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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Federal judges across the country have been getting pizzas delivered to their homes that they never ordered. It is an intimidation tactic — a way of saying, “We know where you live.” This is happening after judges rule against the Trump administration. Some have also received hundreds of threatening voicemails after doing so. 

These threats are on the rise, and a coalition of judges says they climb each time the Trump administration attacks a ruling.

So this week, something unusual is happening. A group of judges — appointed and elected by both parties — got on a bus. The Justice in Motion tour crossed Pennsylvania and Ohio and are reaching Michigan this week, stopping at the Grosse Pointe Library at 11:30 a.m. on Friday. At these stops, they are doing the one thing their profession trains them not to do: speak out, in public, together, about what is happening to the courts.

Victoria Roberts is among the former judges breaking that silence. She spent 25 years on the federal bench in Michigan’s Eastern District — and she got there as a trailblazer, the first African American woman to lead the State Bar of Michigan. She joined Robyn Vincent on The Metro to pull back the curtain on the judicial system, how decisions are made, and whether this moment feels different.

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Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand. Never miss an episode — subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or NPR, or wherever you get your podcasts. Have thoughts? Email the show at metro@wdet.org.

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Malta is a country in the Mediterranean that is nearly the size of Detroit. Immigrants first came to the metro area more than a century ago for factory jobs. With the Catholic Church serving as a critical community connection, Maltese families stayed in the region.

With an estimated population of 13,000, Southeast Michigan boasts the nation’s highest concentration of Maltese Americans. 

Local clubs and gathering spaces remain, including the Maltese American Community Club of Dearborn and Maltese-American Benevolent Society.

Despite a rich history in metro Detroit, the challenge of preserving Maltese identity and carrying on traditions like food and language gets more difficult every year.

Joesph Lubig is a professor at Northern Michigan University, and he wrote the book “Maltese in Michigan.”

He joined The Metro to discuss what attracted immigrants to the region, why the Maltese language is important and how so many Maltese immigrants find a home in metro Detroit.

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If you live in metro Detroit, the last week probably tested your patience — and maybe your fridge.

First, the heat. As temperatures rose past 100, the grid strained, and a substation in Warren failed. Thousands lost power, some for many hours.

Then, just as that passed, the storms came. Friday night, winds tore through the region and dropped 80-foot trees onto power lines — and at the peak, hundreds of thousands of homes went dark. Some homes stayed dark for days.

And here’s the thing: that’s the grid we already have, straining under an ordinary Michigan summer.

Now Michigan is preparing to add something extraordinary — data centers built to power artificial intelligence, each one hungry for as much electricity as a small city. And the decisions about who pays for that, and how, are being made right now, mostly out of public view.

Nicholas Schroeck, dean of the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, thinks a lot about who answers to the public when big energy decisions get made. He joined Robyn Vincent to talk about what the data center boom means for Michigan’s grid, your electric bill, and whether the public has any real say.

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. Never miss an episode — subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or NPR, or wherever you get your podcasts. Have thoughts? Email the show at metro@wdet.org.

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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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A parasite called cyclospora is spreading through Michigan, and health officials still haven’t found the source.

In a normal year, the state sees about 50 cases; in the last two weeks, it has counted 700 infections among people aged 8 to 84, according to Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical officer for the state of Michigan.

It usually rides in on fresh produce — berries, herbs, leafy greens — but so far, no food has been named. Oakland County health officer Kate Guzman, a nurse by training, joins host Robyn Vincent to explain how investigators hunt for an invisible source, one interview at a time — and what it means that, a year ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stopped requiring states to report this exact parasite to one of its main early warning systems.

Editor’s note: This conversation was recorded before the latest case counts were released. The story has been updated to reflect the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ latest infection count. The outbreak is ongoing and the number continues to rise.

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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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The Detroit Kite Festival returns to Belle Isle for its eighth year. The event takes place near the James Scott Memorial Fountain, on Sunday, July 12.

Besides an entry fee to the island, the Detroit kite festival will be free. Some activities include book nooks, music, bubble therapy as well as tents for cooling off and making a kite.

The Mint Artists Guild will be celebrating a ten year anniversary by hosting a Joy and Faces booth for complimentary face painting and crafts. They spent the last decade training and paying young adults from Detroit in the arts.

Lex Draper Garcia Bey is a fourth generation Detroiter and director of the Kite Festival. She’s also a co-executive director of the Black Bottoms Archive.

She became director of the Kite Festival after the founder had to step back. “I couldn’t stand the thought of me going to my absolute favorite festival and it feeling boring to me,” Draper Garcia Bey said.

She joined The Metro to chat about her experience with whimsy as she supports the event alongside volunteers.

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Ice Cream Detroit is a seven-year labor of love turned premium, sometimes boozy, ice cream shop.

Ice Cream Detroit is run by Ysahai Honor-Marie and Kiaira May. They offer unique flavors From Red Faygo to pop rocks. Every scoop is made from scratch, with an optional liquor-infused twist.

The store started as a pop-up, but has had its own permanent home on Second Ave in Midtown since September 2025.

As the duo continues to grow, gaining loyal customers, the new clientele hasn’t changed who the shop is for. It’s for the community. Ice Cream Detroit offers discounts, which aims to connect to all members of the neighborhood.

Whatever’s next—a trailer, an ice cream bar, a second grand opening, it’s safe to say they’re doing it for the culture. They’re doing it for Detroit.

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

CONTAINER On The Metro is a WDET produced storytelling series that brings Detroit’s creative heartbeat to the airwaves. 

CONTAINER is a program created by The Love Building. It’s goal is to showcase Detroit’s creative talent across music, fashion, fine arts and food. Done in collaboration with WDET Public Radio with major support from the Gilbert Family Foundation.

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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In Huntington Woods, a battle has ensued over what you are allowed to say at the city’s Fourth of July parade. 

New rules would strip protest signs down to nothing but a group’s name and logo. A University of Michigan law clinic has told the city that those rules are unconstitutional and demanded their repeal.

In a June 12 letter, the University of Michigan’s Civil Rights Litigation Initiative — the clinic representing the Peace Group — says City Manager Andrew Pazuchowski told members the new rules were prompted by complaints about the group’s signs calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, along with a general concern about public safety. The clinic argues the rules were written to suppress a disfavored viewpoint and says that, to the group’s knowledge, there has never been a safety incident at the parade.

The Metro contacted the City of Huntington Woods for comment but did not receive a response.

Suhair Ghannam, a Huntington Woods resident and member of the Huntington Woods Peace Group, is in the middle of it. To understand why this cuts so deep for her, you have to go back to a dinner table in Nazareth, where a little girl learned not to talk about politics. Because where she grew up, speaking your mind wasn’t safe.

Ghannam joined host Robyn Vincent to discuss coming to the U.S. at 20 years old and finding the thing she says she treasures most about this country: the freedom to speak.

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Though Clark Park became famous for hosting ice hockey during the winter, they are teaming up alongside Chandler Park with Motown Lacrosse to teach children box lacrosse this summer.

For those unfamiliar, founder of Motown Lacrosse Liam Mcllroy  says, “it’s a more fun version to train and compete in.”

As the U.S. celebrates a 250th birthday, these practices also serve as a secret history lesson; lacrosse began on Native American soil before the country was founded. “Lacrosse is the oldest team sport here in America,” says Mcllroy. He’s excited to be leading the next generation through the sport.

He joins The Metro to discuss the dynamics of box lacrosse from the costs to the indigenous roots behind the game.

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The Michigan House proposes a complete elimination of funding for the Michigan Arts and Culture Council (MACC). If the MACC becomes disenfranchised, then museums, historic sites, and other cultural organizations will lose out on $11 million.

MACC is an agency whose grants are accessible to creative projects across the state. They stand for economic development, education, and engagement.

Lisa Craig Brisson is the executive director of the Michigan Museums Association. Her organization is supported by MACC. She says without tax payers, it’d be impossible to get anything done. “It’s very challenging for organizations to articulate all that is involved with our operations. Public funding is a part of what makes operations possible.”

Chad Swan – Badgero is Arts Education Manager for MACC.  He said often when funding cuts need to be made, MACC is the first stop. “When people are considering budget cuts, then that’s the first thing to go.”

Swan-Badgero and Brisson joined The Metro to discuss the history of funding from MACC being on the chopping block and the impact the council has on museums and other public spaces where arts and culture flourish. 

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It has been almost two centuries since Canada declared independence. After the Constitution Act of 1867, Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick began governing themselves. That independence is observed annually as Canada Day on July 1.

But there is another, earlier date marking freedom that Canada also celebrates: Emancipation Day. Britain passed the Slavery Abolition Act on August 1, 1834.

By the time Canada became a free nation, there were already free Black communities in the country, many of which were locatd in and around Windsor-Essex.

Lorene Brigden-Lennie is the Board Director of the Essex County Black Historical Research Society.

She joined The Metro to discuss the ways that Canada observes Canada Day and Emancipation Day through the lens of freed slaves.

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July 1 is Canada Day, and across the river in Windsor, and all across the country, Canadians are celebrating it under the strangest cloud in years. Their closest ally and biggest trading partner has spent the past year hitting them with tariffs. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has floated the idea of making Canada the 51st state more than once.

The friction is intensifying in Detroit. A new bridge to Windsor, the Gordie Howe, is finished and ready — but it is sitting empty, reportedly blocked by the Trump administration.

Here’s what makes today remarkable. The U.S., Canada, and Mexico share a big free-trade deal — it’s what lets cars, food, and almost everything else move across their borders cheaply. When they signed it six years ago, they set a date to revisit it and decide whether to keep it. That date is today — July 1, 2026. So this Canada Day lands on the exact day that the deal comes up for review.

Craig Baird, host of the podcast and radio show Canadian History Ehx, says we have actually been here before. He told host Robyn Vincent that tariffs have historically made Canada stronger.

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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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Nearly all of Michigan is under an extreme heat warning or advisory as we approach Independence Day weekend, with the heat index — what it actually feels like outside— exceeding 105 degrees Fahrenheit in many places. 

In a heat wave with high humidity, like this one, babies, children and the elderly are at a higher risk of heat-related illness. Knowing the right precautions to take can save lives.

Dr. Phillip Levy is an emergency physician and professor at Wayne State University’s School of Medicine. He joined Robyn Vincent on The Metro to explain how the body cools itself and describe essential preventative measures to take during a heatwave. 

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Imagine opening your work calendar one morning and finding a meeting simply gone — deleted. And the meeting that vanished was about the safety of the water millions of people drink.

That’s what happened to Elin Warn Betanzo— a Michigan drinking water engineer, and one of the people who helped uncover the Flint water crisis.

More recently, she sat on a small federal panel that advises the government on drinking water. Then she signed her name to a public letter, alongside hundreds of other current and former employees, warning that the Environmental Protection Agency was walking away from its mission to protect the public. Two days later, the agency suspended her from that panel.

Now she’s suing to get her seat back. And her case raises a bigger question — one that reaches all the way to your kitchen sink: what happens to the rest of us when the government tells its own scientists to stay quiet?

Betanzo joined host Robyn Vincent on The Metro to talk about Flint, the lawsuit, and what’s at stake for anyone who drinks from a tap.

The Metro contacted the EPA, which said it does not comment on pending litigation. When the agency placed the dissent-letter signatories on leave last year, it said it has a “zero-tolerance policy”  for employees it accuses of “undermining, sabotaging and undercutting” the administration’s agenda.

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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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