removed it and then treated it with an algaecide, and they mitigated it by more than 80%” St. Germaine says.

What’s being done about it?

The Army Corps of Engineers published a study in 2023 showing that algaecides are effective at controlling M. wollei. But eradicating the muck is unlikely because it’s so widespread. Instead, the corps has proposed a plan to manage the algae growth and limit its effects.

Rep. St. Germaine says the sooner officials can attack the muck, the sooner people in her lakeshore district can get some relief.

“I have visited several constituents who can’t even go outside and sit on their patio because this algae, this toxic algae, is smelly and gross and even hard to look at,” she says.

Like the algae that grow in Lake Erie, M. wollei can produce toxins that can cause liver and neurological damage. Prof. Kashian says she and her colleagues looked for the gene that produces those toxins and did not find it in this strain of algae.

For now, the muck has given Kashian and her classes at Wayne State plenty to study.

In this week’s episode of Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music, some songs from, and covers of Neil Young as he approaches his 80th birthday next week!

Also, the great Mavis Staples with a new single, nighttime music from Cautious Clay, The Accidentals kick off the holiday season and more.

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for November 8, 2025

HOUR ONE:

• “Love Is A Rose” – Neil Young
• “Old Man” – N’dea Davenport (Acoustic Cafe recording, 1998)
• “Human Mind” – Mavis Staples
• “You Are Not Alone” – Mavis Staples
  
• “A Hazy Shade Of Winter” – The Accidentals
  
• “Dry The Rain” – The Beta Band
  
• “Stone Rollin’” – Raphael Saadiq
  
• “Lady” – D’Angelo
  
• “No Kings” – Jesse Welles
• “The World’s Gone Wrong” – Lucinda Williams ft. Brittney Spencer
• “shut up” – Royel Otis
• “Half Asleep” – Twin Shadow
• “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” – Maia Sharp
  

• “Broken Arrow” – Neil Young, live at Canterbury House, Ann Arbor, 1968
• “Harvest Moon” – Cassandra Wilson
• “Runnin'” – GoldFord
• “Fade To Blue (11 PM)” – Cautious Clay
• “Lover Killer” – My Brightest Diamond
• “Southern California Brings Me Down” – National Lampoon
  
• “Open Your Umbrellas” – Sloan
• “Tanana” – Portugal. The Man
  
• “Party Pack” – Trombone Shorty
  
• “Another Life” – Alabama Shakes
  
• “Pajarito” – Jose Gonzalez
• “Old Man” – Lizz Wright (Acoustic Cafe recording, 2005)
• “Keep On Rockin’ In The Free World” – Neil Young

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is giving money to 25 communities and organizations to help grow local urban tree canopies.

Awardees include the cities of Oak Park, Ferndale, Port Huron, and St. Clair Shores, as well as non-profit groups like Arboretum Detroit and Detroit Horsepower.

Kerry Gray, who works with the DNR’s Urban and Community Forestry program, explains that these grants are part of a long-standing partnership with the DTE Energy Foundation.

“The DNR has worked with the DTE Energy Foundation since probably almost 30 years now, providing grants to communities and organizations for tree planting to help expand their tree canopy and strengthen local green infrastructure,” Gray says.

She says one goal of the grant is making sure the new trees are species diverse to help prevent problems like the widespread tree loss caused by invasive pests.

“I think we’ve all seen the devastation that happened when the emerald ash borer came in and attacked [a] species that we had an overabundance of, which was ash,” Gray says. “We really focus on making sure that all of our grantees are using a diverse palette of species…we work with them and provide support to help them select species that are suitable for their sites and locations.”

More information about Michigan’s tree canopy initiative can be found through the Mi Trees program, which aims to plant and care for 50 million new trees across the state by 2030.

This story is part of WDET’s ongoing series, The Detroit Tree Canopy Project.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has directed its SNAP EBT vendor to start issuing full benefits to recipients pending delivery from the federal government. This all comes after a district judge ordered the US Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service to issue full SNAP benefits by today, Friday Nov. 7.

According to the MDHHS, SNAP recipients who usually receive benefits on the 3rd, 5th , or 7th of each month should get their full SNAP allotment within 48 hours of the state receiving their funds. This news comes as the Trump administration is asking a federal appeals court to block a judge’s order to distribute November’s full SNAP food benefits during the government shutdown.

This is all going down as some states are moving to take care of low-income residents. The court back and forth has created uncertainty in the food program services that serves 1 in 8 Americans. Approximately 1.4 million people in Michigan are on SNAP.

Additional headlines from Friday, November 7, 2025

DDOT drivers get raise

The City of Detroit and the Members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 26 agreed on a new contract to give DDOT bus operators a $6 per hour wage increase.

Pending approval from the City Council, more than 500 operators will now have start and maximum base wages in line with what SMART bus service currently offers their drivers. There are even incentives for good attendance and safety.

In addition to those improvements, drivers will also receive an annual cost of living increase each July 1st during their contract. This new contract will be submitted to Detroit City Council for approval before the Council meetings end for the year.

Sports update

The Detroit Lions try to bounce back from their loss against the Vikings last week as they look to face the Commanders Sunday afternoon. The Commanders will be without starting Quarterback Jayden Daniels who suffered an elbow injury. The Lions are hoping to build and get their offense going after struggling as of late. Kickoff is at 4:25 p.m. at Northwest Stadium.

The Red Wings face off against the team from my home state, The New York Rangers. Game starts at 7:00pm at Little Caesars Arena. The Red Wings then play against the Chicago Blackhawks also at Little Caesars Arena NBA The Pistons go agains the Brooklyn Nets Tonight at the Barclays. Tip off is at 7:30 p.m. and then they stay on the road to face the 76ers on Sunday Nov. 9 at the Wells Fargo Center.

All Things Detroit Holiday Shopping

And this Sunday November 9th you get the chance to experience the event titled All Things Detroit Holiday Shopping. This unique marketplace is taking place at Eastern Market Sheds 3,4, and 5.

Small businesses from all across Detroit will come through with interesting items to purchase right on time for the holiday season. For more information go to allthingsmarketplace.com.

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Huron River is one of the most prominent in our state, and 650,000 people live in the watershed. But you can’t eat fish from the Huron River. After years of unregulated industry, dumping and pollution, PFAS, also known as ‘forever chemicals’ are part of the Huron.

There’s also a toxic Dioxane bloom moving through groundwater towards the Huron River—the source of drinking water for Ann Arbor.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Awareness about PFAS is increasing, and so are the solutions that can improve river health. Some are policies being introduced at the state level, like so-called “Polluter Pay Laws” introduced by Michigan Democrats and supported by environmental organizations.

On Wednesday, November 12, the Huron River Watershed Council will host a one-day conference, “State of the Huron” to discuss the health of the Huron River and chart its next chapter.

Rebecca Esselman, Executive Director of the Huron River Watershed Council, joined the Metro to talk about the present and future health of the Huron River.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro

Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield had a historic win on Tuesday, becoming the first woman to be elected Mayor of Detroit. In this episode of MichMash, Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow and Alethia Kasben are joined by BridgeDetroit reporter Malachi Barrett and Detroit One Million founder Sam Robinson to discuss how Sheffield might govern in her new role.

In this episode:

• What makes Sheffield’s win so significant?
• What does Sheffield’s trajectory look like?

Historic win

Not only is Sheffield the first woman to become mayor for the city of Detroit, but she had record turnout in comparison to her predecessor.

“Duggan is talked about as this electoral juggernaut, especially in his re-election campaigns. He never had above 75% or even hit 75,000 votes,” Barrett said. “Sheffield had both.”

Barrett also said Sheffield was more present in the community and had better relationships than her opponent, Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr.

Sheffield’s trajectory

From here, Sheffield’s career could go in many different directions. But according to Robinson, Detroit is the main focus for the young politician.

He recounted stories from her election night afterparty and says he believes she aspires to be a candidate like former Detroit Mayor Coleman Young. Robinson also said that her representation as an African American woman has inspired a lot of people.

A new judicial task force report calls for an overhaul in how Michigan’s local courts are funded.

The report says the local jurisdictions rely too much on fines and fees to fund their operations. The report says that is not only unfair, it undermines faith that courts and judges are more interested in dispensing justice than collecting money.

Court costs and challenges

State Court Administrator Tom Boyd says it’s no secret that confidence in policing and the fairness of courts is under challenge. “It isn’t that folks that come before the courts aren’t paying their fair share, it’s that they’re paying way more than their fair share. And, so, the report tries to get at a mechanism to ensure that people pay the right amount and that the people that assess that revenue aren’t motivated by profit.”

Bonsitu Kitaba-Gaviglio is the acting legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan. She says Michigan’s court problematic funding system could be vulnerable open to a constitutional challenge. “The obligation to tax, assess, to fund the operation of the government is a responsibility of the Legislature, not the judiciary, and so that’s a constitutional concern, and second, it raises serious due process concerns.”

She says people can’t always expect fair treatment when judges have a vested financial interest in guilty verdicts and imposing fines and fees.

Tom Boyd, the state court administrator, says in some jurisdictions, courts are so flush with revenue it helps fund other parts of local government. Meanwhile, in other places courts barely break even. “I challenge you to go hang around district courts where you live today and stop people and ask them what they think the government wants from them and the overwhelming answer is going to be money.”

One potential solution

One of the recommendations is to take all the fines, fees and costs collected by all the courts and put it all into one pot to be shared statewide. The state would also develop a plan to prioritize based on the needs of local court systems, including how busy they are and the types and complexity of the cases.

Monroe County Administrator Michael Bosanac was part of the task force. He says all that money from fines, fees and costs would go into a state-managed fund, and could only be spent on local courts, and not diverted for other purposes.

“We’re not saying that those functions are not important. They’re really important. We’re just simply saying that in this new model that they should not be funded from court resources and revenue. They should be funding those from some other source of money.”

There’s hope these recommendations will give the Legislature a framework to comply with a court decision.

An on-going effort

The Michigan Supreme Court ruled nearly a dozen years ago that local courts cannot arbitrarily impose court costs on defendants to fund their operations. The Legislature has voted itself multiple extensions since then and there is bipartisan interest in finalizing a solution.

”It’s a super-important issue that we, I’m hoping that the Legislature can finally get resolved,” says State Senator Stephanie Chang. She’s a Democrat who chairs the Senate Civil Rights, Judiciary and Public Safety Committee.

Chang says a resolution is overdue to resolve the conflict between the fair administration of justice and leaning on defendants to provide a major source of funding. “So how can we make sure that we have a stable funding system that funds our trial courts in a way that gets rid of that conflict?”

It is a big and complex task, but Chang says she is optimistic that even in a divided political environment, the Legislature can reach a bipartisan solution by the end of next year.

The City of Detroit launched a network of food pantries yesterday to help residents who normally rely on benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP. 

The program, also sometimes called food stamps, has not been fully funded since Nov. 1 because of the federal government shutdown.  Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan’s administration has created a map of 85 certified food pantries.

“This is now live at DetroitMI.gov.  You can see the 85 sites.  Some are open one day a week.  Some are open five or six days a week.  And so you can go on the website, click on the one in your area that’s closest to you…and for example you can see this one gives you the address.” 

Duggan is also asking for volunteers to help hand out food to residents in need.  He says the plan should be feasible for the next two weeks. The city has authorized $1.75 million for the project.  

There’s no word on when the government shutdown might end. 

Additional headlines from Thursday, November 6, 2025

Chrysler recall
Chrysler is recalling 320,000 Jeep plug-in hybrid vehicles because of a battery problem that could cause them to catch fire. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the recall affects Jeep Wranglers from the 2020- 2025 model years and Jeep Grand Cherokees from the 2022-2026 model years.  Owners are advised to park the vehicles away from structures and not to plug them in. 

A repair for the problem has not yet been found.  There are reports of 19 fires and one injury possibly connected to the issue. 

DIA workers unionize

Employees at the Detroit Institute of Arts have formed the DIA Workers United union. It’s in partnership with with American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Culture Workers United Division.  The division of the union also represents workers at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

The DIA Union campaign says it’s seeking “a fair, transparent, and respectful workplace that aligns with the values the museum shares with the community.” DIA representatives said in a statement they are supportive of the union, and respect the workers legal right to unionize. 

Last day to apply for Homeowners Property Exemption

Tomorrow is the deadline for homeowners to apply for the Homeowners Property Exemption – or HOPE – program. Those who qualify can received up 100% exemption on their property taxes for the current year.

Applications will also be taken for the 2024 tax year as well. Last year, over 10,000 homeowners received reductions on their taxes ranging from 10% to 100%. To see if you qualify or to apply visit detroit.mi.gov/hope. You can also visit city hall Friday, November 7th between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

This week, we’re highlighting ways to celebrate Native American Heritage Month, experiences that celebrate Detroit excellence and local markets to kick off your holiday shopping.

Plus, an opportunity to support arts education on the dance floor. Read on to learn more.

Upcoming events

Hockeytown Centennial FanFest

  MotorCity Casino Hotel in Detroit

  Thursday, Nov. 6 through Sunday, Nov. 9

  $17.60 and up

A four-day celebration honoring a century of Red Wings hockey featuring alumni appearances, interactive exhibits, exclusive merchandise and more. General admission day passes start at $17.60, and 4-day passes and VIP tickets are also available starting at $125. The festival is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Guest Artist Demonstration: Kelly Church

  DIA Art-Making Studio in Detroit

  Friday, Nov. 7

  Free with museum admission (free for residents of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties)

A drop-in workshop led by Pottawatomi/Ottawa/Ojibwe artist and educator Kelly Church as part of the Detroit Institute of Arts’ celebration of Native American Heritage Month. Participants will help create a collaborative woven black ash basket while learning about Church’s process and the history of the materials. The workshop goes from 1–5 p.m.

Carmina Burana featuring Detroit’s Audivi Choir

  DSO Orchestra Hall in Detroit

  Friday, Nov. 7 through Sunday, Nov. 9

  $20.95 and up

A performance of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Detroit’s Audivi Choir. The cantata, composed in the mid-1930s, is based on a famous medieval collection of poems about worldly pleasures and the ups and downs of fortune. Performances take place at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and at 3 p.m. on Sunday.

We’re Still Here: Fighting Indigenous Erasure in the Media

  Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn

  Saturday, Nov. 8

  Free with registration

A discussion about how to combat anti-Indigenous racism featuring award-winning journalist and citizen of the Cherokee Nation, Rebecca Nagle. She’ll break down the lack of accurate representation of Native Americans in pop culture, how that impacts Indigenous rights and how ordinary people can push back. The talk takes place at The Henry Ford’s Anderson Theater and doors open at 12:30 p.m.

Underground Music Academy Fundraiser

  Spot Lite in Detroit

  Saturday, Nov. 8

  $23–$29

A fundraiser to support ongoing construction at Underground Music Academy’s headquarters in Detroit’s North End, featuring DJ sets by Kindle, Disc Jockey George and WDET’s own Waajeed (host of The Boulevard). The party goes from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. and is 21+.

All Things Detroit Holiday Shopping Experience & Food Truck Rally 2025

  Eastern Market Sheds 3, 4 and 5 in Detroit

  Sunday, Nov. 9

  $7–$15

A holiday shopping market featuring over 200 small businesses, including local artists, handmade gifts, craft goods and one-of-a-kind pieces. There will also be food trucks on site, Detroit DJs in every shed and photo ops with Santa. VIP ticket holders also get two hours of private shopping, an All Things Detroit tote bag and a surprise holiday gift while supplies last. VIP access starts at 10 a.m. and is $15 online. General admission starts at noon and is $7 at the door.

Downtown Detroit Markets & The Cadillac Lodge

  Cadillac Square in Detroit

  Wednesday, Nov. 12 through Jan. 4, 2026

  Free

A holiday shopping market featuring a curated collection of over a dozen Detroit vendors selling everything from apparel and accessories to snacks and skincare. The market area also includes the Cadillac Lodge, a heated tent that offers warm food and seating. Both the market and the lodge are open Wednesdays through Sundays starting at 11 a.m.

A heavy dose of throwback Thursday tracks with Kate Bush, Johnny Jenkins, Paul Simon and others. Plus a sprinkling of new music discovery with Khraungbin, English Teacher, Dry Cleaning, Night Bus and more.

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 November 6, 2025

• “Baby I’m Scared Of You” – Womack & Womack
• “Nightcall (Breakbot Remix)” – Kavinsky
• “Queen (Dan Kye Remix)” – Muzi
• “People Everywhere ii” – Khraungbin
• “Melhor Se Acostumar (Tour-Maubourg Remix)” – Pedro Mizutani
• Flor De Real” – Sessa
• “Free Fall” – Berlioz
• “Army Dreamers” – Kate Bush
• “Sleeping Volcanoes” – Cass McCombs
• “I Walk On Guilded Splinters” – Johnny Jenkins
• “Ritual Union (Maya Jane Coles Remix)” – Little Dragon
• “The World’s Biggest Paving Slab (Daniel Avery Remix)” – English Teacher
• “Hit My Head All Day” – Dry Cleaning
• “Angles Mortz” – Nightbus
• “N.I.T.A.” – Young Marble Giants
• “Mirror” – Jeff Tweedy
• “One of These Things First” – Nick Drake
• “Josh Tillman and the Accidental Dose” – Father John Misty
• “Kashmir” – Led Zeppelin
• “Once In A Lifetime” – WITCH
• “Heaven’s On Fire” – Radio Dept.
• “I’d Do It For Your Love” – Paul Simon
• “Psycho Killer” – Astrønne
• “Radio Silence” – James Blake
• “The Escape Engine” – Burning Airlines
• “Come On Let’s Go” – Broadcast
• “7 AM” – Jacqueline Taïeb
• “How Can I Lose” – Shirley Ann Lee
• “Half Full Glass Of Wine” – Tame Impala
• “All Along The Watertower” – Jimi Hendrix
• “Love Is a Hurtin’ Thing (12″ Version)” – Gloria Ann Taylor
• “Skindo Le-Le (S.U.M.O. Rebounce)” – A Bossa Elétrica

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.”

Thousands of women have been in the initial stages of a legal battle over hair products they believe made them sick.

In 2022, The National Institute of Environmental Health Science, found that women who use hair relaxers frequently increase their risk of developing cancer, and now over 10,000 women who have used the treatment are suing the manufacturers. The findings raise important questions about the risks associated with hair products—risks that are present everyday in a city dubbed the “Hair Capital of the World.”

Aisha Langford, a professor of public health at Wayne State University’s School of Medicine joined the show to explains the important takeaways for consumers and stylists who use relaxers.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro

Political junkies have their minds on the elections that just happened this past week. But one year ahead, there are a lot more elections in the state.

That’s true for the governor’s race, where a slate of Democratic and Republican candidates, in addition to an independent candidate, are running for the seat. 

Currently, Congressman John James and former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox are in the lead for the Republican nomination. Why? And, what do they need to do to win?

Producer Sam Corey spoke to longtime Michigan Republican strategist Jeff Timmer to find out.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or NPR or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro

Hey Detroit, Chris Campbell here from the Progressive Underground dropping in for our Pick of the Week.

For this week’s pick, we spotlight Mexican and Colombian artist, producer, singer, rapper, and multi-instrumentalist Dani Bojorges-Giraldo, otherwise known as St. Panther.

Based in Los Angeles, they glide between soul, R&B, jazz, hip-hop, and alt-pop. The forthcoming album is “Strange World,” due any day now. For this single, the influence is clear and intentional, channeling D’Angelo’s “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” into a modern torch song that smolders and slow burns musically.

So let’s check it out, here’s St. Panther with “The Deal,” and it’s my Pick of the Week.

That was St. Panther with “The Deal,” from the upcoming album “Strange World.”

If that pocket pulled you in, lock in with us every Saturday evening at 6 p.m. on 101.9 WDET for The Progressive Underground. We dive into future soul, nu-jazz, B-sides, and deep grooves from across the musical spectrum.

For The Progressive Underground, I’m Chris Campbell. Catch you next time.

Does it ever feel like nothing feels quite like it used to, or has it always felt that way? Well, we’re pondering that notion on this week’s MI Local, with the newly formed minimalist electro-post-punk duo known as Power Moonroof!

The band is comprised of Rachel Kayuk on synth, vocals, and tambourine, and Deleano Acevedo on guitar, vocals, and bongos, but there’s also some other instruments that they tend to bring on stage—a little bit of a controlled-chaos vibe.

They’re wearing cowboy hats in a lot of their recent promotional images, but this ain’t exactly country. Power Moonroof’s debut album, “Nothing Feels Quite Like What It Used To,” is a darkly dreamy blend of post-vaporwave swoons, breathy falsettos, and slick guitar snarls, kinda like a gnarly melding of DEVO-esque rambunctiousness with The Kills’ edgy allure.

Kayuk and Acevedo joined me live in-studio to premiere a couple of songs from their forthcoming album: “Graffiti Cover-Up,” “Hotwax,” and “Live Like That,” with the latter featuring contributing vocals from John Brannon, lead vocalist from the iconic Detroit-based hardcore punk institution, Negative Approach.

Joining Power Moonroof in the studio was Stef Chura, a Detroit-based singer-songwriter who released two acclaimed indie-rock albums between 2017-2019, who then moved south for a spell, relocating back here in 2023.

Within the last year, Acevedo joined Chura’s band, as she works toward releasing her third album sometime in early 2026. Chura, along with Power Moonroof, are playing a show on Thanksgiving Eve at the UFO Bar with former MI Local guest Valerie Salerno, who performs as Dick Texas, and Mutual Heaven, with DJs Charles Trees and Kenjiro. Power Moonroof will have vinyl copies of their new album available at this show!

During our chat, we talked about the origins of Power Moonroof, which grew out of another concurrent band known as Mango Star. Acevedo also detailed his recent onboarding to Stef Chura’s band, while Chura, herself, treated WDET listeners to an exclusive in-studio performance of her song, “All I Do Is Lie.”

We also listened to a solid bit of newly released tracks by local artists; find the full playlist below!

• “Come 2 Me” – Molly
• “Visions” – Atlas the Kid
• “Bad Idea” – Ritual Howls
• “Conversations” – Scott Masson
• “satellite” – bonnie hook
• “Speed Table” – Winged Wheel
• “Long Dirt Driveway” – Dick Texas
• “Graffiti Cover-Up” – Power Moonroof
• “All I Do is Lie” – Stef Chura, live in WDET Studios
• “Live Like That” – Power Moonroof
• “Hotwax” – Power Moonroof