The City of Detroit and the Cass Corridor Neighborhood Development Corporation celebrated the groundbreaking of the Greystone Senior Living Apartments this week in the heart of midtown.

The new four-story, 49-unit affordable housing development is designed for seniors earning 30-80% of the area median income. The development corporation says this development is part of their 40 year commitment to preserve affordability and to advance community ownership in the Cass Corridor. The new construction is on a site that has been vacant for 20 years.

Mayor Sheffield said she is proud that this is her first groundbreaking of her administration. “Seniors have been near and dear to my heart. My 12 years serving on the City Council…I actually represented the highest amount of senior buildings in the state of Michigan in my district. I know firsthand the needs of our seniors. I do believe that it is important as a city that we are building housing for all income levels and all stages of life.”

According to the city, this project is set to be completed in 2027, and welcoming residents shortly after.

Additional headlines for Friday, Feb. 20, 2026

Kandies Mini Mart

The Detroit Economic Growth Corporation and city leaders celebrated the opening of Kandies Mini Mart. This is the first Green Grocer Program ribbon cutting since the program relaunched in 2024. This section will live in Blackwell’s Kandies sandwich shop and catering service which is located at the Durfee Innovation Society. The mini mart will provide fresh produce in the Dexter Linwood Neighborhood.

Weather forecast

This time of year, the weather feels like it cycles through all of the options Mother Nature has to offer and this weekend is no different. According to the National Weather Service Michigan is expected to cycle through hail, fog, winds, rain, and snow. So, say goodbye to the warm front we’ve been experiencing and hello again to your hats and winter jackets as colder air moves in.

The weather service also issued a wind advisory until 9 p.m. tonight. There is an 80% chance of snow on Sunday and the temperature this weekend is expected to be around the low 40’s and upper 30’s.

Stay strong Detroit, Spring will come… eventually.

Sports

Winter Olympics

This is the last weekend of the 2026 Winter Olympics and Governor Gretchen Whitmer made a surprise visit at this year’s games. She claimed Michigan has more Olympians competing in this year’s Olympics than any other state and also noted that California’s Governor Newsome had challenged her on the fact. The Winter Olympics final ceremony is on Sunday February 22.

NBA

Last night the Pistons had another dominant win against the New York Knicks 126—111. Cade “THE ALL STAR” Cunningham was two rebounds short of a triple-double with 42 points and 13 assists as the Pistons completed their season sweep of the Knicks. There is even talk of MVP consideration for the young star. The Pistons next game is against the Bulls tomorrow at the United Center. Tip off is at 8 p.m. EST.

Black author expo

Last but not least, this weekend Detroit Book City is having their 10th annual African American Family book expo on Saturday February 21 from noon to 5 p.m. This event celebrates Black History Month by having a meet and greet with over 40 independent Black authors for all ages.

The event is free with books available to purchase. This is all going down at the Village Hall in West Detroit.

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

You can look at Ford Motor Company’s 2025 financial report in two ways. 

On one hand, the automaker earned $6.8 billion before interest, taxes, and one-time costs. On the other hand, when you subtract those figures, it shows a net loss of more than $8 billion, the largest shortfall in almost 20 years.

Ford CEO Jim Farley focused on the positives in his report to shareholders.

“Ford delivered a strong 2025 in a dynamic and often volatile environment,” Farley said.

Tariffs added to that volatility. Ford says it paid $2 billion in import taxes in 2025. 

EV losses jolt the bottom line

Automotive analyst Paul Eisenstein with Headlight.News says electric vehicles proved very costly.

“Ford wrote off almost $20 billion on its electric vehicle operations,” he says. “That reflects a whole bunch of changes to their EV program.”

Ford ended production of the F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck. It also backed away from plans to convert a factory in Memphis, Tenn. into an EV-only facility.

Eisenstein says Ford has yet to make a profit on EVs but is not abandoning them. He says the company will launch its Universal EV concept at a factory in Louisville, Ky. 

“It’s a radical change in the way you design and build vehicles,” he says. “And if it works, it could lower the cost of EVs substantially.”

Quality is Job 1…or is it?

Farley’s biggest challenge may be improving quality. Ford issued 153 vehicle recalls in 2025, a new industry record. Eisenstein says Ford owners are tired of having multiple recalls on the same vehicle, and often for the same problem.

“This is costing the company billions of dollars and ticking off a lot of customers,” he says.

The blue oval has a silver lining

Ford’s annual earnings statement offered some hope. The company reported record revenue of $187 billion. U.S. sales rose 6% over 2024. And hourly workers will receive individual profit-sharing checks worth about $6800 based on pre-tax earnings.

Eisenstein says net profits or losses can be deceiving.

“The net can be affected by those one-time charges, which can be manipulated to give you a good or bad number, depending on what you feel like you need,” he says. “You want to have a clear sense of what the individual elements in the bottom line are all about.”

A Dearborn father, Abdelouahid Aouchiche was detained on Oct. 6 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement outside Masjid Al-Furqan in Detroit, on his way to the pre-dawn Fajr prayer with his son and others.

Aouchiche’s wife Lorenda Lewis says he sent his son inside the mosque, and instructed him to call his mother to pick him up. 

“When I went to pick Abdullah up, he was outside by himself, and he said he hadn’t seen his father. He doesn’t know where he is. And then I realized they were parked over to the side, and they let the window down so that the kids can see him for the last time,” she shares.

Aouchiche was taken to the North Lake Processing Center in Baldwin, Michigan, which houses over 1,400 people.

Lewis says it’s been a struggle to visit the facility, due to frequently changing policies, visitation times, and the 4 hour drive. She says the policies discourage you from visiting.

“It will alternate one hour for one week and three hours for the following week. So you will have to get up four o’clock in the morning to be there on time, because if you got there by a certain time… you were not allowed to visit,” she explains. 

Concerns of mistreatment at the facility 

In December, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), who is a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, visited the facility, noting its dire conditions.

Tlaib’s office says they received multiple reports, “including frigid temperatures, inadequate food, unsanitary facilities, difficulties accessing attorneys and loved ones, translation and communication issues, and problems obtaining medical care.”

After the visitation, Tlaib released a statement in which she says,  “I am fighting for the freedom and dignity of every immigrant, asylum seeker, and refugee who calls our country home.” 

A family separated

Aouchiche and Lewis share four children, between the ages of 6 and 12. 

Lewis says the current policies do not allow more than four visitors total in a day. With the kids being minors, they were not all able to go back to see their father together.

“But because there’s only four people, and they’re under 18, they could not go back there alone. So I was the only one that can go back there,” she says. 

Lewis says she is concerned about the conditions at the facility.

“They don’t have blankets. They have like a sweater type, something that they sleep with… the heat is horrible and it’s wintertime, but they don’t even have a blanket to sleep with,” she shares. 

Lack of religious accommodations 

Lewis says her husband was not receiving halal food in the beginning—only eating peanut butter, rice, and noodles. Since then, halal food has been provided, she says.

She says she’s also concerned for Muslims who observe fasting and worship during the month of Ramadan, which began Tuesday night. 

“Only in this one pod where he is there are over 300 Muslims… he said they have 12 prayer rugs and no Qurans,” she says. 

She says she’s also concerned whether people will be able to eat a pre-dawn meal to begin fasting, and the meal at sunset to break fast.

“Are they going to accommodate the Muslims getting up four or five o’clock in the morning so that they can eat breakfast at that time and then having suhur, and then having iftar when it’s time to break fast? With the way that they’re doing things, I’m not really sure,” she shares.

Community steps up to support the family 

Lewis says her husband’s detention has put a huge strain on her family.

“Something like this happened all of a sudden, with uncertainty, has taken a lot on my family, the children are having their father around. He paid most of the bills, so now I have to make sure that I work double time and put in extra hours so that I can pay the bills that he was paying,” she says. 

She may have to get a second job to provide for her family, something Lewis says will be difficult in her line of work as a doula.

Community members have put together a GoFundMe to help the family get on their feet. Lewis says she’s grateful people are stepping up to help, but she’s concerned about the funds running out. 

Lewis is also concerned about the mistreatment of others held at the North Lake Detention Facility in Baldwin. She says some people have no one to visit. Lewis says there are efforts to organize bilingual or multilingual volunteers to visit through a team at the Islamic Center of East Lansing by emailing info@lansingislam.com. 

Lewis says she’s leaning on her faith to get her through this time, during the spiritual month of Ramadan and prayer. 

She says there needs to be policy changes in the facility. 

“Their policies need to change, the visitation needs to change… we are not criminals. The detainees there are not criminals, and we’re being treated and our families are being treated like criminals and that needs to stop,” she says. 

Since conducting this interview late last week, Abdelouahid Aouchiche was transferred to Louisiana over the weekend and has since been moved to Texas.

In this episode: 

• Why did Michigan have a ConCon? 
• What are the chances of us having a ConCon in 2026 and if so what will it change? 

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

For the fourth time since the 1960’s…Michigan voters will get the chance to hold a convention on whether or not they want to do a complete overhaul on the constitution. This week on MichMash, Gongwer News Service’s Alethia Kasben and Zach Gorchow discuss all the things this convention could change to Michigan’s constitutional laws. They are joined by Lynn Liberato who is the author of Michigan Con-Con 11: Women and State Constitution-making in 1961.  

Most Michiganders will have no recollection about a ConCon because of its rarity but it has the potential to change a lot of things. Liberato said that the last ConCon in 1961 was the culmination of 20-40 years of non-partisan efforts with groups like the League of Women Voters in Michigan. Liberato encourages voters to think deeply about a decision to have another ConCon. “By the time we got to 1961, we were operating under a constitution that was over 100 years old. Michigan changed from an agricultural society to a manufacturing mecca. Is that comparable to us in 2026 from the 1960’s?” 

Michiganders will have a chance to vote on whether or not we have a ConCon in the 2026 midterm elections.  

• More from WDET:
  MI voters to decide if it’s time for a constitutional convention
  The US Constitution guarantees the right to protest, carry a gun—sort of
  The Case for Rewriting Michigan’s Constitution

 Food is a connection to the past and a living memory. It has a way of reminding the senses that love existed.

It’s never just about the food. It’s about who taught you. It’s about who was there to help you stir the pot and give you the spoon to lick the cake batter. It’s about the traditions passed down on purpose and by accident. And sometimes it’s about learning the hardships that put the food on the table.

Ifayomi Christine is a writer, director, and lens based artist. She recently directed the film “Until It Feels Like Worship,” which untangles generational grief and trauma through remembrance and release.

Cornetta Lane-Smith is a Detroit-based filmmaker, writer, producer and the founder of Studio 8278. She wrote and executive produced the docu-series “Recipes of Resistance.” The series explores how food and conversation help unpack human complexity. 

They both joined The Metro’s Tia Graham to talk more about the film and docu-series. 

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

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

More stories from The Metro

Communities across Michigan are asking how, exactly, local law enforcement is working with federal immigration agents as the Trump administration steps up aggressive enforcement, including the killing of two Americans in Minneapolis. In Detroit, that question is playing out on the pages of two police personnel files. 

Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison vowed to fire two officers who broke department rules by calling U.S. Border Patrol during traffic stops, handing people over to federal immigration agents. Then he dropped the terminations.

In one stop, an officer called Border Patrol, believing the person was undocumented. In the other, a sergeant called for help communicating with a driver who didn’t speak English, though the department runs a 24-hour translation hotline.

DPD policy — stemming from a 2007 anti-profiling ordinance and a 2020 internal directive — bars officers from contacting Border Patrol, ICE, or any federal agency for translation or immigration enforcement. 

Outlier Media’s public records requests turned up at least two more incidents the chief did not disclose.

Ahead of the Board of Police Commissioners’ vote on the suspensions, The Metro’s Robyn Vincent spoke with Noah Kincade, who runs the Documenters program at Outlier Media. 

The Detroit Documenters helped surface these cases at police commission meetings. 

ICE and CBP did not respond to WDET’s requests for comment about this story.

Hear the full conversation using the media player above.

Editor’s Note: After this interview aired, the Board of Police Commissioners voted 10–0 to suspend both officers without pay for 30 days. Bettison, who said he would terminate them, backed off the next morning. His reversal comes after one officer sued in federal court, claiming her lieutenant ordered the call, and Michigan Republican House Speaker Matt Hall threatened to review Detroit’s state funding in response to the case.

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

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

More stories from The Metro

This set moves through indie, soul, funk, and experimental sounds.

Some highlights include Courtney Barnett and Radiohead, tracks from Gabriel Garzón-Montano, and some soaring soulful moments from Aretha Franklin and Lee Fields & The Expressions. Plus, we’ve got electronic and experimental sounds from Flying Lotus and Madlib, and classic grooves from Paul Simon and Seu Jorge on standby.

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 February 19, 2026 

• “Emorio” – Trinix & Fafá de Belém 

• “Margaretas sång” – Dina Ögon 

• “Gloria” – Those Guys From Athens 

• “Tequila” – Fantastic Virtues 

• “Music De Carnaval” – Magdy Al Hussainy 

• “Ghost a Go Go” – Richard Rome 

• “Argos Farfish” – Sharhabil Ahmed 

• “O Katrina!” – Black Lips 

• “Run Run Run (Radio Edit)” – Kurt Vile 

• “Are You with Me Now?” – Cate Le Bon 

• “She’s Making Friends, I’m Turning Stranger” – Purple Mountains 

• “Impossible Germany” – Wilco 

• “Before You Gotta Go” – Courtney Barnett 

• “I Want More” – Can 

• “Once In A Lifetime” – WITCH 

• “Girlfriend Is Better (EDIT)” – Talking Heads 

• “Give Me the Sunshine (Mini-Tro)” – Leo’s Sunshipp 

• “Jump” – Aretha Franklin 

• “123 Days” – Ruthven 

• “Diamonds On the Soles of Her Shoes” – Paul Simon 

• “Never Be Another You” – Lee Fields & The Expressions 

• “Tomorrow Never Knows (2024 Remastered Version)” – Junior Parker 

• “Zodiac Shit” – Flying Lotus 

• “Knock Knock (Instrumental)” – Madlib 

• “Frio” – Ambar Lucid 

• “Keep On Running” – Gabriel Garzón-Montano 

• “Someone (feat. Jamila Woods) [Armando Young Remix]” – Gabriel Garzón-Montano 

• “Frío” – Omar Apollo 

• “Carried Away” – H.E.R. 

• “Knocks Me Off My Feet (Cover)” – Olivia Dean 

• “Starman” – Seu Jorge 

• “Apho” – Alfa Mist & Bongeziwe Mabandla 

• “There, There” – Radiohead 

• “New York Is Killing Me” – Gil Scott-Heron 

• “Virgo (King Britt’s Sirius B Remix)” – Meshell Ndegeocello, Brandee Younger & Julius Rodriguez 

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. 

The Detroit Police Department told city council Tuesday that the department does not participate in immigration enforcement. 

City Council questioned the department about how and if it provides any support to ICE after reports of officers working alongside Customs and Border Patrol. First Assistant Chief Charles Fitzgerald told the council the department is not in the immigration business. 

“We have, obviously, a city ordinance for bias-based policing. We have our own policy for bias-based policing. We have special orders that we do not unless there is an absolute nexus to a violent crime. We’re not in the immigration business, and even then, I’ll tell you, if it’s connected to a violent crime, we shouldn’t care.” 

Police Chief Todd Bettison has said recently he plans to fire two officers who used Customs and Border Protection for assistance during traffic stops, which is against DPD policy. 

Council Member Santiago Romero says she is speaking with the mayor about establishing a hotline for residents to call if they are concerned about DPD working with ICE 

Additional headlines for Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026

Green Grocer ribbon cutting

The Detroit Economic Growth Corporation’s Green Grocer Program had its first ribbon cutting this week since the program relaunched in 2024. Kandies sandwich shop will now feature a mini mart that will sell fresh produce, dairy, baked goods, and other grocery items.

Owner Jacquisha Blackwell received a $25 Green Grocer grant to purchase refrigeration, shelving, and upgrade electrical systems. The Green Grocer program has generated more than $50 million in investment during its first phase between 2010 and 2017, supporting more than 40 grocery stores. 

DOJ investigates sex-ed classes

The Justice Department is investigating the Detroit Public Schools and two other Michigan districts. Prosecutors want to know if the schools teach sexual orientation and gender-related topics in their classes without giving parents the choice to remove their kids from such lessons.

The DOJ says that would violate federal law and subject the districts to lawsuits and a loss of federal funding. The department has also sent warning letters to the Lansing School District and the Wyoming Godfrey-Lee public schools in west Michigan. 

I-94 construction begins

Construction on I-94 near Detroit Metro Airport has begun between Romulus and Dearborn. Traffic will be reduced to one or two lanes in each direction beginning this summer. The $353 million rebuild is expected to wrap up in mid-2029. 

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

Across metro Detroit, some leaders’ stances against ICE have gotten firmer. 

The Detroit police chief is not allowing his officers to work with ICE. Last week, Sterling Heights Mayor Michael Taylor spoke with The Metro about his criticisms of the institution.

Now, in Southfield, federal and state lawmakers are trying to stop ICE from opening an administrative office. 

Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald, who is running to be Michigan’s Attorney General, has expressed concerns about ICE enforcement, and the presence of ICE agents in her jurisdiction. She spoke with The Metro‘s Robyn Vincent about that and more.

The Metro contacted US Immigration and Customs Enforcement prior to this conversation. They did not respond with a comment by the time this aired.

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

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

More stories from The Metro

Whether it’s exploring the world of short film or finding your new favorite whiskey, WDET has you covered on Detroit’s upcoming events. Prepare to expand your palette and dance your heart out, Detroit!

Upcoming events (Feb. 19 to Feb. 26)

Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express  

Stagecrafters 

Feb. 19 through Mar. 1 

  $28-$38

Take a ride to Royal Oak to witness Murder on the Orient Express adapted for the stage. All is well by nightfall, but as the sun rises through the passenger car windows, we’re one traveler short… Who could the killer be? There are performances every Thursday through Sunday until March 1, with both 2 p.m. matinees and evening shows at 7:30 p.m. 

HERd 

The Garden Theatre 

Feb. 20 

Free

HERd is returning to Detroit for its third year, uniting leaders, advocates, and allies for conversations about uplifting women’s voices in its TED Talk-style format. This year’s theme, Passions with Purpose, encompasses the holistic well-being of women by focusing on the emotional, social and professional systems which shape women’s lives. Oh, and there’ll be cocktails! Reception is at 5 p.m. and the program goes from 5:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. 

10th Annual African American Family Book Expo & Read-In 

Developing K.I.D.S. Village Hall 

Feb. 21 

Free

Enjoy an afternoon delving into Black literary excellence for the opportunity to meet with more than 40 independent Black authors and listen to this year’s National African American Read-In. There are books for all ages, with a chance to get signed copies as well. The event will be held from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. 

The 2026 Oscar® Nominated Short Films: Animation and Live Action 

Detroit Film Theatre 

Feb. 20 through Mar. 15 

General: $11.50 & Seniors, Students, and DIA Members: $9.50 

Visit the Detroit Film Theatre inside the Detroit Institute of Arts for a screening of this year’s Oscar-nominated short films. Experience the works of emerging filmmakers as they explore bold stories in condensed segments. Screenings are happening each weekend through Mar.15, with matinees at 1 p.m. and evening showings at 7 p.m.; the collection spans 3 hours with an intermission between animation and live action.  

Detroit Pistons VS. San Antonio Spurs 

Little Caesars Arena 

Feb. 23 

$40+ 

The Pistons are slated to host the Spurs next Monday as they hope to continue their 3-game winning streak. The Pistons are currently the top contender in the Eastern Conference. The game will begin at 7 p.m. 

Symphonie fantastique 

Orchestra Hall  

Feb. 26 through Feb. 28 

$20

Enjoy an evening at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra with a performance of Berlioz’s 5-movement concerto about a young artist’s hallucinations following a failed love affair. The performance will feature the “once in a generation flutist” Emmanuel Pahud as soloist. The event runs for two hours and will begin at 8 p.m.

Haute to Death, BEIGE and Kindle

Marble Bar

Feb. 21

$16+

Celebrate eight years of Marble Bar with a post-Valentines DJ set by Detroit artists Haute to Death (1-800-CALL-ASH & S.O.F.T. Power), BEIGE and Kindle. Be sure to slide through with your partner, best friend, or messy situationship for a few drinks and much-needed dancing. The event starts at 9 p.m. and goes until 3 a.m. 

Big Stretch: Yoga with a live DJ 

Big Pink

Feb. 26

$17

Unleash your inner yogi while you get your groove on at Big Pink next Thursday. Bring your own mat, a friend and prepare to sweat out your troubles while the DJ spins tracks of encouragement. All ages are welcome, music by Botez! The event starts at 7 p.m. and ends at 8:30 p.m. 

Whiskey Festival 

Royal Oak Farmers Market

Feb. 21

$39+

Spend an evening in a whiskey lover’s dream this Saturday at the Royal Oak Farmers Market. With over 100 different brands of whiskey, live music and food vendors, this event is set to help you find your new drink of choice. General admission includes 10 drink tickets as well as a keepsake photo and commemorative glass to help you remember what you’ve forgotten by morning. The event will run from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. 

Lunar New Year at Eastern Market

Eastern Market Shed 5

Feb. 22

Free

Enjoy an afternoon of extravagance at the Association of Chinese Americans’ annual Lunar New Year Community Fair. The event will feature cultural performances from local community groups, food vendors, interactive experiences and opportunities to learn about traditional customs. The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

In 2026, voters in Michigan will cast ballots for races involving the office of Governor, Attorney General, and Secretary of State. Gary Peters (D-MI) is opting to retire, so there’s an open U.S. Senate seat.

Democrats have three strong candidates: Mallory McMorrow, Haley Stevens, and Abdul El-Sayed. All three have raised millions of dollars for their campaigns ahead of the August primary.

Throughout the primary, Detroit Public Radio will be checking in with the candidates so our listeners can make an informed decision. The focus of this first round of interviews is to set a baseline for the candidates views on policy and what separates them from their competitors.

Having talked with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed and Michigan State Senator Mallory McMorrow, this first round of conversations concludes with Congresswoman Haley Stevens.

She talked with All Things Considered Detroit Host Russ McNamara on Feb. 18, 2026.

ICE overhaul

Russ McNamara: This week, you went to the largest detention center for migrants in the Midwest- the North Lake Processing Center in Baldwin. You’ve called for the impeachment of homeland security secretary Kristi Noem. Should Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) exist as an agency?

U.S. Representative Haley Stevens: Well, ICE needs to be overhauled. I will tell you that we need to start seeing accountability, and we need a complete overhaul of ICE. There has been mismanagement from the very top, and that’s Kristi Noem. That’s why I’m signed on to the articles of impeachment.

It’s also why I have signed on to legislation to redirect the $75 billion plus up that came from the Big Beautiful Bill championed by Donald Trump that went to ICE. That $75 billion needs to go to local law enforcement and for training and for safety and protocol measures that are really going to keep our neighborhoods safe.

What ICE is doing right now is so out of control, it is so damaging, and it’s chaotic. Michiganders are seeing what unfolded in Minneapolis, and they are worried about that coming here.

RM: In Baldwin, you told reporters, “There is female leadership here, and there are women who walked with us today…and explained how important it is to treat people with humanity.” I’m kind of curious about this quote, because taken as it is, it almost seems like you’re saying what’s happening there is okay as long as women have a seat at the table.

HS: Well, what’s happening with ICE is not okay at all. And what was very astonishing, and the reason I made that point, is because these are supposed to be the most “dangerous criminals” that ICE is taking into these detention facilities, and yet there are guards and people in that facility who don’t carry any weapons.

There’s no weapons, there’s no tasers, and yet we are supposedly dealing with the most dangerous criminals. So what ICE is doing is certainly not okay, and that’s why I’m pushing very hard for these reforms and accountability. I mean, we need to see accountability, particularly for crimes that have been committed, and we need to see prosecutions out of what happened in Minneapolis.

Affordable health care

RM: What is your plan to fix health care? Your opponents have endorsed a public option or Medicare for All. Where do you stand in all that?

HS: I’m writing legislation and fighting for Michigan’s affordable health care each and every single day, and I have throughout my time in Congress. I deeply believe that we need to expand the Affordable Care Act. We need to protect that and we we also need to make the tax subsidies permanent. We’ve seen before our very eyes time and time again how Republicans do not believe in the promise of affordable, quality, accessible health care.

I worked in the Obama administration. I want to protect Obamacare. I also want to address the cuts to Medicaid that have come down. We need to keep expanding Medicaid.

And then lastly, we need to tackle the cost of prescription drugs. We’ve made some headway on that in previous times. Right now, it feels as though our prescription drug efforts are falling on deaf ears. I believe in benchmarking prescription drug costs to the cost of Medicare.

Abortion rights and government reform

RM: Being in the U.S. House, you know better than anyone that Congress has largely been in gridlock these past few years. If elected to the Senate, do you support the elimination of the filibuster?

HS: I’ll tell you that I do for a variety of matters, particularly women’s health protection. That’s legislation that I have championed in the house, that I’ve seen pass the House and then fall flat in the Senate. Republicans like Mike Rogers (U.S. Senate candidate) are going to vote for a national abortion ban, and they are going to stand in the way of codifying abortion rights in this country. We have those rights here in Michigan, we had a tremendous victory at the ballot box a handful of years ago, and yet those rights are still vulnerable. There are lawmakers on the other side of the aisle who are not going to stand up for people’s health, not going to stand up for women’s abortions rights, and addressing the filibuster will get us out of that mess.

RM: Do you support reforms to the U.S. Supreme Court—packing, term limits or otherwise?

HS: Look, all three branches of government have some real need for reforms and some ethics. I deeply support ethics reform. For the Supreme Court, what seems to look like pay-to-play, the fact that they have a different set of ethics rules, I think it would be more than appropriate, given that the Supreme Court doesn’t have elections, and it’s a lifetime appointment to look at the term limits and age limits and the like.

Focus on Michigan

RM: Approval ratings for Democratic leadership right now are around 25%. Do you think Congress needs a fresh look or move on from the current leadership of Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries?

HS: Well, I’ll tell you what, Congress and this open U.S. Senate seat that we have here in Michigan needs its best champion in the United States Senate, and that’s me. Someone with a track record of results for our state when we’re in moments of uncertainty, I put up my hand to run at it. I did that as chief of staff in the administration of Barack Obama on the U.S. auto rescue, when General Motors and Chrysler were steering bankruptcy off the cliff and 200,000 Michigan jobs were on the line; I have stood up for our state economy and our workforce when supply chain disruptions were coming down, and helped to pass the CHIPS and Science Act. That’s a track record of delivery and speaking directly to what drives our economy, which keeps people employed, and also a plan to lower costs. And so I’m ready to hit the ground running in the United States Senate. And I believe my run for United States Senate is about the future of Michigan.

RM: But that wasn’t the question. I was asking you if there should be a change in Democratic leadership.

HS: You’re asking me about the future of the Democratic Party. And there are some people who are running who assume that’s what this race is all about, and I don’t think that’s fair to the people of Michigan. I believe that this race is about the future of Michigan and our workforce, and who’s going to get points on the scoreboard for organized labor.

I’m sitting before you here today as the only candidate in this race who’s been endorsed by organized labor, and in terms of, you know, the inside baseball conversations, because I understand what you were specifically asking me. Of course, we can make those decisions. You know, Elissa Slotkin and I will absolutely hone in on what’s best for Michigan and what’s best for the Senate operations. That’s what’s got to happen. You know, in terms of some of those inside baseball, who’s in leadership and whatnot? What Michigan needs, and what I am focused on, is Michigan leadership.

AI data centers

RM: Michiganders seem to hate data centers. The growing A.I. boom, if it comes to fruition, will eat up a lot of resources. How do you weigh the need to address climate change with the constant need for business growth and more jobs in Michigan?

HS: Well, look at what we accomplished with the Inflation Reduction Act—something that I was proud to champion in the House of Representatives alongside leaders from our environmental movement, like the League of Conservation Voters. And that was the first time in history where the industry leaders, automotive companies in particular, also endorsed that legislation. And when we look at the large challenges that we are facing in terms of climate change, it is an all hands on deck approach.

We have got to take climate changes and energy needs very seriously, and this is something that I have fought for in the United States House of Representatives on the science committee, right? I held the first hearing on recycling technology in a decade when I got to Congress.

And so in some respects, you know, the table setting and the way in which we can look at creating jobs, winning the future and ensuring that we are not polluting, that we’ve shown that that can be done, you know, in terms of data centers and winning innovation races, I have been rigorous in conversations around the environmental protections and the consumer protections and the cost needs.

Wealth gap

RM: Money in this country seems to be going upwards. We’re creating lots of new billionaires. How do you address the growing wealth gap?

HS: We need someone who’s gonna fight for our organized labor and our middle class, and get the protecting the right to organize legislation done, as well as ensuring that the National Labor Relations Board actually has people with a labor background on the board. This administration has gone after people’s rights to organize, they have been trying to squash the voice of organized labor, and that is one of the best keys to addressing the wealth gap: the negotiating power of the workforce. I’m not running for Senate to do billionaire bidding.

I believe that this race is about the future of Michigan and our workforce, and who’s going to get points on the scoreboard for organized labor.

You know, I didn’t vote for the Big, Beautiful Bill because for a variety of reasons, and one, very starkly, was that that bill was a billionaire giveaway. We we have to have a fair marginal tax rate. Billionaires have got to pay their fair share. And lastly, we need a plan to lower costs for hard working Michiganders and retirees. I’ve got legislation to do that, tackling the cost of food and tackling the prices of everyday goods.

RM: When people in this country are going hungry, ethically, should billionaires exist?

HS: Well, we’re not going to be seeing someone like myself do billionaire bidding in the United States Senate, I’ll tell you that much. Tackling where and how billionaires are not paying their fair share needs to get done. We need a fair marginal tax rate. That is something that I feel very strongly about, and I feel so frustrated because we have seen this administration trample over our middle class put into place reckless tariffs that have created job insecurity and job loss.

Parts of Michigan have some of the fastest growing unemployment in the country right now because of these tariffs and the cuts to clean energy investments going into our manufacturing sector, and now we have a president who doesn’t want to open the Gordie Howe bridge—another slap in the face to our workers. We can’t be in the business of these billionaire giveaways, and we also can’t be in the business of not adjusting our tax code and fighting for labor rights.

PAC funding

RM: You say you’re not doing billionaire bidding, but you are taking corporate PAC money. That separates you from your competitors in the primary. Why?

HS: I’m deeply proud to have a campaign that has got 95% of donations that are $200 or less and those are coming from nurses and factory workers and grocery workers. I’m deeply proud to have the endorsements of the Michigan Democratic Party Black Caucus, former Speaker Joe Tate, the mayors of Livonia and Lansing and Grand Rapids in my campaign. And it’s it’s a grassroots endeavor. And look, you’ve got someone like Mike Rogers, who is going to continue to rubber stamp Donald Trump and stand in the way of comprehensive campaign finance reform. I have an “A” grading from the leading anti-corruption campaign finance reform organization because of my record.

RM: AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, has raised millions on your behalf for this Senate run, and in past campaigns. Since the October 7 Hamas terror attacks, Israel has been accused of war crimes and genocide against the Palestinian people. How do you reconcile voting for military support for Israel when you know exactly how the Israeli military has been using it?

HS: Well, I’d say this, that the goal has always been long term peace. We have needed to see the hostages come home, which they did, and that was an incredible day. We are in the second phase of a ceasefire, and the goal is a lasting ceasefire that will mean that Hamas has to put down its weapons, and also the calls that I have made for Israel and the United States to work together on rebuilding efforts and on humanitarian aid. We need people in Gaza, Palestinian people, to have dignity and peace, just as we need people in Israel to do so.

RM: So there’s been no hesitation in taking money from AIPAC?

HS: I’m running my campaign in a grassroots way, with individual donors who participate in the democratic process in the way that our country allows. I’m proud of my record of standing up alongside democracy and freedom and humanitarian needs. You know, here in the United States and and certainly abroad.

Note: A planned question about the rights of trans people in the U.S. was withheld because Congresswoman Stevens needed to leave for another appointment.

Detroit’s own Zo! and Tall Black Guy are getting ready to release a brand new album titled “Expansions.” It follows the acclaim of their 2021 project “Abstractions,” a record that fused soul, jazz, hip hop and electronic textures and had the industry buzzing. Now they are back with the lead single, and once again they call on frequent collaborator Sy Smith, who recently released her album “Until We Meet Again,” also shaped by this production team. 

If this new track is any sign of what is ahead, expect a love letter to classic soul and dance culture. You can hear flashes of the Mary Jane Girls, Parliament-Funkadelic, Slave, those joints that used to light up the roller rink and keep the floor packed all night. Let’s get into “Keep Him Satisfied.” My Pick of the Week. 

Zo! and Tall Black Guy featuring Sy Smith with “Keep Him Satisfied,” the first single from the forthcoming album “Expansions.”

If grooves like that are your thing, join us every Saturday evening at 6 p.m. on 101.9 WDET and wdet.org, where we live in future soul, deep house, nu-jazz, b-sides and rare grooves.

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

Wayne State University is searching for an experienced WDET Creative Producer Engineer at its Detroit campus location.

Wayne State is a premier, public, urban research university located in the heart of Detroit, Michigan where students from all backgrounds are offered a rich, high-quality education. Our deep-rooted commitment to excellence, collaboration, integrity, diversity and inclusion creates exceptional educational opportunities which prepare students for success in a global society.

Essential functions (job duties):

Qualifications:

School/College/Division:

H72 – WDET

Primary department:

H8703

Employment type:

• Regular Employee
• Job type: Full Time
• Job category: Staff/Administrative

Funding/salary information:

• Compensation type: Annual Salary
• Hourly rate:
• Salary minimum: $56,131
• Salary hire maximum: $67,354

Working conditions:

Normal working conditions.

Job openings:

• Number of openings: 1
• Reposted position: No
• Reposted reason: None (New Requisition)
• Prior posting/requisition number:

Background check requirements:

University policy requires certain persons who are offered employment to undergo a background check, including a criminal history check, before starting work. If you are offered employment, the university will inform you if a background check is required.

Something is breaking open in Iran — and it’s been building for months. A war, then an uprising, then a massacre, and now a nuclear deal on the table.

Last summer, Israel and the United States bombed Iran’s nuclear sites in a 12-day war. In late December, millions of Iranians took to the streets in the largest protests since the 1979 revolution, driven by economic collapse, a cratering currency, and decades of grievance. The regime responded with what human rights groups are calling the worst government massacre in Iran’s modern history — a crackdown that, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, has killed thousands of protesters. The government imposed a near-total internet blackout, and many families still cannot reach their loved ones.

This week, American and Iranian negotiators sat down in Geneva to try to cut a nuclear deal. Iran’s foreign minister said the two sides reached an understanding on “guiding principles,” though both sides acknowledged significant gaps remain. The talks are mediated by Oman and come as the U.S. deploys two aircraft carrier strike groups to the region.

But here’s what most coverage misses: the millions of Iranians who want this regime gone don’t agree on what should come next.

Saeed Khan, Associate Professor of Near Eastern Studies and Global Studies at Wayne State University and a research fellow at the Center for the Study of Citizenship, joined Robyn Vincent on The Metro to break down why what happens inside Iran matters far beyond its borders.

Hear the full conversation using the media player above.

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

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

More stories from The Metro

There’s a lot of fear and uncertainty in Iran right now. 

Protestors have faced a violent reaction from Iran’s political leaders, resulting in the death of thousands of Iranians. But the demonstrations, nonetheless, have continued — and not just in Iran. 

This past weekend, the Iranian diaspora and others — amounting to hundreds of thousands of people around the world — protested the Iranian government. 

The demonstrations occurred in Germany and Los Angeles and Toronto and across the river, in Windsor.

One of the people participating the ongoing protests is Mahshid Soleimani. She’s a PhD student at the University of Windsor and a leader of an Iranian student group on campus. She spoke about her perspective, as part of the Iranian diaspora, with The Metro‘s Robyn Vincent.

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

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

More stories from The Metro

Oakland County leaders and residents are protesting a possible Immigration and Customs Enforcement administrative office in Southfield. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib and State Senator Jeremy Moss were among dozens of protesters at the site Tuesday.  State Representative Jason Hoskins says residents are concerned about ICE having a larger presence in Southfield. 

 “Across the country, people have seen mass federal agents operating in ways that feel aggressive and intimidating and disconnected from the communities that they serve, and when communities of color see mass individuals exercising power, it says a historical weight that cannot be ignored.”   

The building owner, REDICO, said in a statement that the lease is with the General Services Administration, and not directly with ICE. 

Additional Headlines for February 18, 2026

 DTE Energy fined for clean air violations 

A federal judge has ordered DTE Energy to pay 100 million dollars for Clean Air Act violations in Metro Detroit. The infractions occurred at a subsidiary facility on Zug Island where coal is turned into coke for steel production. Sulfur dioxide is produced during the process. The gas can cause health problems when inhaled. The Environmental Protection Agency sued the coke plant in 2022. The judge also ordered the facility to come into compliance with clean air laws and to start a Community Quality Action Committee to work on air quality improvement projects. DTE Energy says it will appeal the ruling.  

Cardiac emergency plans for school stalls 

Michigan lawmakers required schools to adopt a cardiac emergency response plan for the current school year if the Legislature appropriated “sufficient funds.” But funding wasn’t dedicated in the education budget. A Senate proposal to include funding was removed by the House and was not included in the final budget. That means enforcement of the law is stalled. Bridge Michigan reports the state Department of Education says decisions on whether to implement emergency plans at the state’s estimated 5,000 public and nonpublic schools depend on local capacity and available resources. 

The holy month of Ramadan has begun 

Ramadan has begun. The Islamic holy month began Tuesday after sunset. Today is the first day of fasting. Muslim communities observe the event by praying intently, reading the Quran, giving to charity, and fasting from sunrise to sunset. Families gather in the evening to break their fast. Ramadan is the month when it is believed that the Quran was revealed to the prophet Muhammad. 

Ash Wednesday observed 

Today is Ash Wednesday, a solemn day of fasting and reflection that signals the start of Lent, the season of repentance, reflection and self-denial for Catholics and many other Christians. Worshippers attend church today and receive ashes, commonly spread in the shape of a cross on the forehead to remind them that life is short and that they should focus on things of the spirit. 

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

Wayne State University researchers are looking for ways to help people with multiple sclerosis move better.

MS is a degenerative neurological disease that makes it hard for some patients to walk and keep their balance. 

Scientists wanted to know whether a physical therapy regimen that includes walking backward could improve mobility and balance. Their new study suggests it can.

They started small

Dr. Nora Fritz led the research team. She’s the director of research for WSU’s Department of Health Sciences. She’s also a physical therapy professor.

She says they’ve been looking at this in the lab for some time.

“We noticed that some individuals tend to fall backward more frequently than forward,” Fritz says. “We also noticed that individuals tend to have more trouble walking backward than they do walking forward.”

Researchers asked eight MS patients to take part in an eight-week case study. They came to the lab once a week to do backward walking training with a neurologic physical therapist. Subjects walked on a treadmill and on the ground. They also did back-stepping exercises in the lab and at home.

Fritz says the results were encouraging.

“It seems that everyone who’s participating is experiencing some level of improvement,” she says. “They really like it and they’re finding it useful.”

The team also conducted MRI screenings before and after the eight-week program.

“We looked at how the brain changed during this period,” Fritz says. “We saw evidence that there was actually some changes in structures of the brain related to balance in just a short time.”

Results could lead to new treatment

Fritz says it’s too early to reach any conclusions from the study, but the results were good enough to begin a larger, randomized control study with 90 MS patients. That lasted six months.

“Everyone has completed the training, and we’re just in the monitoring period now,” Fritz says. “We anticipate the first papers from that study to come out within the next several months.”

The findings of the eight-week trial appear in the Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy.

In the 2010s, the effort to uplift people with bigger bodies shifted online. The Body Positivity Movement expanded its reach with the advent of social media and trendy hashtags. However, that momentum appears to be slowing with the growing popularity of weight loss medications. 

GLP-1 agonists are FDA approved weight loss medications that were approved in 2014 to treat patients who suffer from obesity. Nowadays, the drug is in high demand. The percentage of U.S. adults who use it doubled from 2024 to 2025. At the same time, obesity rates in the U.S have been declining since 2022.  Could this be the end of the body positivity movement of this era? What does embracing weight loss drugs say about the shifting standards of beauty in the U.S?

Randy Seeley is the director of the Michigan Nutrition Obesity Research Center at the University of Michigan. He is also a paid consultant to pharmaceutical companies Lilly and Novo which manufacture drugs like Zepbound, Mounjaro and Ozempic. He joined the program to explain how GLP-1s are being used for both health and vanity.

Then Kendrin Sonneville, an associate professor and Chair of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Michigan joined to talk about how GLP-1 medications are changing the way we view bigger bodies. 

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

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

More stories from The Metro

This afternoon’s mix moves easily from the alt-pop edge of Beck and the steady flow of Blackalicious to the introspective soul of ANOHNI and the classic Detroit sound of Martha Reeves & The Vandellas. Along the way, we lean into groove-driven cuts from Little Dragon and Baby Rose with BADBADNOTGOOD.

We also mix in psychedelic touches from Black Sabbath and The Beatles, and spotlight Olivia Dean’s beautiful cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Knocks Me Off My Feet.” The set closes with the smooth, steady feel of Dorothy Ashby, a mix that keeps the pace even while crossing styles and eras.

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 February 18, 2026 

• “The New Pollution” – Beck 

• “Make You Feel That Way” – Blackalicious 

• “Naked Eye” – Luscious Jackson 

• “pokemon” – Wet Leg 

• “Why Am I Alive Now?” – ANOHNI 

• “You’ve Been In Love Too Long (Single Version)” – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas 

• “Elevator” – Gavin Turek 

• “Klapp Klapp” – Little Dragon 

• “It’s Alright” – Baby Rose & BADBADNOTGOOD 

• “Brownout” – Ghost Funk Orchestra 

• “I Didn’t Expect That (Live on WDET)” – Daniel Villarreal 

• “Tighten Up” – The Black Keys 

• “Hard Ride” – Glyders 

• “Planet Caravan” – Black Sabbath 

• “Crossbow” – Tamar Aphek 

• “DNM” – Mk.Gee 

• “Breaking Point” – Brandee Younger 

• “Moon Eyes” – Obongjayar 

• “Knocks Me Off My Feet (Cover)” – Olivia Dean 

• “Seasons (Waiting on You) [BADBADNOTGOOD Reinterpretation]” – Future Islands 

• “Looking For You” – Nino Ferrer 

• “The Distance” – CAKE 

• “Get It Up for Love” – Ned Doheny 

• “Frosted” – Scrimshire 

• “Immortal Hands” – Stereolab 

• “Season of the Witch (Secrets Edit)” – Donovan 

• “Go It Alone” – Beck 

• “New York” – Cat Power 

• “Vento a Favor” – Sessa 

• “Dita Cuja” – Nicholas Mariano 

• “Don’t Believe the Dancers” – Tony Allen & Adrian Younge 

• “Castles Made of Sand” – The Jimi Hendrix Experience 

• “Revolution (Esher Demo)” – The Beatles 

• “Moonshake” – Can 

• “Soul Vibrations” – Dorothy Ashby 

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.