Wayne County residents overwhelmingly approved a millage that ensures everyone pays into the suburban public transit system, known as SMART. 

One of the people who led the effort to pass the millage is Megan Owens. She’s the director of Transit Riders United. That organization has been advocating for public transit expansion in Metro Detroit for 25 years.

Owens joined The Metro‘s Robyn Vincent to discuss Wayne County’s transit millage, and what it would take to create more expansive, connected public transit in the region. 

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Ever since President Donald Trump won a second term, Democrats have been arguing with each other about the same two questions: What is this party for, and who gets to lead it?

The insurgents have been winning across the country. But the big question is whether economic populist candidates, who run on platforms aimed at minimizing the influence of big money, can win in Michigan. Progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed won the Senate Democratic primary, and Donovan McKinney beat sitting Congressmember Shri Thanedar. But important races still haven’t been called, and the general election may not be easy for all the progressive candidates. 

Branden Snyder is the state director of the Working Families Party. His group endorsed economic populist candidates up and down the ballot. He spoke with The Metro‘s Robyn Vincent.

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Michigan primaries usually come and go with most people not voting. They’re low-profile elections in August, and turnout tends to land somewhere around a quarter of registered voters. 

Last night was different.

Over 1.5 million ballots were counted in the Democratic Senate primary alone. That’s more than any non-presidential Democratic primary in this state going back to at least 1998.

That race, between Congresswoman Haley Stevens and Abdul El-Sayed, is the most expensive Democratic Senate primary in history. El-Sayed won the primary.

Other progressive candidates won their races too: Donovan McKinney won the Democratic nomination for the 13th District seat in the U.S. House against incumbent Shri Thanedar, and Abbas Alawieh won the primary for Michigan senate in the 2nd District. 

Zach Gorchow is president of Gongwer News Service of Michigan and has covered state politics for a long time. He spoke with The Metro‘s Robyn Vincent about how this election shook out, and what it may mean come November.

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Since the pandemic, overdose deaths are continuing to decline in Michigan. The number is dropping quickly in Metro Detroit. 

There are a lot of possible explanations for the decline. Narcan is more readily available, the state has turned toward a harm-reduction approach, and the pandemic, when people were cooped up inside, is further in the rearview mirror. 

Peer recovery coaches are also a big reason for the reduction. That work received significantly more money from the state in recent years.

What does it look like to create intimacy with someone struggling with addiction, and to help them recover?

Pepper Catt is a peer recovery coach with the Alliance of Coalitions for Healthy Communities. That’s a Troy nonprofit. She spoke about all this with The Metro’s Sam Corey. 

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Hear the full conversation using the media player above.

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This week, Governor Whitmer signed a law that doubles the cap on a state tax break for big development projects — from $1.6 billion to $3.2 billion. The Renaissance Center plan had been stuck for more than a year waiting on it, because the program was nearly tapped out. Now the math works.

Dan Gilbert’s company puts in about a billion dollars. General Motors puts in 250 million. The public covers the rest. Detroit’s Downtown Development Authority has already approved $75 million, and the state tax break comes on top of that — though nobody has yet said what it’s worth. It can run for 30 years.

Michael Griffie is vice president and Detroit metro leader at AECOM, a global engineering and design firm. AECOM isn’t involved in the RenCen project, but has worked on riverfront redevelopments elsewhere. He joined Robyn Vincent to make the case for what the plan could do.

Later in the show, a different view. Dylan Wegela is a Democratic state representative from Garden City who refuses corporate donations. Last year he voted no more often than anyone else in the Michigan House — 204 times. He voted no on this law, too. He told Vincent why he thinks taxpayers are getting a raw deal.

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The sound of music and engines is synonymous with summer in metro Detroit. But that noise, specifically the kind generated by modified cars, has been aggravating some people. 

Residents near Woodward have been complaining about cars being too loud, which has prompted legislators to push for a crackdown on motorists. So, what’s in their legislation? And, could it hurt car culture in the Motor City?

Natalie Price is a Democratic state representative. Her district includes Berkley, Huntington Woods and Birmingham. She spoke with The Metro‘s Robyn Vincent.

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Wildfire smoke at times last week made Detroit’s air quality the worst in the world — that’s in a place that consistently gets terrible grades for heavy pollution.

So, how is our health impacted by poor air quality?

Dr. Garen Wolff is an allergy and immunology physician at the Detroit Medical Center. She says people with asthma are having to use inhalers too often.  

“It should be (used) less than twice a week, but when we have poor air quality for long periods of time, I have patients using their rescue inhaler every day and that’s not healthy for the lungs to do,” says Wolff.

Dr. Wolff spoke with The Metro’s Robyn Vincent about the health consequences of breathing smoke-filled air.  

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Over the past four months, northern Michigan has experienced a series of extreme weather events.

In March, an ice storm caused tens of thousands of utility customers to lose power. In April, record-breaking precipitation caused rivers and lakes to flood, ripping apart roads. Now, smoke from Canadian and Minnesota wildfires has been creating air quality alerts. 

Before the smoke blew to metro Detroit, it hit northern Michigan first, choking that part of the state with a blanket of smoke. 

Climate change is affecting everyone, but effects can very depending on the location. What are things like for residents of northern Michigan? And, how are they preparing for future extreme weather events?

Vivian La is a climate solutions reporter for Interlochen Public Radio and Grist. She spoke about the northern Michiganders trying to adapt to climate change — and those who are trying to maintain the status quo — with The Metro’s Sam Corey.

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Many Michiganders feel powerless over their own electrical power. That’s because, despite approved rate hikes, when a storm hits the power can be out for days before utility companies like Consumers Energy and DTE Energy are able to restore it. 

But while many are disappointed with the performance of Michigan’s utility companies, some regulators point to progress as outage time has decreased by about 23% since 2019. 

How are Michigan’s utility companies held accountable for their actions? And, what kinds of improvements are taking root?

Dan Scripps is the chair of the Michigan Public Service Commission, which regulates DTE Energy. He says the utility’s performance has been improving. 

“Last year… DTE for the first time in at least 25 years… was actually in the top quarter of utilities when you consider performance across the whole year.” 

Scripps joined host Robyn Vincent on The Metro to discuss what is being done to restore and upgrade the state’s aging grid. 

DTE is a financial supporter of WDET. Our newsroom observes a clear boundary between funders and editorial content, and we do not serve the agendas of those who support us. 

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After President Donald Trump took the country to war and raised costs, many Republicans are finding it difficult to campaign in this election season. 

While the sitting president’s party often performs poorly in midterm elections, the trend seems likely to continue this year.

In general-election polls, Democrat Jocelyn Benson holds the lead. But in politics, anything can happen. Last week, two debates spotlighted the active Republican candidates for governor: Congressman John James, Mike Cox, and Perry Johnson. Who are they, and what do their campaigns reveal about the Republican Party in Michigan?

Andrea Bitely is the founder and principal of Bitely Communications, a Lansing‑based public‑affairs firm. She spoke with The Metro’s Robyn Vincent about the stories the Republican candidates are telling, and why they signal significant changes to the party. 

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Hundreds of thousands of Michiganders lost power over the weekend of July Fourth, prompting a conversation about the fragility of the electrical grid in the face of climate change.

Regulators have approved rate hikes to facilitate infrastructure updates, but modernization of the scale needed will take years. Despite the fact that consumers won’t reap the benefits immediately, residents are having to pay for the upgrades now.

Democratic lawmakers have proposed solutions: Fair compensation for power outages, guaranteeing improvement of utility services, ensuring customers aren’t contributing to CEO bonuses and more. But these bills are gaining little to no traction, often deprived of a hearing.

Why can’t politics fix this issue? What does it say about those we’ve elected in the state legislature?

Colin Jackson is a reporter for the Michigan Public Radio Network. He says Republicans are concerned with rolling back clean energy standards, while Democrats prioritize regulation.

“I think when you talk about lowering energy costs and lowering power costs and utility costs, that is something that you do see both sides of the aisle talking about quite a bit,” says Jackson. “It’s just the approach to it in general varies drastically.”

Jackson joined The Metro’s Robyn Vincent to discuss why gridlock in Lansing has meant a less stable electrical grid.

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Learning has become harder for many students as fewer people are reading due to the distractions of new technologies. While artificial intelligence spreads information quickly, it doesn’t necessarily offer the depth of traditional teaching.

So, how does one teach deep learning when most Michigan fourth graders aren’t reading proficiently?

Erik Meerschaert is a special education teacher at Lake Orion High School. He also just became the 2026-2027 Michigan Teacher of the Year, and he’s the state’s candidate for the National Teacher of the Year award for 2027. 

Meerschaert says students learn better when they feel like they have a strong connection with their teacher. 

“Every great educator I’ve ever met starts with that relationship piece,” he says. “Being able to build that relationship with my students — getting to know their likes, their dislikes — helps create that welcoming, friendly environment. When a student is in that kind of environment, they feel ready to take risks. They feel more at ease.” 

Erik Meerschaert joined host Robyn Vincent on The Metro to discuss why he loves his job, and how that joy helps construct bonds with his students that aid them in the learning process.

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While Detroit law says a landlord cannot rent a home until it’s been deemed livable by city inspectors, 86% of Detroit’s landlords are operating illegally as they have failed to secure Certificates of Compliance for their properties.

Last week, the Detroit Tenants Union, with support from several legal groups in the city, filed a lawsuit, alleging the 36th District Court chief judge has “failed to perform a clear and legal duty” because the court’s rulings contradict city law, effectively leaving residents vulnerable rather than upholding the statutes protecting them.

Professor Donovan McCarty is the director of Michigan State University College of Law’s Housing Justice Clinic and counsel for the Detroit Tenants Union. He says the 36^th District court is not using the law properly to protect renters.

“If landlords can keep going in to collect rent that’s not lawfully collected, then they have no incentive to actually come into compliance, and that 14% number will not grow to where we need it to be,” says McCarty.

He joined The Metro’s Robyn Vincent to discuss why he believes the court is falling short, and how it needs to be held accountable.  

The 36th District Court did not respond to The Metro’s request for comment.

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Come November, thousands of political seats are up for grabs.

One of the most compelling races in Michigan is the Senate. That’s in part because of what it says about the Democratic Party, especially after Mallory McMorrow dropped out.

Most polls have Abdul El-Sayed leading in the race, but there is still uncertainty as to whether he can defeat Haley Stevens, a sitting congresswoman who gained notoriety for her moderation, and for bailing out the auto industry.

Dennis Darnoi is the founder of Densar Consulting, based in Farmington. He says many voters want candidates that have an anti-institutional and populist bent.

“Progressive candidates are running against these establishment candidates and they’re being more successful because the Democratic base is really looking for two things: They’re looking for people who are going to fight and they’re looking for people who are anti-system.”

Darnoi spoke with The Metro’s Robyn Vincent about the Senate race and how it reflects changes to politics in Michigan and beyond.

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Michiganders are broadly against data centers, especially when they’re proposed near their residence.

Their concerns about electricity and water use are compounded by a general feeling that large tech companies control too much of their lives. Residents have gotten particularly loud about those problems at town hall meetings, including at one Saline Township meeting.

Despite local apprehension, Saline is now slated to host one of the largest data centers in the country.

At this point, 52 localities in Michigan have passed data center moratoriums.

But are concerns about hyper-scale data centers overblown? And, are there more benefits that townships aren’t fully appreciating?

Eric Paul Dennis is the infrastructure research associate for the Citizens Research Council. A new report he did on data centers says their benefits often actually outweigh the costs.

“You cannot discount the idea that data centers can increase electricity rates, but it’s actually not that common and quite minimal,” says Dennis. “Regulatory agencies have now kind of gotten ahead of this and I don’t think it’s going to be as much of a concern for the future.”

The Metro‘s Sam Corey spoke with Dennis about why he thinks data center projects sometimes offer more benefits than drawbacks.

After the two spoke, electricity rates increased in Henrico County, Virginia — which is home to 37 data centers. Dominion Energy says it increased the rates due to inflation, rising fuel costs, the cost of grid equipment, and the need to make more grid investments.

The Metro contacted Dennis about the rate increase. He said that while data centers “have caused headaches for grid managers” in Virginia, the problems are not necessarily “critical or unavoidable.” He says, in fact, “We appear to be managing the risks and even benefiting from the addition of data centers on the grid.”

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This Saturday is the Fourth of July — and it’s a big one. Two hundred and fifty years since the Declaration of Independence.

In that time, this country has done extraordinary things. It has built one of the most diverse democracies on Earth, a haven where people can speak freely and chase a better life. And it’s done real harm: it took land by force, enslaved millions, broke treaties and lives.

So here’s the hard question this Fourth of July: What does it mean to love your country when you’re not sure it loves you back?

A new Gallup poll finds American pride at its lowest in 25 years. Only a third of Americans say they’re “extremely proud” to be American. And the partisan split is stark: 70% of Republicans, versus 14% of Democrats.

Michael Taylor is the mayor of Sterling Heights. He spoke with The Metro‘s Robyn about why it’s more important now than ever to unite.

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Canadians don’t feel so hot toward the U.S. right now. Thirty-seven percent view the country favorably, and most think even less of President Donald Trump. 

That’s in part because of a 25 % tax the president issued on steel and aluminum, which has cost thousands of jobs for people in Windsor alone. Most of those folks work for auto suppliers. 

Today is not only Canada Day, it’s also the day that talks are set to begin to renew the U.S.-Mexico-Canada-Agreement. And so, The Metro wanted to learn about what sentiments are like across the Detroit River. 

How are workers in the “steel belt” of Ontario and Quebec reacting to changes? And, how is it shifting their orientation towards America and altering how they see themselves?

Flavio Volpe is the president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association, which is located in Toronto. He says American tariffs on Canada have made many Canadians skeptical of America.

“We may never trust them the same,” says Volpe.

The Metro’s Sam Corey spoke with the auto manufacturer president about why America’s aggressions toward Canada have led to losses for everyone.

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For years, many of us have watched political polarization deepen, pulling families, friends, and communities apart. That sense of distance isn’t imagined. According to the Listen First Project, 87% of Americans say polarization threatens the country, and 86% feel exhausted by division.

In Washtenaw County, one group is trying to change that. Braver Angels, a national organization with local chapters across the country, brings together liberals, conservatives, and independents to help communities lower the temperature and rebuild trust.

Producer Sam Corey spoke with Ed Karls and Emily Twanmo, the red and blue co-leads of Braver Angels of Washtenaw County. Both say the goal is to replace hostility with curiosity — to get people listening instead of arguing.

And both believe it starts small, away from the fight. “There’s more to life than this constant cage match,” Karls said. “Go out and have a bagel. Smell the flowers. Walk the dog.”

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For years, many of us accepted the stigma and avoided therapy. But things are changing. These days, people are seeking therapy more than medication, and the shift is generational — younger people, Gen Z especially, have made therapy ordinary in a way their parents and grandparents never did.

But how do you pay for it?

Therapists across the country say private equity’s move into health care is making it harder for them to care for their patients.

Earlier this month, a local insurer may have made things harder still. If you see a counselor in private practice through Blue Cross, your therapist could be dropped from your plan in March.

What does that mean for our access to mental health care?

David Sniderman, a counselor and art therapist with the Willows Edge Counseling and Healing Arts Center, says the change will hit people’s access hard — especially rural and low-income Michiganders.

Sniderman joined host Robyn Vincent on The Metro to break down how insurance shapes therapy, and to make the case that what heals people most isn’t the method — it’s the trust between a therapist and client.

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