Detroiters are getting ready for the annual Thanksgiving Day parade.  The event brings floats, singing acts, and clowns down Woodward Avenue – culminating in the arrival of Santa around noon. 

A longstanding crowd favorite returns this year.  The Fred Hill briefcase drill team will be back in the parade after an absence of more than a decade.  Scott Idle leads the reconstituted team. 

“The briefcase kind of doesn’t exist anymore.  People don’t take them to work anymore and backpacks have replaced briefcases and such.  So I feel like us marching with the joy that we’re going to bring – the energy.  We’re there to bring people smiles.  And we want kids to ask their parents, ‘What are those boxes they’re carrying?’”  

The parade kicks off just before 9 a.m.  For those of you who don’t want to deal with the crowds or the traffic or the cold, you can watch it in your pajamas on WDIV-TV. 

The parade is leading to some road closures downtown.  Woodward will be closed, starting today, from Grand Boulevard all the way down to Jefferson as workers prepare the route for tomorrow’s event.  

If you’re headed downtown, parking meters will be free tomorrow and Friday.  Just make sure you’re not parking somewhere illegally.  And the People Mover is up and running again to get you around downtown. 

Additional headlines for Wednesday, November 26, 2025

Lions Preview 

Downtown will be busy Thursday – not only for the parade, but also for the Detroit Lions annual NFL Thanksgiving Day football game.  The team will host the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field. 

The Thanksgiving tradition began back in 1934. 

This year’s game is important to the Lions’ playoff prospects.  The team is currently in third place in the NFC North.  That’s despite having a record of seven wins and four losses.  Green Bay has seven wins, three losses and one tie.  And both teams are behind the Chicago Bears in the division with eight wins and three losses. 

Just seven teams from the NFC will make it to the playoffs, and the Lions currently are in eighth place.  Kick off at Ford Field is Thursday afternoon at 1 p.m.

Thanksgiving travel 

If you’re headed out of town for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, make sure to pack your patience. 

AAA predicts a record number of Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home over the next few days.  The auto club says Thanksgiving is typically the busiest travel holiday of the year.  73 million people are expected to be on the roads, with another 6 million flying around the country. 

Wednesday afternoon and Sunday are expected to be the busiest travel days. 

If you’re driving to your destination, gas prices here in metro Detroit average $3.01 per gallon.  That’s 10 cents less than last week. 

Watch for lake effect snow if you’re headed west towards Chicago.  If you’re headed up north, beware that a storm is bringing heavy snowfall to parts of the state. 

And since the Detroit Evening Report is taking a break for Thanksgiving and Black Friday, here are a couple of things to keep an eye on over the next few days. 

Black Friday preview 

Retailers are expecting a hectic Black Friday on the day after Thanksgiving.  It’s typically one of the busiest shopping days of the year – with stores offering discounts to draw customers inside. 

Vic Veda is with the Michigan Retailers Association. She says shopping locally makes a difference. 

“There are a lot of great benefits to shopping in person and in your local community.  Every purchase that you shift from an out-of-state online retailer back into your local economy makes a huge impact on our state’s overall economic activity and employment. Literally, every purchase does make a difference.”   

You can expect to see heavy traffic around metro Detroit malls and shopping centers on Friday. 

UM-OSU 

The long-standing college football rivalry between the University of Michigan and Ohio State will be center stage on Saturday afternoon. 

The undefeated Buckeyes are ranked number one in the country, while the Wolverines, with a record of nine wins and two losses, are ranked 15th.  But those rankings often mean little in this grudge match dating back to 1897. 

Michigan beat Ohio State 13 to 10 in Columbus last year.  This year’s game takes place in Ann Arbor at noon on Saturday. 

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

In this episode of CuriosiD, we begin to answer the question:

What happens to the Campus Martius tree after the holidays? 

… By first looking into where our Christmas trees come from.  

At Hillside Christmas Tree Farm in southern Michigan, the work of growing holiday trees begins long before December.

Tony Stefani runs the multi-generation family operation, and also serves as president of the Michigan Christmas Tree Association. He first became involved with the organization more than a decade ago, after his father brought him to a growers’ meeting.

“I had no idea how large this industry truly is,” he says. “There’s a farm in Michigan that sells a million trees annually. It’s quite astonishing when you consider the scale of this business.”

What customers want to know

Customers at Hillside Christmas Tree Farm often ask how long their trees will last. Stefani says a fresh-cut tree should hold up through the holidays. “I’ve received photos in mid-February showing trees still standing and even beginning to sprout new growth,” he says.

Another category of questions has to do with ornaments. “I’m very detail-oriented,” Stefani says. “If you have heavy decorations, I recommend certain species based on their characteristics.”

Tree height is also a growing topic, especially as more homes are built with vaulted ceilings. He says, “There is a strong market for tall trees…but taller trees are generally older [and take] more time in the ground, more effort, and higher costs.”

Better for the environment?

Questions about sustainability are becoming increasingly common, and Stefani believes the benefits of real Christmas trees are clear.

“We offer a product that spends seven to ten years growing in nature, supporting various microecosystems, ” Stefani says. “One acre of trees produces enough oxygen for 18 people.”

He contrasts that with artificial trees, which are “manufactured on assembly lines from petroleum-based materials,” arguing that there’s no environmental case in their favor.

Real trees are also biodegradable. He says that after the holiday season, a tree can be recycled and mulched. “On our farm, we recycle the waste and return it to the land, something that can’t be done with artificial trees,” Stefani says.

A Michigan tree heads to the White House

This year, Michigan earned national attention in the industry. “For the first time in 38 or 40 years, Michigan won the national competition,” Stefani says. Corson’s Tree Farm  will send a roughly 15-foot concolor fir to the White House.

“If you win the state competition, you can compete nationally,” he explains. “And if you win nationally, your tree is presented to the president and the first lady.”

Beyond the holidays

Hillside has become a hub for other members of the community. Beekeepers place hives on the property during the summer. Search-and-rescue teams train their dogs on the acreage. Falconers and professional photographers also make use of the farm.

“We’ve hosted hives for supporting pollination,” Stefani said. “Search and rescue training, falconry activities, and collaborations with photographers seeking scenic backgrounds are also part of what we do.”

It takes time to grow 

Stefani says one of the biggest misconceptions about the industry is how much time it takes for a Christmas tree to grow to commercial height. “I wish people understood how long these trees are actually in the ground,” he said. “The trees we harvested this year were planted back in 2016.”

As president of the Michigan Christmas Tree Association, Stefani says many growers worry about how difficult it is to enter the business, mainly because trees take years to mature before they can be sold.

“Our biggest competitor is the artificial tree,” he says. “Entering this business can be quite difficult for new growers. You’re typically looking at a 7 to 10-year period before you start recouping your investment.”

As the holiday season approaches, he says one of the things he wants those searching for the perfect Christmas tree to understand is the time, energy, and effort it takes to bring this holiday centerpiece to your home.

Stay tuned for the next CuriosiD, where we answer what happens to our Christmas trees after the holidays.

WDET’s CuriosiD series answers your questions about everything Detroit. Subscribe to CuriosiD on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

We want to hear from you! 

Have a question about southeast Michigan’s history or culture? Send it our way at wdet.org/curiosid, or fill out the form below. You ask, we answer.
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The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has cleaned up most of the tree damage from last winter’s historic ice storm in the northern Lower Peninsula.

But crews are not done yet.

Many broken limbs still dangle from treetops, while fallen branches block backroads in many counties.

DNR fire management specialist Nate Stearns says debris shut down more than 3,000 miles of state forest roads at one point. Since then, they have fully or partially reopened most of them.

“We’re at 366 miles of impassable roads and 169 miles of partially closed roads, so we’ve made some really good progress,” he says.

Fire danger looms in 2026

Fallen timber remains on the ground in some hard-to-reach areas, providing potential fuel for wildfires. Stearns says that hasn’t been a problem this year, but it could cause trouble next spring.

“As that dries out and starts to decay, it’ll be like tinder for starting a campfire,” he says. “And any fire that does start on state land could give responders a more difficult time with access and fire intensity.”

Stearns says property owners in the northern Lower Peninsula and the eastern U.P. should consider composting or chipping wood debris instead of burning it. He says that will reduce the risk of wildfires.

More work to do

The DNR took a break from cleanup during Michigan’s firearms deer hunting season. But crews will try to pick up as much debris as they can before heavy snow forces them to wait until the spring to resume.

The ice storm also caused widespread power outages in 12 counties. The Federal Emergency Management Agency granted Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s initial request for disaster aid. In October, she asked for more assistance, but FEMA rejected it.

Tis the time of year for giving thanks, and we want to thank everyone out there who’s been tuning in to all of the local music shows featured during the evening hours on WDET, including (and particularly?) MI Local!

This week, we meet more of the unique personalities and creative minds behind the music coming out of metro Detroit, including the retro rock ‘n’ rollers known as Lyons Lane, and the mesmerizingly melodic alt-folk vibes of Jeffrey Jablonski, which means we ALSO had the opportunity to exclusively premiere some new songs!

Now, the night before Thanksgiving is notoriously known as “the busiest bar night of the year.” To the tons of folks home for the holidays who may or may not be lucky enough to not be saddled with turkey-duty at the break of dawn: this means that pretty much every local venue in town is hosting a great lineup of local music, from former MI Local guests Power Moonroof performing at UFO Bar, to WDET favorites like Deadbeat Beat at the Outer Limits Lounge!

Tonight, I’m shouting out a lineup over at Ziggy’s in Ypsilanti, featuring the alt-country indie-rockers Cowgirl: we kicked off the show with their song “How on a Hot Tin Roof.”

Speaking of Ypsilanti, we also heard from that town’s eminent indie-folk singer/songwriter, Matt Jones, with his new single “All My Stars,” from his forthcoming album, “The Good Life,” out on Dec. 12. Other new tracks include Kalamazoo-based songwriter Spencer LaJoye’s “Looks Like We’re Alive” and Detroit-based lo-fi duo The Long Stairs with “Running Cold.”

Mark Leo, the lead singer of the rock ‘n’ roll outfit known as Lyons Lane, stopped by the studio to premiere a new single, “Emma’s Addiction.” 

Leo spoke with me about his lifelong love of melodic rock ‘n’ roll and classic pop, as well as the development of this project with collaborator Tomcat Thompson. Leo, along with Thompson and saxophonist Matthew Stevens, treated WDET listeners to a live in-studio performance, covering “Love Potion No. 9.” Lyons Lane’s next show is on Dec. 13, at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor. 

Jeffrey Jabolnski, a Detroit-based alt-folk singer-songwriter, also came by the studio to hang out for an interview and live performance.

Jablonsky’s been writing and recording for years, and has been performing live around the scene for more than a decade. He also hosts the Ghost Light Sessions residency on the last Wednesday of each month this year and Wednesday will be the last show of the year for that series.

Jablonski let us premiere a new song while also treating listeners to a live in-studio performance, accompanied as a trio with acoustic guitar and wind instruments.

Joining Jablonski is Matthew Beyer (saxophone), Leslie Wacker (clarinet) and Todd McNulty (drums); McNulty, it should be noted, while not pictured below, actually performed with both Jablonski and, on the spot, sat in with Lyons Lane to add percussion to their set too! Always a fun time on MI Local!

Happy Thanksgiving, y’all.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

• “Who Else” – Cowgirl
• “Running Cold” – The Long Stairs
• “All My Stars” – Matt Jones & the Reconstruction
• “Looks Like We’re Alive” – Spencer LaJoye
• “Something About You” – Premium Rat
• “Babytalk” – Lyons Lane
• “Love Potion No. 9” – Lyons Lane (live in WDET Studios)
• “Emma’s Addiction” – Lyons Lane
• “Tula” – Jeffrey Jablonski
• “Side By Side” – Jeffrey Jablonski

Diving into new music from Gabriel Jacoby, Charlotte Day Wilson, Patchwork Inc., Gerald Clayton and more.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for November 25, 2025

• “Canopy” – Resavoir & Matt Gold
• “I Couldn’t Love You More (Jam Master’s Deep Rework)” – Sade
• “Hold On” – Allysha Joy
• “Lost My Love (DJ Amir & Re.Decay Jazz Re.Imagined Remix)” – Kenny Cox
• “Baby” – Gabriel Jacoby
• “It Always Was” – Joshua Idehen
• “Selfish” – Charlotte Day Wilson
• “Herbs & Wine (feat. Ivar)” – Kraak & Smaak
• “On And On” – Patchwork Inc. & Rhea the Second
• “Phoenix” – Rhye
• “Let it Happen (Soulwax Remix)” – Tame Impala
• “Rush” – Gerald Clayton
• “Diane Charlemagne (Iman Houssein Remix)” – LEFTO EARLY BIRD
• “Xoxoxo” – corto.alto
• “Great Pumpkin Waltz” – Vince Guaraldi Trio
• “Mirror” – Jeff Tweedy
• “I’ll Do It For Your Love” – Paul Simon
• “Astrønne” – Psycho Killer
• “Radio Silence” – James Blake
• “Limit To Your Love” – James Blake
• “Disparate Youth” – Santigold
• “Y Control” – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• “Pokemon” – Wet Leg
• “Highway” – Lewis OfMan & Empress Of
• “Tokyo Midnight” – Sababa 5 & Yurika Hanashima
• “Siesta Freestyle” – Lewis OfMan & Alicia te quiero
• “Looking For You” – Nino Ferrer
• “DEATH COMES FROM THE SKY” – Unknown Mortal Orchestra
• “Summoning the Monkey God” – The Sorcerers
• “Bright Moments” – Admin
• “Constellation” – The Circling Sun
• “Cristo Redentor” – Donald Byrd
• “Chants” – Donald Byrd

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.

Last month, a highly invasive insect was spotted for the first time on the University of Michigan-Dearborn’s campus. The Environmental Interpretive Center (EIC) identified the spotted lanternfly, a sap-sucker that has been making its way across the U.S. since 2014. 

The first confirmed colony in Michigan was found in Oakland County in 2022. 

Program and natural areas manager for the EIC Rick Simek says that spotted lanternflies don’t usually kill their host trees outright, but as their numbers grow, so does the damage they can do to the environment as they feed.

Environmental harm

Infestation weakens the host tree’s ability to withstand disease, drought, and other pests.

“They have been known to kill off the saplings of a couple of native tree species,” says Simek. He lists black walnuts and maples as examples. 

Simek said that the Spotted Lanternfly’s dietary habits are especially hard on fruit-bearing plants, like the river grapes that provide nutrition for birds in the EIC’s natural area. 

The spread of the spotted lantern fly poses trouble for Michigan’s produce. “Lanternfly infestations can cause real harm to grapes, both cultivated and wild… [which is] cause for  serious agricultural and economic concern.”

Thankfully, the spotted lanternflies do not bite or pose direct harm to humans. However, the sugary “honeydew” that they excrete attracts mold, wasps, and other pests. 

Squish and scrape

What should you do once you identify a spotted lanternfly?

“One of the control methods— I’ve seen actual videos on this, it’s fairly commonly practiced—is to squish them!” says Simek. “Just make sure to become familiar with what lanternflies look like before squishing, but they are easy to identify.”

Also, remove their egg masses, which look a bit like chewed gray-brown gum, advises Simek. And it’s good to check for hitch-hiking lanternflies while entering and exiting natural areas. 

Fall is the season to look for and remove egg masses before they hatch in spring. 

Vigilance helps slow the spread

It’s important to reduce the spotted lanternfly’s ability to reproduce and spread as much as possible. 

“One of the things we don’t want to see here on campus, of course, is for it to become a breeding area that produces lanternflies that can spread around the area even more,” says Simek. Thankfully, the EIC is well maintained and better prepared for invasive visitors.

The spotted lanternfly’s preferred host, tree of heaven, has been regularly removed from the Environmental Interpretive Center’s grounds for years. Tree of heaven is a particularly entrenched invasive plant that comes from the same region as the spotted lanternfly. As a favorite food source, it is a marker of where to look for the insect. 

Additionally, birds and bats are beginning to recognize spotted lanternflies as a food source. The near 121 acres of the EIC’s natural center helps support those populations. Though, Simek notes, its being theorized that spotted lanternflies become less appetizing after eating tree of heaven. 

That’s one more reason to be diligent about removing the invasive plant. 

Report sightings

The spotted lanternfly’s impact on the tree canopy at large remains to be seen. 

The DNR says all sightings by the public should be reported. 

So far, spotted Lanternflies have been seen in Wayne, Oakland, Lenawee, and Macomb counties.

“It’s the new invasive kid on the block,” says Simek. “We’re probably going to see them more and more, and then we’re all going to find out what their impacts are.”

The Detroit Department of Transportation will be adding 53 new buses to its fleet thanks to a $50 million federal grant. That’s in addition to the 76 busses DDOT purchased in the last two years.

Mayor Mike Duggan says the new purchase will replace more than 40% of Detroit’s bus fleet. Many of the new buses will operate out of the $160 million rebuilt Coolidge Terminal on Detroit’s west side.  

Additional headlines from Tuesday, November 25, 2025

Gun Violence Prevention Task Force

Michigan’s Gun Violence Prevention Task Force is making its final recommendations, including giving out free gun locks and banning certain types of weapons.

Members say the changes would help the state enforce its existing gun safety laws more effectively. Other recommendations include creating a statewide school safety tip line and standardized training for school resource officers.

Pro-gun lawmakers have resisted supporting some of the goals, such as raising the firearms purchase age and banning high-capacity magazines. 

Billups pleads not guilty in sports gambling scheme

Former Detroit Pistons star Chauncey Billups is pleading not guilty to charges that he conspired with the Mafia to help rig poker games. 

The federal government accuses Billups of being part of a criminal ring that used celebrity athletes to draw in poker players, then manipulated the games to make them lose. Prosecutors say the scheme de-frauded victims of roughly $7 million, and claim Billups and other sports stars received a portion of the proceeds.

Billups, a hall of fame player and coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, denies the allegations. 

His attorney calls Billups a “man of integrity” who would not risk his reputation or freedom for anything—let alone a card game. He is currently free on a $5 million bond.

Both the money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy charges against Billups carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. 

Merry Midtown

Noel Night has been canceled this year, but midtown businesses are working together to make sure the first Saturday in December remains festive – and lucrative – for the area.

Businesses are working together to host Merry Midtown on Dec. 6. Stores, restaurants and organizations will have performances, crafts, special deals and other offerings in the afternoon and evening.

Merry Midtown – a festive evening in the spirit of Noel Night starts at 5 p.m. throughout the Midtown area.

A Noel Afternoon

The Detroit Public Library has its own alternate programming to replace its annual Noel Night festivities.

A Noel Afternoon will offer crafting, performances from the Nutcracker ballet, Dickens-themed carolers, the Detroit Youth Choir, Dutch Girl donuts, Good cookies, hot cider, a visit by Mr. and Mrs. Claus and more.

A Noel Afternoon is Saturday, December 6 from 10:30 a.m. til 6 p.m. at the Main Library at 5201 Woodward Avenue.

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

Eric Anderson spent nearly nine years behind bars for a robbery he did not commit. His conviction hinged on a single witness who insisted he was the perpetrator — a claim Wayne County officials now acknowledge was unreliable.

A new, multi-agency report — produced by prosecutors, public defenders, Detroit police, judges, and justice-system advocates — dissects how that failure unfolded and why safeguards didn’t catch it sooner.

Mistakes by public institutions aren’t rare. What matters is whether those institutions examine the causes with honesty and act to prevent them from recurring. This report tries to do exactly that. So what lessons emerged? And what would it actually take to ensure no one in Wayne County is wrongfully convicted again?

Valerie Newman, Deputy Chief and Director of the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office Conviction Integrity Unit, dug into those questions — and the deeper structural issues they reveal.

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

In America, we have a lot of very big problems, including climate change, income and wealth inequality and hyper partisanship.

How should we tackle these problems? 

Paul Fleming is an associate professor of public health at the University of Michigan. He believes we need to focus more on preventing problems from occurring in the first place.

It’s that mindset, detailed in his book, “Imagine Doing Better,” that he hopes will help us get to the root of the problems we seek to resolve before they turn into crises.

WDET’s Sam Corey spoke with Professor Fleming. They began by talking about why policy is important to focus on at all.

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

Home ownership is considered to be a critical piece of the American Dream.

Wealth is often passed down from generation to generation through homes. But, in Detroit, there are many properties that have not been properly passed down from parent to child or relative. Why? And, how can that be changed?

Detroit Future City is working with several foundations and the City of Detroit to offer a solution. 

WDET’s Sam Corey spoke with Shari Williams, the Director of Equitable Neighborhood Planning for Detroit Future City, to learn more.

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

Detroit loves a parade. Hundreds of thousands of people line Woodward Avenue each Thanksgiving to watch a stream of floats, marching bands, balloons, and celebrities make their way from midtown to downtown.

The 2025 parade will be the 99th in the city’s history. Only Philadelphia’s Thanksgiving parade is older.

Tony Michaels is the president and CEO of The Parade Company, which organizes the event. He says it takes a whole year to plan.

“It’s a massive, massive undertaking,” he says. “We’re building 120-foot floats, we’re selling sponsorships, we’re making sure sponsors are taken care of.”

In addition to The Parade Company’s staff, Michaels says about 2,000 volunteers sign up to help. Some carry banners, others hold balloon leads or drive floats.

“They do so much, it’s unbelievable, and without them, we cannot pull this off,” he says.

The parade begins in the Cultural Center district near the Detroit Public Library and the Detroit Institute of Arts. It proceeds about three miles south to Campus Martius.

Michaels estimates nearly 1 million people will line the parade route.

Stars shine

This year’s event will be Mike Duggan’s last parade as mayor. He’s one of the grand marshals, along with retired WDIV-TV news anchor Devin Scillian. 

Michaels says they won’t be the only celebrities taking part. Detroit-born Actor Sam Richardson is scheduled to appear. He co-created and starred in the Comedy Central series “Detroiters” with Tim Robinson. 

“We have Christopher McDonald, who played Shooter McGavin in the ‘Happy Gilmore’ movies,” Michaels says. “And we have Dexter Bussey, one of the great Detroit Lions.”

A century of tradition

The J. L. Hudson Company sponsored the first Thanksgiving parade in 1924. It has been held every year since except 1943 and 1944 due to World War II. The 2020 parade took place in a different location without spectators because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2025 parade will pass by the new Hudson’s Detroit tower. 

Gardner-White is the parade’s presenting sponsor. WDIV-TV will televise the event.

The National Poll on Healthy Aging found many older adults have disabilities. However, they do not identify with being disabled, nor do they request accommodations, in part due to stigma. 

The poll found 19% of adults 50 years old and older have a disability but, they are less likely to ask for accommodations. 

Dr. Michelle Mead is a professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Family Medicine at the University of Michigan.  

She says many older adults look at disabilities as a natural part of aging rather than a disability, and don’t want to be stigmatized. 

“Even though the groups who are 65 and older are more likely to actually have a disability, they were less likely to identify as having one,” she says. 

The survey is part of the National Opinion Research Center, conducted at the University of Chicago for the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation at the University of Michigan. 

Mead says despite older adults not seeking accommodations, half of older adults may legally qualify for accommodations, especially for those who are 65 and up.

 “This is what the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, Section 504, and this other legislation was about doing. It’s about including, providing opportunities, ensuring that a functional limitation, a diagnosis or impairment doesn’t stop people. But the stigma is that it still does,” she explains. 

Mead says older adults face stigma and barriers to living healthy lives.

“The stigma is one built into our society. We have ageism that says it’s bad to get older. That does not value the various skills and strengths that you learn and the different ways of doing things that are required through experience,” she explains.

Clinician support

The survey hopes to educate clinicians on how to serve older adults better.

“Many of the individuals with disabilities, I know, are fantastic problem solvers. They have to be. But unfortunately, the world still isn’t set up to work with, to consider, to involve people with disabilities. So, until that happens, we need to develop workarounds,” she shares.

The University of Michigan Center for Disability Health and Wellness, where Mead is the founding director, created several tip sheets for clinicians to gather relevant information to serve older adults with disabilities.

“I think what I’m hoping to do with this research is to increase awareness about the importance of asking the right questions, developing processes to allow the best care to occur, and making sure that we connect the dots to both reduce healthcare costs and improve lives,” she says. 

The poll surveyed over 3,800 adults 50 and up by phone and online. 

On this episode of Visions, I expand how I usually think about jazz to include cuts I don’t typically play on the show. I venture into soul with artists like Tower of Power, Aretha Franklin, and Roberta Flack.

I also play a classic blues cut from Lightnin’ Hopkins, plus incredible organ players Charles Earlund and Richard “Groove” Holmes.

To me and many others, these artists are part of the same continuum that jazz falls on, which is Black Music. I’m hoping to continue expanding beyond just playing “jazz” and include Black Music more broadly!

On the more straight-ahead end of the jazz spectrum, I include cuts from Herbie Hancock, the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, Bobby Hutcherson, Oscar Peterson, Charlie Rouse, Miles Davis, Larry Young, and a few others.

I hope you like the twists and turns this episode takes!

Check out the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Visions Playlist for Nov. 24, 2025

• “Biafra” – Nat Adderely
• “Beyond All Limits” – Larry Young
• “Hey Harold (feat. Billy Hart)” – Bobby Hutcherson
• “Soul Vaccination” – Tower of Power
• “Bitchin'” – Charlie Rouse
• “Rock Steady” – Aretha Franklin*
• “Ostinato (Suite for Angela)” – Herbie Hancock
• “Yes Lord” – The Detroit Jazz Composers Ltd.*
• “To Love Somebody” – Roberta Flack
• “The Shadow of Your Smile” – Oscar Peterson
• “Misty” – Richard “Groove” Holmes
• “More Today Than Yesterday” – Charles Earlund
• “Woke Up This Morning” – Lightnin’ Hopkins
• “Compensation (Live at the Village Vanguard)” – The Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra
• “Freedom Jazz Dance (Evolution of the Groove)” – Miles Davis

*indicates Detroit artists

One of the busiest shows… ever?

I didn’t want to start the week with a major death, but Jimmy Cliff—the crooner who brought the sound of reggae from Jamaica to the world—died at the age of 81. So, of course, a tribute to him and artists carrying that sound forward, like Chronixx. Plus, celebrating The Pharcyde’s excellent debut album released on this very day back in 1992; new music from Boko Yout, Charlotte Day Wilson, Khraungbin and more.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for November 24, 2025

• “Track 28” – J Dilla
• “Selfish” – Charlotte Day Wilson
• “Career Climbing” – Yukimi & Little Dragon
• “The Harder They Come” – Jimmy Cliff
• “54-46 Was My Number” – Toots & the Maytals
• “Vietnam” – Jimmy Cliff
• “OSAKA” – Athletic Progression
• “One O’Clock Last Morning, 20th April 1970” – Rosinha De Valença
• “White Gloves ii” – Khruangbin
• “Bliss (Part 2)” – The Circling Sun
• “Flight Time” – Donald Byrd
• “BOYFRIEND” – Boko Yout
• “Wah-Wah (2014 Remaster)” – George Harrison
• “Loose Cannon” – Puzzle
• “Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf)” – Pixies
• “Hit My Head All Day” – Dry Cleaning
• “Underwater Love” – Smoke City
• “Run Free (Nite Version)” – Soulwax
• “new body rhumba (from the film White Noise)” – LCD Soundsystem
• “The World’s Biggest Paving Slab (Daniel Avery Remix)” – English Teacher & Daniel Avery
• “It’s A Mirror” – Perfume Genius
• “..THUS IS WHY ( I DON’T SPRING 4 LOVE )” – Saya Gray
• “Words” – Big Thief
• “Ferry Lady” – Panda Bear
• “Paradis” – Donna Blue
• “Survivor” – Chronixx
• “In A Dream (Live)” – Misha Panfilov
• “No One’s Watching Me (feat. Olivia Dean)” – Ezra Collective
• “A Couple Minutes (A COLORS SHOW)” – Olivia Dean’
• “Water Me Down (Pamcy Remix)” – Vagabon
• “Soul Flower Remix” – Pharcyde
• “Passin’ Me By” – Pharcyde

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.

What’s up, Detroit. Chris Campbell here with The Progressive Underground Pick of the Week. This one comes from Chicago native now Brooklyn-based artist keiyaA, who broke through with her 2020 debut “Forever, Ya Girl.”

She returns five years later with a widescreen sophomore statement, the 19-track “hooke’s law,” an immersive blend of future soul, jazz, and psychedelia. The cut we’re about to bump captures the album’s off-center groove design with dizzy drum patterns, sly beat switches, and elastic time.

Here’s keiyaA with “take it,” and it’s my Pick of the Week.

That was keiyaA with “take it,” from her new album “hooke’s law.”

If future soul and psychedelic textures hit your ear, lock in every Saturday evening at 6 p.m. for The Progressive Underground. We move through soul, nu-jazz, deep house, electronica, B-sides, and rare groove with a Detroit-centered, global lens.

More from The Progressive Underground

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says there are now more than a thousand registered doulas in Michigan. That includes 700 doulas who take Medicaid.

Doulas are trained non-medical professionals who provide birth assistance, including emotional and physical support, and help families navigate the birthing experience. 

Dawn Shanafelt is the Director of the Division of Maternal & Infant Health for MDHHS. She says the state has surpassed its goal of registering 500 doulas through the Doula Registry by 2028, doubling that number as of last week. 

“What’s next for the program is to continue to support our existing doulas that are part of the registry. So the one thousand plus doulas. And then we are really focusing on enrollment and recruitment of doulas in areas where the number of doulas that are available for families is lower, and then also for special populations.”

Shanafelt says that includes populations that speak a language other than English, Indigenous populations, and teenage parents.  

She says having doula-assisted births reduces birth complications and medical interventions, shortens the duration of labor, and increases breastfeeding support. Babies also tend to have healthier birth weights.  

Additional headlines for Monday, November 24, 2025

MDHHS launches more On-the-Go food pantries

MDHHS has added a mobile food distribution site in Hamtramck, partnering with Forgotten Harvest.

The On-the-Go popup pantry will provide food pick-up for people who schedule appointments. There are options for fresh produce and grains and culturally appropriate foods such as halal or kosher options.

MDHHS says they will select and offer similar mobile food pantry options in Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties every month. The next one in Hamtramck will be held tomorrow Tuesday, Nov. 26 at the MDHHS office located at 12140 Jos Campau St. in Hamtramck.

People can make an appointment by emailing MDHHS-FH-WC-Hamtramck@michigan.gov.  Dial 211 or visit mi211.org online for free referrals to food pantries.  

Entry Points artist residency program wins award

A Hamtramck-based artist residency program is receiving a $175,000 award.

Entry Point is a program which offers housing and studio space for returning citizens who were formerly incarcerated juveniles. The nonprofit is receiving the 2025 J.M.K Innovation Award. The award is given by the J.M. Kaplan Fund to 10 awardees for their work in tackling social justice, environmental conservation, and heritage preservation.  

Entry Point was created by artist-activist Jonathan Rajewski and writer and former juvenile lifer Kyle Daniel-Bey through Hamtramk Free School, an alternative educational organization that facilitates creative writing and art workshops in Michigan prisons, working with juveniles who were sentenced to life without parole.   

Entry Points helps returning citizens reintegrate into public life, including presenting their work publicly.  

EGLE awards grants to limit runoff

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy is awarding $2.9 million to several groups to reduce pollution in waterways.

The Nonpoint Source Program grants will fund eight projects aimed at eliminating runoff at nonpoint sources which come from farms, urban areas and construction sites.

This occurs when there is rain, snowmelt, or when the wind carries pollutants into waterways. The grants will help repair waterways to reduce sediment, nutrients, and bacteria.  

If there is something happening in your neighborhood that you think we should know about, drop us a line at DetroitEveningReport@wdet.org.

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

A hundred years ago, the world was changing and ushering in new ways of living, The first transatlantic phone call from London to New York. Ford Motor Company became the one of the first companies to implement the 40-hour work week. And The National Hockey League approved a new franchise team in Detroit. The Red Wings is one of the original six member leagues.

The team has won 11 Stanley cup titles, which is the most out of all United States based NHL teams. 

Helene St. James has been covering The Red Wings for The Detroit Free Press since 1996. She’s the author of multiple books on the wings including The Franchise: Detroit Red Wings: A Curated History of Hockeytown.

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.

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The Detroit Red Wings have a long, gritty history that mirrors the city it calls home. To celebrate and commiserate the last 100 years, a new exhibition is on display at the Detroit Historical Museum. 

Detroit Red Wings at 100 will have a unique array of artifacts on display that capture the franchise from 1926 to today. The exhibition will be on display through 2026.

Jeremy Dimick is the lead curator at Detroit Historical Museum. Marcel Parent is the Director of Curation & Collections at Ilitch Holdings. Both joined The Metro to talk more about the exhibit and Detroit Red Wings history. 

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.

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America’s health insurance is distributed in a patchwork way. There are public health insurers, like Medicaid and Medicare, and then there are private ones. That’s where a lot of citizens and state residents get their health insurance — through their work or through the private market. 

That insurance may become harder to come by for over 200,000 residents. Two health insurance agencies, Health Alliance Plan and Molina Healthcare, will no longer offer coverage through the Affordable Care Act in Michigan. And, Meridian Health Plan will be significantly shrinking its coverage for state residents. 

That’s happening as premium costs are expected to go through the roof because the Republican-controlled Congress did not include an extension of health insurance tax credits in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. 

Robyn Vincent spoke with Brian Peters, CEO of the Michigan Health & Hospital Association, about what these changes will mean for Michiganders who sign up for healthcare through the Affordable Care Act, and how hospitals will be impacted.

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, YouTube, or NPR or wherever you get your podcasts.

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