An old building in Westland known as a haunted house around Halloween has been transformed into a Christmas attraction this year.  

The iconic Eloise Asylum has an interesting history. It started as a workhouse in 1839, then developed into an asylum, sanatorium and hospital over time. A century and a half later, in 1982, the facility was closed. Now it’s used as a house of horrors during fall, but the building has become festive for the holiday season this December.  

Kyle Bostick is the owner of MI Bright Lights, a drive-through holiday light show now being hosted at Eloise. Bostick says he and his wife originally started doing shows at their home in Garden City. 

“In the past few years, we’ve had thousands upon thousands of cars at our house every night throughout the season,” he said. “We do Halloween, we do Christmas, we do Fourth of July, and the traffic just became unmanageable.”

At that point they knew they had to find a bigger venue, Bostick said, “and that’s when we started looking. We found this one, and here we are.” 

Cars line up at an entrance tunnel to get in, where thousands of green, red and white lights illuminate the 100-foot path. Families tune into the venue’s low-power radio station and listen to holiday jingles as they roll through the show.

Elves and gingerbread people made of light steer vehicles onto Candy Cane Lane, where visitors can find characters like Rudolph and the Grinch along the way, singing and dancing to the music in the cars. 

Bostick says the process of producing the show is very demanding, both creatively and practically. He says his team worked on programming the light performances throughout the year and started building the set in August. He estimates spending 40 to 100 hours working on each song they use for the show.

“Our show is different than any other show in Michigan because we are the only synchronized pixel drive through light show, which means that all of our lights are synchronized to music,” he said. “They will change colors, they will dance to the beat of the songs, and every time you come will be a different experience.” 

Once the drive-through ends, everyone gets out of their cars to visit Santa Land. Children call out to Santa’s helpers walking through and pose for pictures.  

“We have an interactive walk through with a full-size gingerbread house, lots of cute photo opportunities.We have an interactive Santa mailbox, where kids can mail letters to Santa. On the weekends, we have Santa here. You can get photos with Santa, give him your letter, all that type of stuff,” Bostick said.  

MI Bright Lights will be open each night for the rest December and through Jan. 5. For more information, visit mibrightlights.com. 

AAA has integrated its roadside service with two popular navigation apps, Waze and Google Maps, to alert drivers when they’re approaching an auto club tow truck.

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

The goal is to warn those using the navigation apps to slow down and move over when they see an emergency vehicle stopped ahead, as required by state law.

AAA spokesperson Adrienne Woodland says the alerts could save lives.

“Tragically, about two emergency responders are killed every month, and thats far too many deaths,” Woodland said. “They occur because drivers are either not paying attention or do not realize they’re approaching someone on the roadside.”

AAA responds to over 30 million calls for roadside assistance across the country, amounting to about one call every two seconds.

Woodland says if someone’s car or truck breaks down, they should stay inside the vehicle if it’s safe and wait for help to arrive.

The auto club expects a record number of people to travel over the holidays, predicting that more than 119 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home between Saturday and New Year’s Day.

Reporting by Pat Batcheller, WDET News

Other headlines for Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024:

• The Michigan Muslim Community Council will continue its “Days of Ihsan” campaign on Dec. 25, partnering with local organizations to hand out holiday gifts and food to over 300 low-income Detroit families.
• Detroit’s homicide rates have dropped drastically again this year, with the Detroit Police Department reporting the city is on pace to break last year’s record of lowest homicides since 1966.
• Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill Monday that will extend the maximum length of time Michigan workers can receive unemployment insurance benefits by six weeks.
• Most city of Detroit offices will be closed beginning Christmas Eve for the holiday season and will reopen on Thursday, Jan. 2. Normal Police, fire and bus services will be provided.  Garbage, bulk and recycling will not be picked up on Christmas or New Year’s Day. Friday’s collection will take place on Saturday.  

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

I once again teamed up with Detroit record collector and DJ Dave Lawson to bring WDET listeners a brand-new collection of rare and sometimes unusual holiday tunes for the season.

From vintage rock and soul, country and western, funk, electronic experimentations and lounge music, it’s the best holiday music you’ve ever heard!

For those who missed the show on Saturday, catch the re-air at 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve, or view the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

Modern Music playlist for Dec. 21, 2024

• “Tijuana Christmas” – Sy Mann
• “Jingle Bell Rock” – The Paradise Islanders
• “Big White Cadillac (Remastered)” – Little Joey Farr
• “Little Drummer Boy” – The Crusaders
• “Get Off of My Roof” – Jerry and the Landslides
• “Greensleeves” – The Rondels
• “Chimney Top Twist” – Robbin Sisters
• “There’s Trouble Brewin'” – Jack Scott
• “Who Say There Ain’t No Santa Claus” – Ron Holden
• “My Mom And Santa Claus” – George Jones & The Jones Boys
• “Christmas Doll” – Jim Eanes
• “What I Really Want For Christmas” – Joyce Street
• “Jolly Old St. Nicholas” – Wilf Carter and the Calgary Stampeders
• “Hotta Chocolatta” – De John Sisters
• “Mr. Snowman Goes to Town” – Guus Jansen
• “Rock and Roll Santa Claus” – Babs Gonzales
• “Waiting For Santa” – Clif Gober and The Dedication
• “Santa’s Rap Party” – Super-Jay
• “Deck the Halls” – Gloria Parker
• “Little Drummer Boy” – Yon Max Aaron
• “Blue Christmas” – Toshiba Musical Industries
• “Please Come Home for Christmas” – Fudge Lips
• “Cascanueces” – Nacho Méndez
• “Silent Night” – Joseph Byrd
• “Silent Night” – Can
• “Giddy-Up” – The Dumbells
• “Quand Il Neige Sur Mon Beau Pays (Let it Snow)” – Roland Breton
• “Jingle Bells (Pig Latin)” – The Morrie Morrison Orchestra
• “Jillfingle Bell Fells” – The Honey Dreamers
• “Santa’s Too Old To Rock and Roll” – Debbie
• “North Pole Rock” – Cathy Sharpe
• “I Want Santa For Christmas” – Rita Faye
• “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” – Jackey Yoshikawa and His Blue Comets
• “I Wish You a Happy New Year” – Terry Nelson

Listen to Modern Music with host Jon Moshier Saturdays from 4-6 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed bills Monday that will expand unemployment benefits for people who are out of work.

Over three years, the maximum benefit will increase from $362 per-week to $614 weekly. Also, the maximum time period to collect benefits would increase to 26 weeks from 20 weeks.

“With winter just around corner, Michiganders are still juggling high costs and a competitive job market,” Whitmer said in a statement released by her office. “These bills will put money back in people’s pockets so they can keep a roof over their heads, pay the bills, get a good-paying job, and put food on the table.”  

Whitmer said Michigan is one of just a dozen states that offer unemployment benefits that are capped at less than 26 weeks.

Then-Governor Rick Snyder and the Republican-led Legislature rolled back the cap to 20 weeks in 2011, and business groups say this will encourage more people to delay returning to work during a worker shortage. This legislation would not likely have gotten to Whitmer’s desk after this term as Republicans will take control of the House next year.

Michigan AFL-CIO President Ron Bieber cheered the new laws.

“This victory for working people has been over a decade in the making,” he said in a statement released by the governor’s office. “… Finally, Michigan’s unemployment benefits will be restored to full strength after years of lagging behind our midwestern neighbors and practically every other state in the country.”

Business groups that did not support the legislation said they are concerned about the impact of the benefits expansion.

Small Business Association of Michigan President Brian Calley – who was Snyder’s lieutenant governor when the benefits rollback was signed – said an emergency order extending benefits during COVID-19 had the unintended effect of keeping people out of work longer then necessary.

“The extended higher unemployment level made it much more possible for jobs to go unfilled for longer periods of time,” he told Michigan Public Radio. “So, there is some concern, and we will be watching labor force participation very closely.”

Calley said he also would have preferred to see a longer recovery period for the trust fund that finances unemployment benefits. Employers pay into the trust fund. Calley said he also would have liked to see the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency complete a technology upgrade before a decision was made to increase benefits.

Candidates in the race to become the next leader of the Michigan Democratic Party are jockeying for position ahead of next year’s party convention. Former state Senator Curtis Hertel is among them, boasting a recent endorsement from the state party’s Black Caucus. Hertel said everyone in the party needs to feel listened to if it’s to recover from steep losses in this year’s November general election. “We need to be the big tent that we are, which means that everyone feels listened to and that everyone has a seat at the table and is part of the decision making process. So that’s what I think building, you know, moving forward, that’s how we get buy in from everyone,” Hertel said Monday.

Listen: Curtis Hertel speaks with WDET’s Russ McNamara about why he is running for MDP chair

Most recently, Hertel unsuccessfully ran to replace Senator-elect Elissa Slotkin in Michigan’s Seventh Congressional District.

When asked what concerns him about the direction of the party, Hertel said he worried things have become too focused on the top of the ticket instead of the down ballot races.

“It’s got to be recruiting great people to run for county commission so that your grassroots is strong. Making sure that we win both the House and the Senate so that it’s not just the governor, but someone that can actually get a working people’s agenda done,” Hertel said.

That’s something Hertel and his challengers have in common.

MDP Rural Caucus Chair Mark Ludwig is also seeking the party’s top spot. He said the party has been unresponsive while he believes money used for the party’s statewide coordinated campaign efforts should have been spent more wisely this past election cycle.

Ludwig noted the large fundraising haul national efforts brought in and decisions to spend a lot of it on marketing for the top races.

“I just really question whether your 15th showing of a commercial to somebody on legacy media is an effective use of campaign dollars, as opposed to just cramming it down the ballot. You know, I think—If all of our 110 state House candidates had just had ten grand dropped on them, which in a rural area, that’s a respectable campaign,” Ludwig said.

Both Ludwig and Hertel said another place the party went wrong was bringing in too many campaign operatives from outside of Michigan who may not have fully understood the state’s political landscape or how to pronounce town names.

The candidates said they’re taking their campaign pitch for party chair across the state.

Ludwig argued what he described as the “activist middle” has felt abandoned and frustrated. He proposed using party leadership positions as one place to help people feel more included.

“We’ve got to use these officer positions as more than, you know, a holding place for career politicians that are, you know, on their way from here to there. We need to do something with, you know, the first, second, third, fourth, fifth vice chair of the Democratic Party,” Ludwig said.

Another candidate in the race for party chair is Detroit-based social justice advocate Al “BJ” Williams.

On his website, Williams proposed focusing more on local organizing efforts about precinct delegates, building community partnerships, candidate recruitment, and bringing on new donors.

More people could still join the fray ahead of the party’s spring convention next year.

Whoever does win party chair will be tasked with leading Michigan Democrats through several high-profile contests in 2026, including for governor.

This summer, after more than five years, Russia finally released Michigan native Paul Whelan in one of the largest prisoner exchanges since the height of the Cold War.

Whelan was serving time in a Russian labor camp on bogus espionage charges.

President Biden personally greeted Whelan on the tarmac when his flight arrived back in the U.S. And Congress is working to adopt new laws to help those like him who are wrongfully detained by foreign nations.

But Whelan says his return to American soil is proving much more difficult than he anticipated.

I spoke with Whelan about his time in Russia and experience with reintegrating to life back in the U.S. for over an hour at WDET Studios.

Use the media player above to listen to the full interview, or hear highlights from the interview — which aired in two segments on WDET — below.

Listen: Paul Whelan on his struggles since arriving home from Russian labor camp

Responses have been edited for clarity and length.

Paul Whelan: Once you’re home, you’re actually on your own. The attention turns to the next guy that’s still locked up somewhere abroad. The state and federal benefits and programs generally don’t apply to people that came back from a hostage situation. Even getting a driver’s license or professional licenses, renewing things that should just be pro forma, it’s a problem any time you’re asked about an arrest or a criminal record on an application. In my case, I was arrested and convicted and imprisoned, but it was wrongful. So one of the provisions actually in the new law is a certificate from the president that explains that the arrest, conviction and imprisonment of a former hostage were invalid. On a few occasions I had to ask people to put my name in Google and read the media to understand the situation completely, because I was arrested and convicted and imprisoned for a fake espionage case. As soon as you get into that sort of thing, people just don’t get it. They start thinking this can’t be real.

On dealing with customs officials:

I applied for a renewal of my global entry card, which comes from U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, I had a hard time with them because they kept focusing on the fact that I was arrested and imprisoned overseas. And I said, “Yeah, and look at the pictures of President Biden meeting me at Andrews Air Force Base when I came back.” It took a little while for them to process the fact that my case wasn’t real and that there was some notoriety around it.

On his struggles obtaining state unemployment or insurance benefits:

I don’t qualify for unemployment. Because the laws are written so specifically that my situation falls outside the cookie cutter that they use. You have to have worked for, I think, 20 weeks before you apply. Well, I was working, but I was working in a Russian labor camp. And that apparently doesn’t count.

I had applied for medical care [through Medicaid] and I had a letter back saying that I didn’t qualify because I wasn’t a U.S. citizen. This is a letter that’s gone all over the Michigan and federal congresses. It makes you scratch your head, to be quite honest. I called and I said this is a mistake. And they said I could appeal. In six to eight weeks, maybe there might be a determination for you. And I said, “You could just Google my name right now and understand the story.” But they said once you’ve applied and you’ve been denied, you have to go through the appeal process.

You get stuck in this bureaucratic quagmire. That’s the unfortunate thing because it should be quite easy, especially for someone in my case, and I’m finding that it just isn’t.

“Especially in my situation — where I was only held because I was an American citizen — the American government needs to have more in place so when people like me come home, there’s more lined up to help with the reintegration.”

– Paul Whelan

On how he’s living now and support he’s received:

There are some private people that are helping me. I have a GoFundMe account. The Detroit area auto dealers provided a leased vehicle for me, which was really great. There are some private practitioners that are supporting me with medical and dental care and whatnot. Really it’s the kindness of strangers and the support from the community at this point that’s helping me out. And I really appreciate that. But I also think that, especially in my situation, where I was only held because I was an American citizen, that the American government needs to have more in place so when people like me come home, there’s more lined up to help with the reintegration.

On losing his employment while held in Russia:

I was quite disappointed with my employer. I was the director of global security for BorgWarner. As soon as I was abducted by the Russians, they lawyered up. They didn’t want to cooperate with the State Department or the FBI. They didn’t want to cooperate with my family. They did pay me for the first year that I was gone, but they cut my medical insurance at a crucial time. I had a hernia that needed surgery. Because they took that option of insurance away and I was unemployed, I didn’t have the means to pay for a private operation. I basically had to wait because the Russians wouldn’t pay for it either, until the hernia became an emergency situation. One of the most disturbing aspects is that while I was sitting in prison, they were still doing business in Russia and they brought in a lot of money while I was incarcerated. Since I’ve been home I haven’t heard anything from them. Friends and supporters of mine have reached out to them and they’re just not, they’re not talking.

Whelan said the horrid conditions of the Russian labor camp where he was imprisoned remains burned into his mind. His frustration grew in prison as Russia traded other Americans while he remained incarcerated.

The U.S. Attorney General, for one, argued against doing any prisoner swaps.

But Whelan, a citizen of four different countries because of his parents and where they lived, says he was aware the U.S. government was still trying to craft a deal to get him home.

Listen: Whelan describes conditions in Russian labor camp

Responses have been edited for clarity and length.

Paul Whelan: I knew there were negotiations underway to get me home. I had several calls with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken from prison. I spoke to Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens on a fairly regular basis and his staff as well. We had illegal burner phones. We would use cigarettes to bribe the guards and buy burner phones. And I would call people in the governments in London and Ottawa as well. So I was fairly up to date on what was happening — not the details — but the fact that there were negotiations. There were conversations happening.

“In Russian prison there is no medical care. It’s up to you as an individual to take care of yourself.”

– Paul Whelan

On the poor conditions in the Russian labor camp:

In Russian prison there is no medical care. It’s up to you as an individual to take care of yourself. Your family, friends, people like that, can supply over-the-counter medications. So my consulates were sending that sort of thing in to me. My parents were actually ordering a lot of it on Amazon and it would go through the diplomatic pouch in D.C. to Moscow, and then from the consulates to me. Ibuprofen, acetaminophen, TheraFlu, even Band Aids, all sorts of things. At first my family sent a small amount just for me. But it became apparent that my friends in the camp needed the same sort of thing. So my parents just started sending more. After a while I had a bit of a pharmacy we were able to stay in pretty good shape. It’s an odd environment, because it’s extremely dirty. It’s unsanitary. When we had water, it was cold water. It’s not conducive to what we think of as proper hygiene, having clean surfaces, disinfecting wipes. The Russians just don’t believe in those sorts of things. Since Soviet times, the Russian outlook on imprisonment is work. I was at a labor camp for the last four years and it was just like the gulags of the old days, the salt mines and factories.

On maintaining a positive outlook while imprisoned:

It’s tough. From Day One, I sung the four national anthems of my countries when I got up in the morning. And then at the labor camp, some of my friends would sing theirs as well. So it was kind of comical. We’d always say that every day is a new day. And when things weren’t going right, we’d say every hour is a new hour. I did 30 days in solitary confinement. The warden wasn’t happy with me, and I wasn’t happy with him. It stemmed from the fact that there’s no medical care in the camps and I was arguing with the warden about that. So he threw me in solitary for 30 days. When I was there I said, okay, I’m here for however long, this is my home until I get out. So instead of kicking the doors and trying to break windows and yelling and screaming and causing problems, I cleaned it up. I made it, as best I could, a situation I could deal with, and rode it out. Just after getting out of solitary, we were able to have that warden arrested and put in jail himself, as well as the deputy warden, because of the fraud and corruption in the prison.

On remaining in contact with the inmates still held by Russia:

I’m in contact with people from the camps as well as their families. The corruption in the Russian camp is just part of their society, so having burner phones available is fairly normal there. On one hand, you’d have a warden putting people in solitary for disobeying the rules. But on the other hand, the deputy warden is handing out cell phones to people that can pay for them. The guards too. One guard is selling cell phones and another guard is running around the barracks trying to collect the phones. With the inmates, we discuss world events, what’s happening with the war in Ukraine. That touches on everyone’s lives in the Russian prison because the Russian army has been taking prisoners to prop up their losing venture. People speak about coming to America, coming to Canada, how they could emigrate. We practice speaking English. And, keeping the sanctions in mind, which do make things difficult, I have family and friends in other countries that are helping to send medications and things into Russia now to go to my friends in the camps. That’s helping, especially during this winter season, keeping them healthy.

On sleep deprivation in the labor camp:

The last four years, every night, the guards would come and every two hours they’d wake me up. They’d shine a light in my face, take my photo, to prove that I hadn’t escaped. The Russians said that I was high value and that I was an escape risk. The camp that I was in, I used to call it Camp Lost in the Woods because it was way out in the middle of nowhere. If I had gotten out, which wouldn’t have been hard to do actually, I would have been in the in forests. There are bears and wolves and things running around. If I had survived them, the area of the country is just all prison camps and everyone who lives around there works in some manner for the prison service. So anybody I would have run into would have known that they were looking for an escaped prisoner, and I wouldn’t have gotten very far.

Listen to the full conversation with Whelan at the top of this article.

To say 2024 was a big year for music at WDET would be an understatement. We broadcasted an exclusive world premiere of Jack White’s new album, we added seven new music shows to our lineup and we increased our music programming from 32 hours per week to 79 — meaning we’ve played over 189,840 minutes of music since last year at this time.

We hosted live performances from local artists like Kevin Reynolds, Shadow Show (who are featured in Mike Latulippe’s list), Strange Heart, Infinite River (who are featured in Liz Warner’s list), Frontier Ruckus, Kasan Belgrave and Winestoned Cowboys; global groups like Mokoomba and Ghost-Note; and even the legendary Don Was & The Pan-Detroit Ensemble.

With so much amazing music to choose from, our award-winning hosts had a hard time narrowing down their lists — Ryan Patrick Hooper even played 15 hours worth of his favorites on In The Groove. But in the end, 40 tracks rose above the rest.

These are WDET’s top tracks of 2024.

Listen to the full playlist:

Want to jump to your favorite host? Click their name below:

• Ann Delisi, Ann Delisi’s Essential Music
• Jeff Milo, MI Local
• Jon Moshier, Modern Music
• Liz Warner, Alternate Take
• Mike Latulippe, The Detroit Move
• Rob Reinhart, Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music
• Ryan Patrick Hooper, In The Groove
• Shigeto, The New Music Show

---

Ann Delisi, Ann Delisi’s Essential Music

• “Get Down” – Masha Marjieh
• “The Rest of Me” – Michael Kiwanuka
• “Brown Fool Eyes” – Hataalii
• “Make It Happen” – Wonder 45
• “Für Elise – Batiste” – Jon Batiste

Jeff Milo, MI Local

To hear all of Jeff’s picks from the year, check out his 11-hour-long Spotify playlist.

• “Is It True Love?” – Bluhm
• “Big Boy” – Katy Needs a Life
• “Meet Me On The Internet” – Summer Like the Season
• “things we want to know” – Vespre
• “The Big Idea” – Lily Talmers

Jon Moshier, Modern Music

• “Big Wheel” – Shannon & The Clams
• “Hours” – Fred Thomas
• “Transmission” – The Routes
• “Soonish…” – Dummy
• “Big Tuna” – variety

Liz Warner, Alternate Take

• “Journey In Satchidananda (feat. Pharoah Sanders)” – Alice Coltrane
• “Blessed Unrest” – Infinite River
• “Life Is” – Jessica Pratt
• “Nothing Simple (feat. Tammy Lakkis & Cleveland Thrasher)” – Shigeto
• “Good Life – Chantty Natural Remix (feat. Groove Terminator & Chantty Natural)” – Soweto Gospel Choir

Mike Latulippe, The Detroit Move

• “Do Me Good” – The Mocks
• “Missionary” – Jack White
• “Transmission” – The Routes
• “Ours Forever” – The Jackets
• “Mystic Spiral” – Shadow Show

Rob Reinhart, Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music

• “Losing You (feat. Sampha, Laura Groves, Jah Wobble & Yazz Ahmed)” – Everything Is Recorded
• “Above Water” – Nick Piunti & The Complicated Men
• “Like I Say (I runaway)” – Nilüfer Yanya
• “Burial Ground (feat. James Mercer)” – The Decemberists
• “Same Risk” – Madi Diaz

Ryan Patrick Hooper, In The Groove

To hear all of Ryan’s picks from the year, check out “In The Groove: The best music released in 2024” parts 1–5.

• “Mum Does the Washing” – Joshua Idehen
• “Favourite” – Fontaines D.C.
• “R&B” – English Teacher
• “Mind’s a Lie” – High Vis
• “Count The Days (feat. Jenny Lewis)” – Swamp Dogg

Shigeto, The New Music Show

• “When It Fall” – SALĀKASTAR
• “Beaucoup de Drogue” – Shaii David
• “Reminiscin’ (feat. Dames Brown) [Re-Press]” – Will Sessions & Amp Fiddler
• “To Mitooni (Passed Out on a Persian Rug Mix)” – Salar Ansari & Shahram Shabpareh
• “Subdued (Tammy Lakkis Mix)” – Sara Marie Barron & Tammy Lakkis

This week, we’re diving into a track by the inimitable Michael Kiwanuka that is as soul-stirring as it is sonically rich. It comes off his latest release, “Small Changes,” that seamlessly blends his brand of folk, soul and rock into a sound that is uniquely his own.

In “The Rest of Me,” Kiwanuka pens a musical letter to vulnerability and connection. It’s a slow burner that brims with emotive delivery and delicate interplay with acoustic guitars, understated strings and a steady percussive heartbeat that creates an atmosphere that is both intimate and expansive.

If you’re drawn to music that moves the heart and stirs the spirit, make sure to lock in with The Progressive Underground every Saturday evening at 6 p.m. on 101.9 WDET FM or stream worldwide at wdet.org as we explore the rich soundscapes of progressive soul, nu-jazz, deep house, and rare grooves you won’t hear anywhere else.

For The Progressive Underground, I’m Chris Campbell and we’ll see you next time.

The city of Dearborn has chosen 51 homes as honorees of the Dearborn Beautiful Commission’s winter outdoor decorating recognition program, Winter Aglow.

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

The commission presents residential outdoor decorating awards in the spring, fall and winter, as well as “Standard of Excellence” awards in the summer for both residences and businesses.

Each Dearborn Aglow winner will receive a window decal, and will also be invited to have dinner with Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud next month.

Over 150 other homes received an honorable mention this season. For a full list of winners, visit dearborn.gov.

Other headlines for Monday, Dec. 23, 2024:

• The Detroit Fire Department is launching a monthly webinar series on fire prevention and safety, covering topics such as lithium batteries, heating safety, preventing house fires in the winter, and grilling safety for the summer. The first seminar will take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 6. Visit detroitmi.gov for more information.
• The U.S. Census released a new report saying that the country’s population is growing at its fastest pace in over two decades. That’s a 1% growth since 2023. The Census report states that the numbers have now “recovered from pandemic-era lows.”
• A group of students and alumni at the University of Michigan have filed a lawsuit for actions they say violate the Constitutional rights of pro-Palestinian student protestors.  The University Board of Regents, President Santa Ono, and Vice President of Student Life Martino Harmon were all named in the suit, filed by the Students Allied for Freedom and Equality at the University of Michigan.
• Motor City Match launched Detroit’s first rage room, “The Damage Zone.” The city of Detroit and the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation announced and celebrated the opening last week at 15785 James Couzens Freeway. 

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

Democratic control of the Michigan Legislature crashed to a halt on Thursday, Dec. 19, after GOP lawmakers and Democrat Karen Whitsett of Detroit refused to show up to session. MichMash host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow uncover why things went so poorly during these legislative sessions with Gongwer staff writer Elena Durnbaugh.

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

In this episode:

• The Michigan House adjourns without voting on major items.
• What caused the dysfunction in the Michigan House.
• How things are looking for the Democrats come the new legislature in January.

Many state legislators expressed disappointment and shock after lone Democrat Whitsett and 54 Republicans walked out of session on Thursday, leaving everything on the agenda dead on the floor. 

House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit) attempted to force the House members back to session by issuing a “call of the House,” but failed to rally the quorum needed to conduct business, resulting in the body adjourning until next year.

Durnbaugh said many lawmakers — including Whitsett — were frustrated by House Democrats’ lack of action on their own legislative priorities.

“Whitsett was told that the [water affordability bill] was something that was going to be voted on,” Durnbaugh said. “She was apparently under the impression that it was going to proceed, but those negotiations fell a part and so [did] Whitsett’s cooperation with the House.”

Gorchow noted how the lack of cooperation in the house also affected bipartisan legislation, including a bill that would have provided greater public funding and assistance for juvenile justice.

“[The bill] was sponsored by a House Republican and it went to Senate, where it passed with bipartisan support,” Gorchow said. “The Senate made one tiny change, they took out an effective date that was outdated — which meant it had to be approved again by the House — but the House couldn’t do it because they didn’t have a quorum and now that bill is dead.”  

Democrats will lose their majority in the House in January when the new legislative session begins.

More from WDET:

• Democrats, Republicans kill lame duck in Michigan House
• Michigan House Republicans stage walk out
• MichMash: Democrat Karen Whitsett facing backlash over abortion stance

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan have announced plans to work toward a merger that would form the world’s third-largest automaker by sales, as the industry undergoes dramatic changes in its transition away from fossil fuels.

The two companies said they had signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday and that smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors Corp. also had agreed to join the talks on integrating their businesses.

Automakers in Japan have lagged behind their big rivals in electric vehicles and are trying to cut costs and make up for lost time as newcomers like China’s BYD and EV market leader Tesla devour market share.

Honda’s president, Toshihiro Mibe, said Honda and Nissan will attempt to unify their operations under a joint holding company. Honda will lead the new management, retaining the principles and brands of each company. They aim to have a formal merger agreement by June and to complete the deal and list the holding company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by August 2026, he said.

No dollar value was given and the formal talks are just starting, Mibe said.

There are “points that need to be studied and discussed,” he said. “Frankly speaking, the possibility of this not being implemented is not zero.”

A merger could result in a behemoth worth more than $50 billion based on the market capitalization of all three automakers. Together, Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi would gain scale to compete with Toyota Motor Corp. and with Germany’s Volkswagen AG. Toyota has technology partnerships with Japan’s Mazda Motor Corp. and Subaru Corp.

News of a possible merger surfaced earlier this month, with unconfirmed reports saying Taiwan iPhone maker Foxconn was seeking to tie up with Nissan by buying shares from the Japan’s company’s other alliance partner, Renault SA of France.

Nissan’s CEO Makoto Uchida said Foxconn had not directly approach his company. He also acknowledged that Nissan’s situation was “severe.”

Even after a merger Toyota, which rolled out 11.5 million vehicles in 2023, would remain the leading Japanese automaker. If they join, the three smaller companies would make about 8 million vehicles. In 2023, Honda made 4 million and Nissan produced 3.4 million. Mitsubishi Motors made just over 1 million.

“We have come to the realization that in order for both parties to be leaders in this mobility transformation, it is necessary to make a more bold change than a collaboration in specific areas,” Mibe said.

Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi earlier agreed to share components for electric vehicles like batteries and to jointly research software for autonomous driving to adapt better to electrification.

Nissan has struggled following a scandal that began with the arrest of its former chairman Carlos Ghosn in late 2018 on charges of fraud and misuse of company assets, allegations that he denies. He eventually was released on bail and fled to Lebanon.

Speaking Monday to reporters in Tokyo via a video link, Ghosn derided the planned merger as a “desperate move.”

From Nissan, Honda could get truck-based body-on-frame large SUVs such as the Armada and Infiniti QX80 that Honda doesn’t have, with large towing capacities and good off-road performance, Sam Fiorani, vice president of AutoForecast Solutions, told The Associated Press.

Nissan also has years of experience building batteries and electric vehicles, and gas-electric hybrid powertrains that could help Honda in developing its own EVs and next generation of hybrids, he said.

But the company said in November that it was slashing 9,000 jobs, or about 6% of its global work force, and reducing its global production capacity by 20% after reporting a quarterly loss of 9.3 billion yen ($61 million).

It recently reshuffled its management and Uchida, its chief executive, took a 50% pay cut while acknowledging responsibility for the financial woes, saying Nissan needed to become more efficient and respond better to market tastes, rising costs and other global changes.

“We anticipate that if this integration comes to fruition, we will be able to deliver even greater value to a wider customer base,” Uchida said.

Fitch Ratings recently downgraded Nissan’s credit outlook to “negative,” citing worsening profitability, partly due to price cuts in the North American market. But it noted that it has a strong financial structure and solid cash reserves that amounted to 1.44 trillion yen ($9.4 billion).

Nissan’s share price also had fallen to the point where it is considered something of a bargain. On Monday, its Tokyo-traded shares gained 1.6%. They jumped more than 20% after news of the possible merger broke last week.

Honda’s shares surged 3.8%. Honda’s net profit slipped nearly 20% in the first half of the April-March fiscal year from a year earlier, as its sales suffered in China.

The merger reflects an industry-wide trend toward consolidation.

At a routine briefing Monday, Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said he would not comment on details of the automakers’ plans, but said Japanese companies need to stay competitive in the fast changing market.

“As the business environment surrounding the automobile industry largely changes, with competitiveness in storage batteries and software is increasingly important, we expect measures needed to survive international competition will be taken,” Hayashi said.

Reporting by Mari Yamaguchi and Elaine Kurtenbach, Associated Press

Grievances, we’ve all had them. Whether it’s traffic, the weather, people nagging at us, we’ve all felt the need to get some things off our chest. 

These are the things that we’re thinking about as we celebrate this year’s Festivus on Dec. 23. The holiday was created by Daniel O’Keefe and it later reached the masses when his son, Dan O’Keefe, would become a writer on Seinfeld. Part of the Festivus traditions is the “airing of grievances” — a time to come together and talk about what’s bothering you. 

On the show Friday, we spent some time airing our own grievances and hearing from listeners about theirs. But it’s not all doom and gloom. Later in the show we discussed what we’re grateful for. 

The Metro Producer Sam Corey shared that he has been disappointed in Detroit’s public transit. While Detroit now has the Detroit Air Express bus going to the airport, he’s hoping for more places to board DAX in the city. 

“It works pretty well. It’s fast, it’s on time, it’s affordable, it’s good. What’s the problem? You gotta get to the DAX,” Corey said. 

WDET reporter Bre’Anna Tinsley is peeved at bad drivers. She said if you’re exiting the freeway, keep it moving. 

“Stop signs that are on the service drives next to the exit ramp. There are people who will exit the freeway and stop at that stop sign,” Tinsley said. “And that stop sign is not for you. It is for the people who are already on the service drive because you, freeway exiter, have the right away. Stop stopping.”

Gratitude is not always easy to access, but we have a lot to be grateful for at WDET. Sometimes, we’re so caught up in our grievances, that we forget the things that others do for us and the little things that give us joy – the blossoming of flowers, the thoughtfulness of strangers, the orange-pink sunsets, the reminders that life can be beautiful and breathtaking. 

In 2024, WDET launched The Metro. Co-host Robyn Vincent said she’s grateful for our listeners and team that makes the show hit the airwaves every day.

“You all are just like these bright, shining stars in my life,” Vincent said. 

Co-host Tia Graham said she’s grateful for her family and loved ones. 

“[My family has] been great, really been there for me. I had a rough year, like I said, and whenever I was down, they were right there to pick me up,” Graham said. 

Executive Producer Dave Leins shared his love and gratefulness for his wife and one-year-old daughter. 

“I got to shout them out, because that’s what I’m grateful for. I mean, I can’t not be grateful for the moments where they’re laughing and even the quiet moments where she’s sleeping, it’s all been just so beautiful,” Leins said. 

In the second hour of The Metro, we asked listeners to share their grievances, as well as what they are grateful for.

John in Detroit said he’s grateful for people working to provide residents with high quality and affordable food. 

“The first one is Raphael Wright. He turned a liquor store in the middle of Jefferson Chalmers into a neighborhood grocery. And the second one is the Detroit People’s Food Co-Op, opened up on Woodward,” John said. “And they’re just two amazing opportunities to keep the money inside the city and have access to fresh vegetables.”

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

More headlines from The Metro on Dec. 20, 2024: 

• WDET Reporters and editors were working around the clock during some of this year’s most chaotic happenings. News Director Jerome Vaughn joined the show to help us look back on what happened in 2024. 
• The Lucha Libre style of wrestling has grabbed the masses, including those in Detroit. Joining us to discuss the wrestling style and why he’s in Detroit is Joshua Markuez, otherwise known as El Dragon. He is one of the several luchadors that’ll be featured in this year’s LuchaBoom! Holiday Limbo. 
• Host of WDET’s In the Groove Ryan Patrick Hooper spoke with Detroit stand-up comedian Brett Mercer about his new special, “Not special,” streaming on YouTube.
• Plus, Detroit Documenters Coordinator Lynelle Herndon joined the show for Detroit Documenters Friday to recap what took place at many local government meetings this year.

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

What started out as a tradition to hunt and kill as many birds as possible, turned into something much different 125 years ago. People decided instead to count the birds.

In Michigan, the Audubon Christmas Bird Count is taking place at about 80 sites across the state. There are more than 70 sites in Ohio. There are thousands of sites around the world.

Stephanie Beilke is senior manager of conservation science with Audubon Great Lakes. She said it’s not too late for you to get involved too. You can start at the group’s website.

“It’ll show a map of where counts are happening near you. And then you find your nearest circle. It’s a seven-mile-radius circle and it’ll tell you who is leading the count, who to be in touch with, and you would just email that person and they’ll get you set up and where you can help out.”

This season’s count is already underway. If you want to get participate, you should look into it right away.

The data gathered helps determine how well populations of different species are doing and if climate change affects where they spend the winter.

“Because it’s been going on for so long, it’s contributing to a massive data set that can give us an idea of, you know, a trend of populations for birds over the winter,” Beilke said.

The count ends on Jan. 5.

Thousands of people set out to explore Michigan’s woods and water at the end of 2023.

According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the outdoor industry brought in nearly $14 billion in economic activity. That’s an 8 percent increase compared to 2022.

While the amount of growth is less than 2022 numbers, advocates and business owners say outdoor industries have potential to be powerful economic drivers in the future.

The data

The latest report from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) highlighted the growing impact of outdoor industries in Michigan in 2023:

• $13.9 billion in economic activity
• 118,000+ jobs supported
• $6.4 billion in wages earned
• Outdoor recreation’s value to Michigan’s economy grew 8.1% since 2022.
• Industry wages increased 7.3%, totaling $6.4 billion.
• Boating/Fishing led the way, generating $1.2 billion.
• Climbing/Hiking/Tent Camping grew to $206 million.
• Hunting/Shooting Sports added $330 million to the state’s economy.

Heart of the Lakes — an advocacy group for Michigan’s land conservancies — said the figures reflect “a vibrant and growing outdoor economy, driven by a deep connection to Michigan’s natural resources.”

Executive Director Jonathan Jarosz called Michigan’s outdoor industries a “sleeping giant” because of its range of activities and manufacturers.

“We’re not just stuck on watercraft, we’re not just stuck on skiing, we’re not just stuck on hunting and fishing,” Jarosz said. “Any possible activity you can think of — even ice climbing — you can do in Michigan.”

The growth path comes after a major spike in outdoor recreation during the pandemic. Michigan’s success is only part of a new wave of outdoor adventurers.

Nationally, outdoor economies contributed $1.2 trillion in gross output and supported 5 million jobs.

Jarosz noted that Michigan is still “middle of the pack” compared to other states with large outdoor recreation markets.

“It’s like in a 5k, you have your crazy athletes running six minute miles, you have the people who just want to walk for fun, then you have the weekend warriors that are shooting to do their best,” he said. “That’s where Michigan is compared to others – we have room for improvement.”

Hope for the future

Meanwhile, outdoor advocates are celebrating the passage of the EXPLORE Act, a federal bill package meant to improve recreation on public lands and waters.

The U.S. Senate passed the legislation on Thursday and it will now go to President Joe Biden’s desk for final approval.

The package would streamline permitting for outdoor guides, provide federal grants to create and improve parks in urban communities, increase youth recreation and veterans access to federal lands, among many other initiatives.

“It’s like a year-end gift,” Jarosz said. “This gives us an opportunity to unify the outdoor movements. The number of bills that fall under it will only help to increase access to the outdoors and continue to raise Michigan and our country as an outdoorsman’s paradise.”

On the state level, advocates and business owners are similarly optimistic but say there is still work to be done.

Crystal Mountain Resort President Chris McInnes says growth trends show the outdoors could be both an economic driver and a marketing asset for people to move to Michigan.

“We’re seeing that it’s sustained. So, many more people have been exposed and have fallen in love with the outdoors,” she said.

The Michigan Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry was created in May 2019 by Governor Gretchen Whitmer with a goal to “identify and grow outdoor businesses.”

Both McInnes and Jarosz, who sit on the office’s advisory council, say they’d like to see funding and staffing increase.

“We want lawmakers to really look at the outdoor recreation economy as a focus sector in our overall economic strategic plan to help Michigan thrive in the future,” McInnes said.

Content warning: The topic this hour includes mentions of sexual violence.

If you listen to rap and hip-hop, it’s hard to avoid hearing songs that P Diddy or Jay Z had a hand in making. But last week, both Sean Combs, aka P Diddy, and Shawn Carter, aka Jay-Z, were named in a civil lawsuit. They’re accused of raping a 13 year-old girl at an industry event in 2000. They both deny the allegations.

Combs is currently being held without bail at a federal jail in Brooklyn until May of next year. He pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, which include sex trafficking and racketeering. Several appeals to release him on bond have been denied.

The trial has not yet happened, but that hasn’t stopped people from reacting to the allegations, some calling for boycotts of Combs’ and Carter’s music.

Roula David, owner of Spot Lite and UFO Bar in Detroit, joined The Metro to discuss the cases and whether it’s OK to separate the art from problematic artists. She says character checks are a part of the booking process at both venues. 

“There are multiple local famous DJs that we have said no to. We actually canceled a show for one particular artist that had transphobic comments on social media, and people came and asked us to not have the show,” David said. “We ended up switching the show and turning it into a fundraiser for the Ruth Ellis center.”

The concept of separating art from the artist is one that has proven difficult for many, says hip-hop journalist and historian Kahn Santori Davison,  adding that people’s fandom and celebrity complicates this more.   

“From just a fan perspective, we all choose what celebrities we choose to forgive and still allow to entertain us,” Davison said. 

T Barb is a comedian now based in Los Angeles, but forever a Detroiter. She is concerned about people being presumed guilty before the standing trial.  

“Of course, I do feel like R. Kelly was completely wrong. He should be locked up, but what I didn’t like was the public prosecution aspect, because I feel like those are things that should be in a court of law,” T Barb said. 

In the second hour of The Metro, we asked listeners:

“Are you going to avoid music made or produced by P Diddy and Jay Z amid the charges against them?

Shawn in Royal Oak said: “I think that if an artist shows that they have remorse and understand they did something wrong — stop the behavior, apologize even — then, you know, there’s no reason to ‘cancel them.'” 

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

More headlines from The Metro on Dec. 18, 2024: 

• The Irwin House Gallery in New Center is hosting its 5th annual “Gifted V” art exhibit. Most art work costs between $40 and $500, allowing a lot of people to become art collectors. To discuss the art exhibit, and why art can make for a great gift, Irwin House Gallery Director Misha McGlown joined the show. 
• Now that Trump is returning to office, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over diversity, equity and inclusion programs all over the country. It has led to heightened concerns among the students and faculty at the University of Michigan. After rumors surfaced that the school would potentially defund DEI at the university, students rallied on campus to defend it. Here to give us an update on where the university stands and how its affecting students and faculty is WDET reporter Bre’Anna Tinsley. 
• Miss Eva’s is a brand new fixture to the Grandmont Rosedale Park community, which sits on Detroit’s westside. The owner, Jay Williams, wanted to make the venue special, honoring Detroit’s rich musical history and the artistic ancestors who helped make the music so great. Williams also chose the name Miss Eva’s to honor his grandmother, a lifelong Detroiter. Williams joined the show to discuss.

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

A Kent County Sheriff’s deputy is accused of stealing personal property inside the county jail.

Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker issued charges of larceny in a building last week against sheriff’s deputy Saul Sepulveda.

A media release from the Sheriff’s Office states an investigation began after reports money was missing from a wallet in the lost-and-found at the Kent County Correctional Facility.

The investigation revealed a corrections officer had taken money and gift cards from the wallet, and the case was turned over to the Prosecutor’s Office.

The release stated: “This behavior will not be tolerated at the Kent County Sheriff’s Office. The KCSO members remain dedicated to serving and protecting the residents of Kent County with integrity.”

Larceny in a building is a felony, punishable by a maximum of four years and a $5,000 fine.

Sepulveda is set to be arraigned on the charges in court Monday in Grand Rapids.

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The Michigan Senate gaveled out for the year Thursday following a marathon 30-hour session that wrapped up the Legislature’s work for the year — as well as Democrats’ complete control of the state Capitol.

And not without a fight. Republicans complained that Democratic leaders added items to the agenda at the last minute and without the standard practice of holding committee hearings. The GOP lawmakers responded by forcing the Senate to a near-standstill using a rare procedure that required clerks to read bills out loud in their entirety.

GOP lawmakers also complained about a lack of urgency on some business priorities, including making changes to minimum wage and banked paid sick leave initiatives that take effect next year.

The Senate, often on party-line votes, sent dozens of bills to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s desk. The legislation includes toughening Michigan’s hate crime laws, expanding access to contraceptives, requiring the state to come up with best practices for storing firearms, and requiring police departments to destroy guns that were seized or turned in as part of buyback programs.

Read more: Democrats, Republicans kill lame duck in Michigan House

Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (R-Lawton) said the Legislature under Democrats adopted a lot of progressive bills and ignored issues at the expense of businesses and taxpayers.

“So I think there’s a lot of failures that they’re trying to cover up with papier mache and happy talk after they lost the election in November after a bunch of failures over the last year and a half,” Nesbitt told reporters shortly after session ended.

Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) said the dynamic at the Capitol will change next year when Republicans take control of the state House, but she thinks the stage is set for bipartisan cooperation.

“We saw the beginnings of some conversations about road funding, other things,” Brinks said after the session. “We should be able to find things where we can come together, and I am serious when I say I am willing to work with anyone who’s willing to work productively and honestly towards solutions for the big problems that we face.”

So, next year, the Legislature will be divided between a Senate controlled by Democrats and a Republican-led House. Whitmer, a Democrat, still has two more years in office in her second and final term as governor.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Facing a government shutdown deadline, the Senate rushed through final passage early Saturday of a bipartisan plan that would temporarily fund federal operations and disaster aid, dropping President-elect Donald Trump’s demands for a debt limit increase into the new year.

House Speaker Mike Johnson had insisted Congress would “meet our obligations” and not allow federal operations to shutter ahead of the Christmas holiday season. But the day’s outcome was uncertain after Trump doubled down on his insistence that a debt ceiling increase be included in any deal — if not, he said in an early morning post, let the closures “start now.”

The House approved Johnson’s new bill overwhelmingly, 366-34. The Senate worked into the night to pass it, 85-11, just after the deadline. At midnight, the White House said it had ceased shutdown preparations.

“This is a good outcome for the country, ” Johnson said after the House vote, adding he had spoken with Trump and the president-elect “was certainly happy about this outcome, as well.”

President Joe Biden, who has played a less public role in the process throughout a turbulent week, was expected to sign the measure into law Saturday.

“There will be no government shutdown,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said.

The final product was the third attempt from Johnson, the beleaguered House speaker, to achieve one of the basic requirements of the federal government — keeping it open. And it raised stark questions about whether Johnson will be able to keep his job, in the face of angry GOP colleagues, and work alongside Trump and billionaire ally Elon Musk, who called the legislative plays from afar.

Trump’s last-minute demand was almost an impossible ask, and Johnson had almost no choice but to work around his pressure for a debt ceiling increase. The speaker knew there wouldn’t be enough support within the GOP majority to pass any funding package, since many Republican deficit hawks prefer to slash the federal government and certainly wouldn’t allow more debt.

Instead, the Republicans, who will have full control of the White House, House and Senate next year, with big plans for tax cuts and other priorities, are showing they must routinely rely on Democrats for the votes needed to keep up with the routine operations of governing.

“So is this a Republican bill or a Democrat bill?” scoffed Musk on social media ahead of the vote.

The drastically slimmed-down 118-page package would fund the government at current levels through March 14 and add $100 billion in disaster aid and $10 billion in agricultural assistance to farmers.

Gone is Trump’s demand to lift the debt ceiling, which GOP leaders told lawmakers would be debated as part of their tax and border packages in the new year. Republicans made a so-called handshake agreement to raise the debt limit at that time while also cutting $2.5 trillion in spending over 10 years.

It’s essentially the same deal that flopped the night before in a spectacular setback — opposed by most Democrats and some of the most conservative Republicans — minus Trump’s debt ceiling demand.

But it’s far smaller than the original bipartisan accord Johnson struck with Democratic and Republican leaders — a 1,500-page bill that Trump and Musk rejected, forcing him to start over. It was stuffed with a long list of other bills — including much-derided pay raises for lawmakers — but also other measures with broad bipartisan support that now have a tougher path to becoming law.

House Democrats were cool to the latest effort after Johnson reneged on the hard-fought bipartisan compromise.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, said it looked like Musk, the wealthiest man in the world, was calling the shots for Trump and Republicans.

“Who is in charge?” she asked during the debate.

Still, the House Democrats put up more votes than Republicans for the bill’s passage. Almost three dozen conservative House Republicans voted against it.

“The House Democrats have successfully stopped extreme MAGA Republicans from shutting down the government, crashing the economy and hurting working-class Americans all across the nation,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said, referring to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan.

In the Senate, almost all the opposition came from the Republicans — except independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, who said Musk’s interference was “not democracy, that’s oligarchy.”

Trump, who has not yet been sworn into office, is showing the power but also the limits of his sway with Congress, as he intervenes and orchestrates affairs from Mar-a-Lago alongside Musk, who is heading up the new Department of Government Efficiency.

The incoming Trump administration vows to slash the federal budget and fire thousands of employees and is counting on Republicans for a big tax package. And Trump’s not fearful of shutdowns the way lawmakers are, having sparked the longest government shutdown in history in his first term at the White House.

“If there is going to be a shutdown of government, let it begin now,” Trump posted early in the morning on social media.

More important for the president-elect was his demand for pushing the thorny debt ceiling debate off the table before he returns to the White House. The federal debt limit expires Jan. 1, and Trump doesn’t want the first months of his new administration saddled with tough negotiations in Congress to lift the nation’s borrowing capacity. Now Johnson will be on the hook to deliver.

“Congress must get rid of, or extend out to, perhaps, 2029, the ridiculous Debt Ceiling,” Trump posted — increasing his demand for a new five-year debt limit increase. “Without this, we should never make a deal.”

Government workers had already been told to prepare for a federal shutdown that would send millions of employees — and members of the military — into the holiday season without paychecks.

Biden has been in discussions with Jeffries and Schumer, but White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said: “Republicans blew up this deal. They did, and they need to fix this.”

As the day dragged on, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell stepped in to remind colleagues “how harmful it is to shut the government down, and how foolish it is to bet your own side won’t take the blame for it.”

At one point, Johnson asked House Republicans at a lunchtime meeting for a show of hands as they tried to choose the path forward.

It wasn’t just the shutdown, but the speaker’s job on the line. The speaker’s election is the first vote of the new Congress, which convenes Jan. 3, and some Trump allies have floated Musk for speaker.

Johnson said he spoke to Musk ahead of the vote Friday and they talked about the “extraordinary challenges of this job.”

Reporting by Lisa Mascaro, Farnoush Amiri and Matt Brown, Associated Press. Associated Press writers Kevin Freking, Stephen Groves, Mary Clare Jalonick, Darlene Superville and Bill Barrow contributed to this report.

Tonight on The Detroit Evening Report, we cover Thursday’s fizzled session in the Michigan House after GOP lawmakers walked out; Detroit’s new executive director of transit and more.

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Michigan House adjourns early

Democratic leaders in the Michigan House failed to muster a quorum during Thursday’s session, effectively killing legislation left on the agenda before Republicans take over the House in the New Year.

Democratic Floor Leader Abraham Aiyash said he was “disappointed” and “shocked” that 54 Republicans and one rogue Democrat — Karen Whitsett, of Detroit — “refused to show up,” bringing the House to a standstill.

“Goal posts kept moving and the conversations fell apart,” Aiyash told WDET’s Russ McNamara.

Among the dead legislation was a gun control measure to ban bump stocks, as well as a measure to expand the state’s Freedom of Information Act to include the governor’s office and Legislature.

Duggan names new executive director of transit

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan named Detroit People Mover General Manager Robert Cramer as Detroit’s new executive director of transit this week.

Cramer will take over for G. Michael Staley, who announced last week that he is leaving the role. Cramer has served as the general manager of the People Mover for two years, where he oversaw the service and infrastructure improvements. Staley will remain in charge until Cramer takes over on Jan. 6.

Duggan says he aims to bring the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) back to pre-pandemic service levels by expanding the service in 2025. Over the next two years, there will be at least 84 new buses, which represents nearly 30% of the DDOT fleet.

Southfield Christmas Bar Crawl

The 2024 Southfield Christmas Bar Crawl is set for 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Monday. Dec. 23.

Experience Southfield’s holiday spirit with what organizers are saying will be a festive bar crawl featuring exclusive holiday-themed cocktails, live entertainment and more. Participating venues include BLVD, Starter’s Bar & Grille, North Bar & Grille, and Salt + Ko. You can also participate in the ugly sweater contest by posting a photo on social media using the hashtag #southfieldbarcrawl2024. Visit eventbrite for more information.

Motor City Kwanzaa celebration

Witness the largest Kinara lighting in the world right in the heart of the city at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 26. Activist, author, professor of Africana studies and the creator Kwanzaa, Dr. Maulana Karenga, will be in attendance via satellite. The event will take place in Cadillac Square between Bates and Woodard in Downtown Detroit.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.