The beginning of 2024 was marked by turmoil within the Michigan Republican Party.

Infighting and complaints over the leadership of former party Chair Kristina Karamo led to a mutiny and Karamo’s ouster.

Enter former Congressman Pete Hoekstra. He took over leadership and got the party back on track, getting donor money flowing again. The GOP took back the Michigan House and Donald Trump won Michigan on his way to winning a return to the White House.

For his part, Hoekstra — the U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump’s first term — is being rewarded with the Ambassadorship to Canada.

That leaves a vacancy for Michigan GOP Chair.

Longtime Republican political consultant Scott Greenlee announced his candidacy last week.

In an interview with WDET, Greenlee said he plans to build on some relationships made in 2024.

“You’ve got to be able to expand the party,” Greenlee said. “You’ve got to be able to have at least an honest level of communication with the different parts of the Republican Party to be effective, to get everyone working together.”

Part of working together means being able to bring in money.

“You’ve got to be able to put together a strategic plan that will motivate the donors to invest in the vision and give the grass roots, if you will, the juice to get out and do their job,” Greenlee said.

2026 marks a big year in politics both here in Michigan and nationally. It’s a midterm election, and historically the balance of power switches in the U.S. House of Representatives.

In 2010, Democrats were in power of Congress and the Presidency. In Michigan, Democrat Jennifer Granholm was ending her final term.

National and state Republicans swept into power at the height of the anti-Obama Tea Party movement. Greenlee says he was involved in that effort and thinks the GOP can do it again.

I want to take the experience of getting everybody involved (in 2010), of empowering delegates at the local level, of having a lot of local support so that local people can use their knowledge and be effective on the ground in their particular communities, and again, expand the party so that folks understand the Republican vision and what that can do for Michigan,” Greenlee said.

This week marked four years since pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol. President-elect Donald Trump campaigned on pardoning the over 1,000 people who have been convicted of crimes related to the attack.

Greenlee says he supports the pardons… for some, adding that there were a lot of people there who weren’t necessarily doing anything wrong.

“I think that anybody who did commit a crime — anybody who hit anyone or or what have you — they should be held accountable,” he said. “And I think they will. I think that his comments were directed toward people who were just in the vicinity and in the building.”

“If you did nothing wrong, in our society, there’s this pardon process that exists, and I think it will be appropriate for that to be used in many of those occasions.”

Trump has used the pardon process for people who did things wrong — including former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. Trump pardoned Kilpatrick just over six years into a 28-year sentence.

In a news conference this week Trump evaded questions on whether he would pardon rioters that attack police. Over 140 officers were injured in the attack.

State Sen. Jim Runestad, former MIGOP Co-Chair Meshawn Maddock, and former U.S. Ambassador to Fiji Joseph Cella have all announced they are seeking the position.

Maddock is seeking the job, despite facing fraud charges related to being a fake elector — perpetuating the lie that Trump won the 2020 election.

Republicans will choose their new leader at the party convention on Feb. 22.

Each year starts off a little bit slow, then suddenly accelerates! Very soon, we’ll have a cavalcade of new music premieres from local artists based in Detroit and all across Michigan.

This week, though, I’m digging back into December to bring you some late-2024 releases that you may have missed, including the latest album from acclaimed Ann Arbor-based hip-hop trio Tree City, with a song from their “magnum opus” album, “Pure Levels,” which has been 13 years in the making!

We also heard some eclectic world-music sounds coming out of the Arbor/Ypsi-scene, from the experimental producer/musician Dr. Pete Larson. You’ll also hear some brand new music coming out of Detroit, with alt-country-folk ensemble Poor Player and garage-pop duo Checker!

We kicked off the show with, perhaps, one of the catchiest songs ever(?), with singer/songwriter bRADFORd‘s “Don’t Take Me,” while also sampling some cinematic ambient tracks from Ancient Language and Kalamazoo dreampop duo Overly Polite Tornadoes.

If you want to stay to connected to the local music scene all year long in 2025, then circle every Tuesday on your calendars and turn your proverbial dial to 101.9 for MI Local!

MI Local Playlist for Jan. 7, 2025

• “Don’t Take Me” – bRADFORd
• “Betty Bubblegum” – The Bridge Between
• “We’ll Figure It Out” – Tree City
• “Woodboar” – Dr. Pete Larson
• “Gliding” – Polar Baron
• “Nothing Stays the Same” – Cloverland
• “This Must Be The Place” – Mountain Babies
• “The Block” – Human Skull
• “BeBe” – The Absentees
• “Hungry” – B.Aware
• “Hot Damn” – Checker
• “Face on Me” – Snobgoblin
• “Flame” – Poor Player
• “It’s Dark Now” – Overly Polite Tornadoes
• “It’s Such a Beautiful Day” – Ancient Language

Editor’s note: The above audio incorrectly refers to Detroit Police Officer Cameron Richardson as Cameron Richards.

Detroit police have arrested a man suspected of causing a hit-and-run crash that killed an off-duty officer on Sunday.

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

Interim Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison says they took the 28-year-old driver into custody the following day.

Officer Cameron Richardson had just finished his shift Sunday morning and was on his way home when the suspect made an illegal turn and collided with his vehicle. The driver is accused of leaving the scene.

DPD and Richardson’s family have set up an online fund to support his two daughters. 

“Officer Richardson served DPD with distinction, he served his country as an Army Ranger, and he will be truly missed,” a statement from DPD read Sunday afternoon.

Other headlines for Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2024:

• The Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled the state health department did not follow the law when it separated a mother from her child. 
• Hart Plaza’s grand staircase is under construction with the help of $2.4 million in funding from the Biden Administration’s American Rescue Plan Act.
• Dearborn Parks & Recreation is offering a variety of programs for those interested in new habits this new year. 
• A new class of the Adult Hockey School will also be offered at the Dearborn Ice Skating Center this month. Adults can learn to play hockey during a 16-week program that consists of 8 weeks of on-ice training followed by 8 weeks of actual games. 
• The Detroit Fire Department will continue its Safety series with “chats” on the second Wednesday of every month starting Wednesday, Jan. 8. Wednesday’s chat will focus on Lithium-ion battery safety and fire prevention with Damon Robinson from the Fire Marshall Division. Join at detroitmi.gov/safetyseries at 6 p.m. 

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

It’s the new year — a time when we often reflect on the things we did well last year and — more often — the things we’d like to improve. 

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

Many make New Year’s resolutions to hit the gym more often, develop better work habits, or to be kinder or more generous to others. But embodying New Year’s goals takes practice, dedication and persistence. That kind of repetitive action we know as habits — something that we do again and again and again, until it feels like it’s part of us. 

But how do we get to that point? Andrea Spyros, a behavior design consultant with BD3 Solutions, joined the show to dig into this topic and give some reassurance and advice on becoming your best self in 2025. 

Spyros says success can be as simple as reframing your goals and thinking about them in a different way.

“Goals can also help us grow,” he said. “It’s really about who we become in the process of trying to attain that goal right, and how we experience ourselves.”

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

“What are your goals for 2025?”

Carlos in Redford said he doesn’t have a resolution, but a word that’s helping him through the year. 

“I have just a one word mantra for the new year, which is intentionality — just doing things more intentional when you actually get to doing them,” he said. “It can be overwhelming when you want to do this, do that, do that, and the other thing. But for example, if you want to visit your parents more, just make sure when you do it that you’re more intentional on the type of quality time you’re spending.”

Use the media player above to listen to the full conversation.

More headlines from The Metro on Jan. 7, 2024: 

• Every day, we’re exposed to chemicals that can affect our health. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals are of particular concern. They’re in everything from plastics and pesticides to personal care products. And they can alter how our hormones behave and lead to serious health problems and disease. Wayne State University Professor Christopher Kassostis studies these chemicals. He joined the show to discuss his work, helping us to better understand how endocrine-disrupting chemicals affect metabolic issues, like obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
• The Detroit Police Department released its year-end crime report and recorded the lowest number of homicides since 1965. It’s the second consecutive year homicides have dropped in Detroit. City officials point to a relatively new community violence intervention program as the reason why. In 2023, the city partnered with six community groups to reduce gun violence. Zoe Kennedy, executive director of Force Detroit — one of the partnering organizations doing this work — joined the show.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day is coming up and to honor him, Hamtramck’s Planet Ant theatre is presenting the musical “Nixon/King,” a fictional account of a meeting between President Richard Nixon and MLK Jr. in a Georgia prison. To talk about the musical and the perceptions of these two figures, Assistant Director and actor Dylan Mirisola and actor Itaysha Walker both joined the show.

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

I kicked off today’s show trying to warm up the city with some classics from Beatles, Bob Dylan, Wreckless Eric — there’s just more warmth in the analog studio recordings from back in the day.

Also, lots of psych-rock bands keeping that spirit, sound and feeling alive via Lazy Eyes, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and others. Kraftwerk always sounds good regardless of the weather on In The Groove, and it was even sweeter to giveaway tickets to their upcoming show at Masonic Cathedral Theatre on March 29 (congrats to all the listeners who won!).

On top of that, new music from LA LOM, Joe Armon-Jones, Lawne, Gratts (remixed by hometown legend John Beltran), Fabiano do Nascimento and much 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 Jan. 7, 2025

• “Come On and Move Me” – Celeste Krishna
• “You Won’t See Me” – Beatles
• “We Will Not Make It (Not Without You)” – Twin Peaks
• “The Man In Me” – Bob Dylan
• “Whole Wide World” – Wreckless Eric
• “So We Won’t Forget” – Khruangbin
• “Hunnybee” – Unknown Mortal Orchestra
• “Rà-àkõ-st (Unknown Mortal Orchestra Version)” – Lindstrøm & Unknown Mortal Orchestra
• “Fuzz Jam” – Lazy Eyes
• “Alacrán” – LA LOM
• “Sorrowful Horns (feat. James Mollison)” – Joe Armon-Jones
• “Ghost Town” – The Specials
• “For The Time Being” – Erlend Øye & La Comitiva
• “Quetzal” – Los Hermanos
• “Mamasong” – Lawne
• “Sun Circles (Beltran Remix)” – Gratts
• “Follow Me” – Special Interest
• “Repetitioner” – THUS LOVE
• “Fallen (feat. Momoko Gill)” – Matthew Herbert
• “Leave Your Life (Lonely Hearts Mix)” – Alex Kassian
• “Crown” – Tall Black Guy x Kendrick Lamar
• “PUAJ” – Salin
• “Dub Je Je” – Antibalas
• “Trans Europe Express” – Kraftwerk
• “Computer Love” – Kraftwerk
• “The Fast Flowing River” – Work Money Death
• “Feijoada (Live)” – Fabiano do Nascimento
• “Shaken To My Soul (feat. Ruti)” – Girls of the Internet
• “Show Me Your Pretty Side” – Tamar Aphek
• “Time” – Mo Kolours
• “Son Of A Preacher Man” – Mieke Miami

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.

On this episode of Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music, some of the great albums and artists celebrating milestones in 2025! From Bob Seger to D’Angelo; Aretha Franklin to Beck; Moby to Jack White and many 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 Jan. 4, 2025

• “White Mustang” – Lana Del Ray (turning 40)
  
• “Head Over Heels” – Tears For Fears (album turning 40)
• “Roses” – Outkast (Andre 3000 and Big Boi turning 50)
• “That’s The Way Of The World” – Earth Wind & Fire (album turning 50)
• “Rock & Roll” – Mitch Ryder (turning 80)
• “Pick Up The Pieces” – Wilco (debut album turning 30)
• “Drown” – Son Volt (debut album turning 30)
• “We Find Love” – Daniel Caesar (turning 30)
• “Landed” – Ben Folds (album turning 20)
• “Hell Yes” – Beck (album turning 20)
• “Natural Blues” – MOBY (turning 60)
• “Dancing In The Street” – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas (album turning 60)
• “Freeway Of Love” – Aretha Franklin (album turning 40)

• “Brown Sugar” – D’Angelo (album turning 30)
• “One Right Now” – Post Malone (turning 30)
• “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go” – Bob Dylan (album turning 50)
• “Superstar” – Lauryn Hill (turning 50)
• “Lang May You Run” – Stills-Young Band (both turning 80)
• “The Denial Twist” – The White Stripes (album turning 20, Jack turning 50)
• “If I Had A Rocket Launcher” – Bruce Cockburn (turning 80)
• “Feel Good, Inc.” – Gorillaz (album turning 20)
• “Tell Me Who You Are Today” – Beth Gibbons (turning 60)
• “Ooo Baby Baby” – Smokey Robinson & the Miracles (album turning 60)
• “Time Spent In Los Angeles” – Dawes (Taylor G. turning 40)
• “All The Things She Said” – Simple Minds (album turning 40)
• “Beautiful Loser” – Bob Seger (turning 80, album turning 50)

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 Court of Appeals has ruled the due process rights of a woman who lost parental rights to her child were violated because the state never provided clear rules on what it would take for her to regain custody, and did not make family reunification a priority.

“It is well-established that parents have a fundamental right to the care, custody, and control of their children. Therefore, the Legislature has enacted a statutory scheme that elevates reunification of parents and children over termination of parental rights,” wrote Judge Allie Greenleaf Maldonado in the court’s precedent-setting opinion.

The mother, who had a history of substance abuse, gave birth while a patient at a rehabilitation hospital. She said the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and the Calhoun County Circuit Court should not have allowed the termination proceedings to move forward based on alleged violations of a child safety plan that was never put in writing until after the department filed a petition seeking to separate the child and mother. The appellate court agreed.

Joshua Pease is with the State Appellate Defender Office and also chairs the State Bar of Michigan Children’s Law Section. He said the decision also requires the state to give parents clear notice of why their rights are at risk of being terminated, especially when the state is asking for an expedited timeline based on “aggravated circumstances” that put a child in danger.

“Not just a vague you-are-a-neglectful-parent type of allegation, but specifics of why the department believes the parent was neglectful, why they believe the child is unsafe in the parent’s care, and why they believe termination of parental rights is justified,” he told the Michigan Public Radio Network.

He said the ruling will also require MDHHS to provide a parent with a family reunification plan with specific requirements when it seeks termination of parental rights.

“The agency has to make it clear what steps a parent has to take and it has to be an individualized plan, so that it’s essentially an obtainable goal,” he said.

A spokesperson said the state Department of Health and Human Services is examining the decision, which can be appealed to the Michigan Supreme Court.

Sometimes you want to go where everyone knows your name. That’s the kind of place that Temple Bar owner George Boukas has tried to establish. 

The spot for drinking and dancing sits on Cass Avenue in Detroit, and is known for its inclusivity, openness, DJ sets and longtime bartenders. 

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

That dream came crashing down in May, when Temple Bar partially collapsed. To help save the bar, Boukas and the bar’s manager raised almost $24,000 on GoFundMe and went through a seven month-long process with Detroit’s historic commission to make the proper repairs. 

Boukas joined The Metro to discuss the restoration process at the bar, which reopened in December. He says a sinkhole in front of the building that has been there for around 20 years is likely what caused the collapse. 

“It’s been repaired and re-repaired, but I don’t think it was ever really repaired properly,” he said. “And later on, my bartenders were telling me, you know,‘ You’re not here when it’s dead, but like when we’re here, and there’s just a few people, and there’s trucks driving down Cass, you can physically feel the building shake.’”

Listen to the full conversation using the media player above.

More headlines from The Metro on Jan. 6, 2024:

• The LIVE Outreach is an organization with the goal of empowering young Detroiters to be the best versions of themselves. The organization is currently looking for funding for a mobile unit to bring much needed support to young people and their families. Founder of the organization and published author Malika Williams joined the show to discuss the project. 
• Also on the show, The Metro team shares stories they’re following in 2025 and a few favorite conversations from 2024.

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

So pumped to be back In The Groove in the New Year… with a special highlight on Benjamin Booker, who is playing at the Magic Bag on Feb. 19 (an In The Groove must-go-show) and releasing a new record, “LOWER,” out later this month and produced by Kenny Segal.

Plus, new music from Panda Bear & Cindy Lee, Joshua Idehen, Girls of the Internet, Lola Young, MIKE 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 Jan. 6, 2025

• “Violent Shiver” – Benjamin Booker
• “Defense” – Panda Bear & Cindy Lee
• “Gut Feeling / (Slap Your Mammy)” – DEVO
• “Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)” – Neil Young
• “Compared to What (Live at The Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland, June 1969)” – Eddie Harris & Les McCann
• “Could Be Forever” – Joshua Idehen
• “Give It To Me Baby” – Jarina De Marco
• “Back 2 Me (feat. Sadie Walker)” – Girls of the Internet
• “Donuts Mind If I Do” – CHAI
• “Where’s My Brain???” – Lazy Eyes
• “Charlie (feat. Lil Yachty)” – Lola Young
• “Eternal Light” – Free Nationals & Chronixx
• “Origin” – Studio
• “2020” – SUUNS
• “Like Eating Glass” – Bloc Party
• “Heartbeat” – Wire
• “I Love You” – Spacemen 3
• “I’m Waiting For The Man” – Velvet Underground
• “SAME KIND OF LONELY” – Benjamin Booker
• “Pieces of a Dream” – MIKE
• “I’m Doing Fine (feat. Amp Dog Knight)” – Moodymann
• “Mãe (feat. Maro)” – Munir Hossn
• “Carried Away” – H.E.R.
• “History Repeats (Jungle Remix)” – Brittany Howard
• “Insecure” – Tom Misch
• “Para Chick” – Tania Maria
• “Mountains” – Raquel Martins
• “Nancy Wilson (feat. Ahya Simone & Dez Andres) [Shigeto Remix]” – Brian Jackson, Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad
• “A Beginning Dream” – Triste Janero
• “Walk On By” – Triste Janero
• “Somethings Going On (Miles James Remix)” – Kokoroko
• “Life During Wartime (live)” – Talking Heads

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.

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy put out an advisory last week about the link between cancer and alcohol use — which he suggests should be clearly labeled on alcoholic products.

Murthy’s advisory comes as research and evidence mounts about the bad effects that alcohol has on human health, but his proposal for a label would require a rare approval from the U.S. Congress.

Murthy notes alcohol consumption is to blame for nearly one million preventable cancer cases in the U.S. over the last decade. About 20,000 people die every year from those alcohol-related cancer cases, the advisory said.

Bottles of beer, wine and liquor already carry warning labels that say pregnant women should not drink and that alcohol consumption can impair someone’s ability to drive a car. But Murthy’s proposed label would go even further, raising awareness about the risk for cancer, too.

Consuming alcohol raises the risk of developing at least seven types of cancer diseases, including liver, breast and throat cancer, research has found. His advisory also notes that as a person’s alcohol consumption goes up, so does the risk for developing those illnesses.

“For individuals, be aware that cancer risk increases as you drink more alcohol,” Murthy wrote Friday on the social media platform X. “As you consider whether or how much to drink, keep in mind that less is better when it comes to cancer risk.”

Even with the Surgeon General’s advisory and new research that shows the dangers of drinking, it’s unlikely Congress would act swiftly to enact a new Surgeon General’s warning on alcohol products.

It’s been nearly four decades since Congress approved the first government warning label on alcohol, the one that says pregnant women shouldn’t drink and warns about the dangers of driving while drinking. No updates have been made since then.

The surgeon general’s advisory comes as the government is in the process of updating dietary guidelines, including those around alcohol, that will form the cornerstone of federal food programs and policy. The updated guidelines are expected later this year.

The current guidelines recommend women have one drink or fewer per day while men should stick to two or fewer.

Reporting by Amanda Seitz, Associated Press. Associated Press writer Carla K. Johnson contributed.

Other headlines for Monday, Jan. 6, 2025:

• Detroit police have arrested the driver who struck and killed an off-duty officer Sunday morning.
• The Hamtramck Police Department is looking for people to join the Citizens Police Academy. Classes will be held from 6:30-9:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, Jan. 29 through March 19.
• The Neighborhood Vitality Index is a tool to help Detroiters drive change in their neighborhoods. The project  — a collaboration between Community Development Advocates of Detroit, Data Driven Detroit and the JFM Consulting Group — seeks input from Detroit residents to find out more about their health, housing, and transportation needs. The first 4,500 respondents will get a $25 gift card. Participants must be age 18 or older.
• If you’re looking for a way to get rid of your Christmas tree, the city of Detroit is collecting them during the first two weeks of January. Text 313-800-7905 for reminders about trash pickup dates and recycling in the city.
• The Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) is hosting an education series featuring City Council President Pro Tem James Tate to talk about tax incentives and other city resources. The presentation will be held from 6-8 p.m. Jan. 13 at the James Tate Jr. Community Annex, 21511 W McNichols Rd, Detroit.

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

On this week’s episode of Acoustic Café, the 2022 Tiny Desk winner Alisa Amador plays songs from her debut album “Multitudes,” and tells the story of the album’s creation.

Also, hear in-studio performances from Gregory Alan Isakov, Steve Earle, Ruth B and more… plus milestone birthdays on the way in 2025!

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 Jan. 4, 2025

• “Million Dollar Intro” – Ani DiFranco
• “Best Part” – Daniel Caesar (turning 30 this year)
• “4+20” – Stephen Stills (turning 80 this year)
• “Feel Better” – Adrianne Lenker
• “Rust” – Mon Rovia
• “Green Light” – Darlingside (in-studio performance, 2024)
• “Night Shift” – Jeffrey Foucault
• “Extrano” – Alisa Amador (in-studio performance)
• “Heartless Author” – Alisa Amador (in-studio performance)
• “Cherry Blossom” – Lana Del Ray (turning 40 this year)
• “Love Is A Rose” – Neil Young (turning 80 this year)
• “New Now” – Acoustic Soul Express
• “Silver Mountain” – Tinsley Ellis (in-studio performance, 2024)
• “The Fall”– Gregory Alan Isakov (in-studio performance, 2024)
• “A Wrinkle In The Realm” – Matshidiso (SongWriter podcast preview)
• “Four Long Years” – Michael Kiwanuka
• “Someone Loves You” – Laura Nyro
• “Superficial Love” – Ruth B (in-studio performance, 2018, turning 30)
• “The Most (acoustic)” – Sinead Harnett
• “Being You” – Father John Misty
• “Taking Me Back (Gently)” – Jack White (turning 50 this year)
• “Burning It Down” – Steve Earle (in-studio performance, 2013, turning 70)
• “Rosie” – Jana Mila (in-studio performance, 2024)
• “Milonga accidental” – Alisa Amador (in-studio performance)
• “Still Life” – Alisa Amador (in-studio performance)

Last week, I along with many others were devastated to learn of the passing of Detroit radio pioneer Judy Adams on Christmas Eve.

Adams spent 32 years at WDET, serving as program director for most of those years and hosting the show Morphogenesis, which later became The Judy Adams Program.

As program director, she helped curate the personality of WDET — guiding the programming by ensuring that all of us who host music shows here aren’t told what to play. She created an environment for all of us to explore the kind of show we wanted to do — developing the station into the extraordinary platform it has become for artists from Detroit and beyond to have a voice. 

Out of WDET’s 75-year history, I can’t imagine if she hadn’t been here for those 32 years where we would be today. She had a profound affect not only on me, but on many others at the station over the years, including Senior Underwriting Representative for the station Ralph Valdez.

Valdez joined me on Essential Music on Saturday to talk about the impact she had, and the many people she hired and influenced over her more than three decades at WDET. During our conversation, Valdez recalled the first time he met Judy, as a fan and station volunteer in the 1970s.

“She was very gracious and very loving, and I was somewhat starstruck because I was a fan of Morphogenesis at the time,” he said, adding that, later “working at the station [with Judy] was just a real exceptional spot in my life and my career.”

Valdez went on to become Judy’s close friend and neighbor, he said, recalling her talent for playing the piano and her boundless love for music exploration.

“She brought music to everyone that she knew and touched through the airwaves, and in real life, in personal ways as well.”

— Ralph Valdez, WDET

“She just was a music lover through and through,” he said. “She loved to play music for people when you’d come to her house; she’d play the piano or she’d say: ‘Oh listen to this new CD I just got in the mail, it’s so cool!’ and she’d just turn it up real loud.

“She brought music to everyone that she knew and touched through the airwaves, and in real life, in personal ways as well.”

Listen to our full conversation by using the media player above, beginning at the one hour mark.

“Ann Delisi’s Essential Music” airs every Saturday from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and every Sunday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET FM. 

This week’s pick comes from the renowned Red Hot Organization, a nonprofit that procures music and media dedicated to social change. They’ve been putting out music compilations dedicated to raising awareness about diversity and equity, and their latest series titled ‘TRANSA’ (stylized TRA​И​Ƨ​A) celebrates gender expression.

For this particular tune, the services of Moses Sumney, Sam Smith and Lyra Pramuk were contracted to remake the iconic and powerful classic dance tune “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real),” which offers a new take on the original classic by Sylvester. The song is experimental and soulful, perfectly combining the voices of the three artists into a harmonious, blended and note-perfect delivery.

So let’s check it out. Here’s Moses Sumney, Sam Smith and Lyra Pramuk with “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real),” and it’s my Pick of the Week.

If you dig transcendent dance tracks like this, be sure to lock into The Progressive Underground every Saturday evening at 6 p.m. on 101.9 WDET FM and wdet.org, where we play a melodic combination of deep dance, electronica, B-sides and rare grooves.

For The Progressive Underground, I’m Chris Campbell. Until next time, stay soulful, stay curious and keep vibing.

TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation Monday in the face of rising discontent over his leadership, and after the abrupt departure of his finance minister signaled growing turmoil within his government.

Trudeau said it had become clear to him that he cannot “be the leader during the next elections due to internal battles.” He planned to stay on as prime minister until a new leader of the Liberal Party is chosen.

“I don’t easily back down faced with a fight, especially a very important one for our party and the country. But I do this job because the interests of Canadians and the well being of democracy is something that I hold dear,” he said.

An official familiar with the matter said Parliament, which had been due to resume Jan. 27, will be suspended until March 24. The timing will allow for a Liberal Party leadership race. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about the matter publicly.

All three main opposition parties have said they plan to topple the Liberal Party in a no-confidence vote when Parliament resumes, so a spring election to pick a permanent replacement was almost assured.

“The Liberal Party of Canada is an important institution in the history of our great country and democracy. A new prime minister and leader of the Liberal Party will carry its values and ideals into that next election,” Trudeau said. “I am excited to see that process unfold in the months ahead.”

Trudeau came to power in 2015 after 10 years of Conservative Party rule, and had initially been hailed for returning the country to its liberal past. But the 53-year-old scion of one of Canada’s most famous prime ministers became deeply unpopular with voters in recent years over a range of issues, including the soaring cost of food and housing, and surging immigration.

The political upheaval comes at a difficult moment for Canada internationally. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to impose 25% tariffs on all Canadian goods if the government does not stem what Trump calls a flow of migrants and drugs in the U.S. — even though far fewer of each crosses into the U.S. from Canada than from Mexico, which Trump has also threatened.

Canada is a major exporter of oil and natural gas to the U.S., which also relies on its northern neighbor for steel, aluminum and autos.

Trudeau has kept publicly mum in recent weeks, despite intensifying pressure for him to step down.

“His long silence following this political drama speaks volumes about the weakness of his current position,” said Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal.

Canada’s former finance minister, Chrystia Freeland, announced her resignation from Trudeau’s Cabinet on Dec. 16., criticizing some of Trudeau’s economic priorities in the face of Trump’s threats. The move, which came shortly after the housing minister quit, stunned the country and raised questions about how much longer the increasingly unpopular Trudeau could stay in his job.

Freeland and Trudeau had disagreed about two recently announced policies: a temporary sales tax holiday on goods ranging from children’s clothes to beer, and plans to send every citizen a check for $250 Canadian ($174). Freeland, who was also deputy prime minister, said Canada could not afford “costly political gimmicks” in the face of the tariffs threat.

“Our country is facing a grave challenge,” Freeland wrote in her resignation letter. “That means keeping our fiscal powder dry today, so we have the reserves we may need for a coming tariff war.”

Trudeau had been planning to run for a fourth term in next year’s election, even in the face of rising discontent among Liberal Party members. The party recently suffered upsets in special elections in two districts in Toronto and Montreal that it has held for years. No Canadian prime minister in more than a century has won four straight terms.

And based on the latest polls, Trudeau’s chances for success looked slim. In the latest poll by Nanos, the Liberals trail the Conservatives 47% to 21%.

Over nearly a decade in power, Trudeau embraced an array of causes favored by his liberal base. He spoke in favor of immigration at a time other countries were trying to tighten their borders. He championed diversity and gender equality, appointing a Cabinet that was equal parts men and women. He legalized cannabis.

His efforts to strike a balance between economic growth and environmental protection were criticized by both the right and left. He levied a tax on carbon emissions and rescued a stalled pipeline expansion project to get more of Alberta’s oil to international markets.

Fewer people died from COVID-19 in Canada than elsewhere and his government provided massive financial support. But animosity grew among those opposed to vaccine mandates. Flags with Trudeau’s name and expletives became a common sight in rural parts.

A combination of scandal and unpopular policies damaged his prospects over time.

Trudeau’s father swept to power in 1968, and led Canada for almost 16 years, becoming a storied name in the country’s history, most notably by opening its doors wide to immigrants. Pierre Trudeau was often compared to John F. Kennedy and remains one of the few Canadian politicians who are recognized in America.

Tall and trim, with movie-star looks, Justin Trudeau channeled the star power — if not quite the political heft — of his father.

He became the second-youngest prime minister in Canada’s history, and rivals said his age was a liability when he first sought office. But he won a sweeping mandate in a come-from-behind victory in 2015.

Trudeau is a former teacher, nightclub bouncer and snowboard instructor who has three children with his now estranged wife, a former model and TV host.

Reporting by Rob Gillies, Associated Press

Now that 2024 is over, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will have to decide what to do with the dozens of bills heading her way.

Though the 2023-2024 Michigan Legislature never officially set an adjournment date for a ritual known as adjourning sine die, Latin for “without day,” the session effectively ended with the end of the year.

That means every bill from the previous Legislature that now reaches her desk has 14 days to either receive Whitmer’s signature or die.

Stacey LaRouche is a spokesperson for Whitmer.

“We will review legislation sent to our desk,” LaRouche said in a text message.

Many of the bills are caught up in the process of sending passed legislation from the Capitol across the street to the governor’s office. But there are dozens of them for Whitmer to consider.

Some outstanding items include bills to support Whitmer’s economic priorities.

One potential new policy would allow businesses to write off a portion of their research and development costs on their taxes.

Another would create a Michigan Innovation Fund Program to help invest state money in business startups.

The list, however, does not include legislation to reshape a major business incentive program known as the SOAR Fund that had seen negotiations fall apart last year. With a funding mechanism set to expire in October, that could see a push from Whitmer in the coming months.

More bills set to reach Whitmer’s desk deal with issues related to reproductive health care.

They would increase access to hormonal birth control, to mental health care for new mothers, and allow for the licensing of free-standing birth centers.

The state legislature also passed a bill to repeal work requirements for the Healthy Michigan Plan Medicaid-expansion program. Enforcement for those is currently blocked by a federal judge.

Michigan lawmakers did not pass — however — a bill package meant to curb racial disparities in maternal health. Those policies could come up again in the new legislative session that starts next week.

Still, Whitmer will also have to consider public safety-related bills in the coming weeks.

For example, one would create commissions to evaluate criminal justice policies and prison sentences.

Whitmer will also have to decide what to do with bills to update the state’s hate crime laws and to expand access to the state police pension system to corrections workers and other law enforcement-adjacent positions.

The new legislative session starts Wednesday.

The Michigan Supreme Court will hear cases in January that could decide whether more younger defendants convicted of murder will have an opportunity to have their mandatory sentences of life with no chance of parole reconsidered by a judge.

In 2022, the state Supreme Court decided that automatic life-without-parole sentences for 18-year-olds violate the Michigan Constitution.

Courts already ruled that defendants 17 years  old and younger convicted of murder could not be sentenced to life without hearings to take into account their youth, mental state and other individual circumstances.

In one of the cases, the defense argues that defendants who were 18 years old when they committed the crime and have exhausted their appeals should still be allowed to have their sentences reviewed.

The court will decide whether that decision should apply retroactively to the roughly 250 defendants who were 18 years old when they committed the crimes and whose cases “have become final after the expiration of the period for direct review.”

In the same session, the court will also hear arguments in related cases on whether defendants who were convicted of first-degree murder or felony murder for crimes committed when they were 19 or 20 years old should also be allowed to have their life sentences reconsidered.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan’s office released a report today stating that Detroit saw a historic drop in violent crime in 2024.

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

Detroit ended last year with 204 criminal homicides, a 19 percent drop from 2023 and its fewest homicides since 1965. Preliminary numbers show that Detroit ended the year with 606 non-fatal shootings, which is a 25 percent drop from the previous year and 48 percent drop from 2022.

The city is attributing these drops to city, county, state, federal and community partners. Special attention is being focused on the community violence intervention initiative ShotStoppers, and their work in the community.

The six ShotStopper groups are New Era, Detroit 300, Force Detroit, Wayne Metro/Denby Alliance/Camp Restore, Detroit’s People’s Community and Detroit Friends & Family. Together, these community violence intervention groups beat the citywide average of 35 percent of violent crime reduction.

To read more of this report, visit detroitmi.gov. 

Other headlines for Friday, Jan. 3, 2025:

• This Sunday, Jarod Goff and the Detroit Lions go against Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings. The winner of this game will clinch the NFC North and the No. 1 seed in the conference playoffs, meaning they will get a bye week and home field advantage throughout the playoffs — as long as they aren’t eliminated, of course. The loser will be the best team in NFL history by winning percentage to have failed to win a division title. So, in short, a lot is on the line with Sunday night’s prime time matchup. The game will take place at 8:20 p.m. at Ford Field.

• Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum in Farmington Hills is moving to a new location, and this weekend is your last chance to visit the arcade and museum in its original home. They will be open Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is also free! Marvin’s has vintage coin-operated machines and nostalgia-inducing games, as well as the newest video games available too. They are moving because their original shopping center was purchased by a developer and is being demolished and redeveloped. They’ll be moving to Orchard Mall in West Bloomfield and the owner says the new location will be three times larger than the previous location. After this weekend, they plan to reopen in the late spring. For updates, visit their Facebook page. 

• Next weekend, comedic rock star Kevin Hart is coming to the Motor City on for a three-day, back-to-back weekend affair. The Grammy-nominated stand-up comedian will be at the Fox Theatre on Jan. 10 and 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Jan. 12 at 7:00 p.m. for his “Acting My Age” tour. This is Hart’s ninth tour and although he has sold out arenas before, he is looking to create more of an intimate environment for this comedy hour. For tickets, visit ticketmaster.com. 

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

The race for Detroit’s mayor is already underway with some candidates declaring their bid to become the next leader of the Motor City. This week on MichMash, host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow talk with the Detroit Free Press’ Michael Elrick about potential influences on the race.

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

In this episode:

• The 2025 mayoral race in Detroit
• Mayor Mike Duggan’s ability to run for governor as an independent
• Eye on Michigan: a nonprofit journalism program

One of the most surprising news stories about the mayoral race centered around the person leaving: Mayor Mike Duggan. His decision to run for governor as an independent took up all the major headlines.

Elrick thinks Duggan could possibly make his way to the top office in Lansing.

“He’s a white guy who won his first campaign for mayor as a write-in,” Elrick said. “So in terms of breaking norms, you just don’t bet against him.”

Elrick said Duggan’s main challenge will be to raise more money than his GOP opponents.

In regard to the race for Detroit Mayor that will happen in November 2025, Elrick said Mary Sheffield is the front runner currently.

“She has some name recognition, and she is known in Detroit.”

He added that her candidacy might be slightly different than people may think.

“Mary Sheffield, who cast herself as a populist, has gone out of her way to praise Duggan and say that they will build on the work that he’s done.”

The Detroit mayoral election will be held Nov. 4, 2025.

More from WDET:

• Detroit Evening Report: Mary Sheffield enters 2025 Detroit mayoral race
• Detroit Evening Report: Duggan announces gubernatorial run; Belle Isle Conservatory reopens + more
• MichMash: Potential ‘difficult lame duck session’ looms for Democrats

Regional Michigan unemployment rates increased in November, according to data collected by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget. Regional jobless rates in the state ranged from 3.6 to 6.5 percent in November.

“Michigan regional unemployment rate gains were primarily due to workforce advances across most labor market areas over the month,” said Wayne Rourke, labor market information director for the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics. “Payroll jobs also rose over the month in the majority of Michigan metro areas.”

All 17 Michigan regions had unemployment rate increases over the year, with a median increase of 1.4 percent.

Other headlines for Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025:

• The Detroit Fire Department is kicking off a Safety Series with webinars to help keep residents safe. The webinars will focus on many forms of fire prevention — from cooking safety to lithium-ion battery best practices. The webinars will also cover how families can create a fire safety plan and best practices when using open fire — like with grills, fire pits and fireworks. The webinar will kick off Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 6 p.m. Visit detroitmi.gov for more information.

• Cinema Detroit is screening the short-film collection ‘From Ground Zero: Stories from Gaza’ in Hamtramck this month. The collection features 22 short films by Palestinian filmmakers showing life in Gaza during the war. It is shortlisted for the Oscars’ Best International Film. The collection includes a mix of genres such as fiction, documentaries, animation and experimental cinema. The screening will take place Sunday, Jan. 12 at Planet Ant Theater in Hamtramck. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the screening begins at 5:30 p.m.

• Bowers School Farm in Bloomfield Township is opening its winter attraction, Winter Glow Tubing. The location features a 200-foot neon lit tubing hill. Visitors can enjoy other activities like sledding, snowshoeing and a winter bonfire. General admission is free to explore the farm and visit animals like Marty the calf and Kronk the llama. There is also a new winter playscape for kids. The grand opening is Saturday, Jan. 4 at noon. Tickets are $17 each with discounts for families purchasing four or more.

• Here’s a reminder for City of Detroit residents during snowy weather: Crews will plow a 16-foot path down residential streets, not curb to curb, during snowy weather. Residential streets are plowed only when snow is 6 inches or more. Contractors will plow residential streets by district. The City of Detroit is in charge of plowing over 650 miles of major roads and over 1,880 miles of residential streets. Wayne County clears freeways and county roads, and the Michigan Department of Transportation clears major arteries like Gratiot, Woodward and Grand River.

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