Packard Plant 

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield announced plans to redevelop the vacant Packard Plant today. The former auto factory near West Grand Boulevard and East Palmer has been empty for more than 60 years and became a symbol of the city’s blight— sometimes attracting outsiders to take pictures of its crumbling walls. 

The city demolished portions of it to make way for new development, including a new 400-thousand square foot manufacturing center. 

Part of the changes include reactivating 28 acres of the former site for a public, private and philanthropic partnership. The changes include adding 42 affordable housing units, Detroit’s first indoor skate park and creative community programming areas. There will also be two acres of indoor and outdoor public spaces. 

The project is estimated at $50 million. The Albert Kahn Legacy Foundation is the nonprofit partner and fiduciary. The project is expected to be completed by 2029. 

Additional headlines for December 1, 2025

December starts cold 

December starts cold with temperatures 10 to 15 degrees below normal this week. The National Weather Service’s winter outlook for southeast Michigan calls for temps close to normal and above-average precipitation. Meteorologist Trent Frey says La Niña, a cool patch of water in the eastern Pacific Ocean, could bring us more rain and snow. 

“It is important to note that every La Niña is unique. So like I said. The odds are kind of tilted towards the wetter signal, and there isn’t really a tilt for temperatures. But since it is unique each season, you know these outcomes aren’t necessarily guaranteed.” 

On average, Metro Detroit gets 45 inches of snow each winter. 29 inches fell last winter. It’s been eight years since we saw above-average snowfall. 

Reporting by Russ McNamara

Detroit teens detained by ICE 

Detroit teens recently hosted a press conference to call for the release of two classmates from Western International High School from ICE detention. The detained teens and two of their parents were picked up by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials last Thursday morning and are now being held in a Texas detention center, reports Chalkbeat Detroit. Students say they are worried about going to school or being outside due to the recent surge of detentions. ICE arrested the four individuals while they were sleeping, despite them having pending asylum cases. Students at the press conference also called on officials to do more to protect students, including having an immigration attorney on retainer at the school to help students. 

Rising Star Scholarship 

An armored vehicle company is offering its “Rising Star” scholarship. The scholarship will support two students pursuing secondary education in engineering or business, finance, or law. It aims to recognize students who demonstrate strong academic performance and leadership skills in engineering and business. Each scholarship is $2500. The scholarship is open to students enrolled full-time in an accredited university in the U.S. or Canada. Students must have a 75 percent average with valid citizenship, residency or study permit requirements and write an essay. The deadline to apply is January 31, 2026. Winners will be announced in March 2026. For more information, visit https://inkasarmored.com/inkas-rising-star-scholarship-program/

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

This week’s episode leaned into our first big snowfall of the season here in Detroit with some holiday and winter songs from Cranes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and All My Faith Lost.

We also heard new music from Acopia, Chokecherry, Fawn, along with your favorite Big Sonic Heaven classics. 

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

• “Undenied” – Portishead
• “Chained to a Cloud” – Slowdive
• “Silhouette” – She’s Green
• “Iceblink Luck” – Cocteau Twins
• “Television” – Night Tapes
• “Deus” – Sugarcubes
• “8th Deadly Sin” – Miki Berenyi Trio
• “Pale Trembles a Gale” – The Autumns
• “Like Cockatoos” – The Cure
• “Falter” – Acopia
• “Thursday” – Asobi Seksu
• “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” – Cranes
• “Waiting For the Night” – Depeche Mode
• “Doot Doot” – Fauns
• “Feels Like the End of the World” – Chameleons
• “Nirvana” – Glazyhaze
• “Smile” – State of Grace
• “Nobody Loves You More” – Kim Deal
• “Lie in the Sound” – Trespassers William
• “Setting Yourself Up for Love” – Ashes and Diamonds
• “We Have All the Time in the World” – My Bloody Valentine
• “In the Bleak Midwinter” – All My Faith Lost
• “Sacrifice” – Lisa Gerrard and Pieter Bourke
• “Flood the Harbour” (feat. There’s Talk & Tamaryn) – Kai Tai
• “Thoughtforms” – Lush
• “Goldmine” – Chokecherry
• “All I Want For Christmas.” – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• “Fleeting Sun” – Fawn
• “Ulysses” – Dead Can Dance
• “Beauty in all Blue Satin” – Deary
• “Counting Sheep” – Acrylics
• “Wild Horses” – The Sundays
• “The Loony Bin” – Jahrund

Choosing the right tree to plant that will thrive long into the future just got easier.

Michigan’s tree canopy is changing due to climate change. Whether it’s due to invasive species, flooding and drought, or extreme heat, some species will do better than others.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources recently released a 57 page species selection guide that rates species for climate change resiliency and hardiness using characteristics like size, shade and rainwater absorption.

Lawrence Law is an urban and community forester and partnership coordinator with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. He led the development of the Michigan Communities Tree Species Selection Guide.

He says some species that are ubiquitous in Southeast Michigan, like Silver Maple (rated 1 of 10), are poor choices compared to lesser-known ones like Kentucky Coffeetree (rated 10 of 10) due to climate adaptability.

“I have seen so many good examples of Kentucky Coffeetree in the area. It’s just a powerhouse. You can get cultivars that are seedless and it’s like boom, plant and forget, almost.”

Law spoke with David Leins on The Metro about how people can use the guide to choose the right tree for their yard or right-of-way.

WDET’s Detroit Tree Canopy Project is supported by a grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. 

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

Health isn’t just influenced by the choices we make. It’s also determined by public policy.

That’s the message of a new report that examines how health in Michigan is limping behind others around the country. On average, resident lifespans are shorter, infant mortality rates are higher, and Michiganders are more likely to suffer from cancer and other diseases. 

Why is this the case? And, what is the state’s role in getting us to move our bodies more, and to expand our minds so we can live longer, healthier lives?

Karley Abramson is a health policy research associate for the Citizens Research Council, which published the report. She spoke with host 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

Sliding back into the workweek with a high energy show that starts with Atlanta punk darlings Upchuck, puts a spotlight on Momoko Gill ahead of her upcoming debut solo album due out in February from Strut Records and closing down the show with music from Hot Chip and Robyn for a dose of “Dopamine.” 

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 December 1, 2025

• “New Case” – Upchuck
• “Softly” – Mannequin Pussy
• “I Don’t Know You” – Mannequin Pussy
• “S.N.C.” – DARKSIDE
• “Tuesday” – Mary In The Junkyard
• “Number One Fan” – Rocket
• “Sonny The Strong” – Gaz Coombes
• “Cinnamon Sugar” – Gerald Clayton
• “Garden of Inspiration” – Adrian Sherwood, African Head Charge & Speakers Corner Quartet
• “Its My House (Special Disco Version)” – Risco Connection
• “Stand on the Word (1982 Version)” – Joubert Singers
• “Spaced Outta Place Pt. 1” – Sundown
• “TOUCH” – Sparklmami & Les Sons Du Cosmos
• “People Everywhere ii” – Khruangbin
• “Walking In The Dark” – Stefano Torossi
• “BIG FISH” – Nate Smith & säje
• “No Others” – Momoko Gill
• 2close2farr” – Momoko Gill
• “Need To Run” – Matthew Herbert + Momoko Gill
• “One Thing” – Lola Young
• “Market” – Chronixx
• “The Payback” – James Brown
• “Protection” – Massive Attack
• “Underwater Love” – Smoke City
• “Alleys Of Your Mind” – Cybotron
• “Run Free (Nite Version)” – Soul Wax
• “New Body Rhumba” – LCD Soundsystem
• “Devotion (Boys’ Shorts Remix)” – Hot Chip
• “Dopamine” – Robyn

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.”

History and its depictions of beauty are often shaped by those in charge. For centuries, the European archetypes of beauty and desirability have dominated the narrative. 

Venus is the Roman name for the Greek goddess Aphrodite. Images of her— often created and adapted in favor of the male gaze—have been the prevailing image of beauty and love. 

But what happens when Venus imagines herself as something else? What would it look like to have her represent a Black woman? Or simply a whole complete person?

Cydney Camp is a Detroit-based artist who unpacks and deconstructs inherited images. In her latest exhibit, she explores what it means to be a goddess that isn’t perceived as an object.

“Venus Undone” is Cydney’s solo exhibition at M Contemporary Art in Ferndale. It runs through Dec. 6, inviting audiences to rethink how we define beauty and female autonomy. 

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

On this week’s episode of Acoustic Café, Chris Thile (Nickle Creek, Punch Brothers, Goat Rodeo) talks about his new collection of Bach Sonatas & Partitas, and how this set is different from the Bach he recorded in 2013. Chris also explains his “daily practice of Bach” and what it means in his life!

Also, in-studio archives from Grammy nominees Molly Tuttle and Southern Avenue, plus newcomer Treanne, a peek at the upcoming Jose Gonzalez album and more.

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

Acoustic Café Playlist for November 30, 2025

• “Million Dollar Intro” – Ani DiFranco
• “Afraid” – Flock Of Dimes
• “Off Broadway” – Rachael & Vilray ft. Stephen Colbert
• “I’m Listening” – Josh Ritter
• “I Fell In Love” – Treanne
• “Old Me, New Wig” – Molly Tuttle (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “We Got To Have Peace” – Mavis Staples
• “Gavotte” – Chris Thile (in-studio guest performance)
• “Allemanda” – Chris Thile (in-studio guest performance)
• “Robin’s Egg” – Iron & Wine (w/I’m With Her)
• “Emily’s Song” – Daniel Caesar
• “Pajarito” – Jose Gonzalez
• “Music By Men” – Florence & The Machine
• “Beck N Call” – Waterbaby
• “Hold On To The Light” – Jack Johnson, Hermanos Guiterrez
• “Long Is The Road” – Southern Avenue (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Does My Ring Burn Your Finger” – Buddy & Julie Miller (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Pretty Ideas” – Amber Mark
• “Baby Man” – Fruit Bats
• “If God Is A Woman” – Larkin Poe
• “Gentle On My Mind” – Alison Krauss
• “I Made This For You” – Chris Thile (in-studio guest performance)
• “Allegro assai” – Chris Thile (in-studio guest performance)

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

In this week’s episode of Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music, family bands and family members making music together! From The Jackson 5 to Dolly Parton, oklou to The Brothers Johnson, Detroit’s The Jones Girls and some fun family in-studio performances from Acoustic Cafe.

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

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for November 29, 2025

HOUR ONE:

• “The Hard Way” – Jimmy Cliff
• “Many Rivers To Cross” – Delta Spirit (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Family” – Aloe Blacc
• “Family Affair” – Sly & The Family Stone
  
• “Let’s Celebrate” – The Jones Girls
  
• “Alien” – Chris & Trixie Whitley (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “You Can’t Fail Me Now” – Loudon & Lucy Wainwright Roche (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Evona Darling” – Linda & Teddy Thompson (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Family Time” – Ziggy Marley (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Upside” – Southern Avenue
• “Ode To My Family” – The Cranberries
• “Family & Friends” – The Isley Brothers
• “friends & family” – oklou
  

• “We Are Family” – Sister Sledge
• “Family Reserve” – Lyle Lovett
• “Smoky Mountain DNA” – Dolly Parton & Family
• “I’ll Be Good To You” – The Brothers Johnson
  
• “I Want You Back” – The Jackson 5
• “Back In Your Head” – Tegan & Sara (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Close The Door” – The Holmes Brothers (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Key To The Highway” – Phil & Dave Alvin (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Family Bible” – Willie Nelson & Family
• “Family Table” – Bill Withers
• “Family Ghost” – Jeff Tweedy
• “Nothing Compares To You” – The Family
  
• “Let’s Do It Again” – The Staple Singers
  

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

The College Football Playoff’s last two national champions collide in Ann Arbor on Nov. 29.

Ohio State won the CFP title in January 2025. Michigan won it in 2024 and has beaten the Buckeyes four straight times, including last year’s contest in Columbus. 

OSU was heavily favored to win that game but lost to unranked U of M 13-10.

Head coach Ryan Day’s team recovered and roared through the playoffs, beating Notre Dame in the championship game.

Michigan lives rent-free in OSU’s head

Columbus Dispatch sportswriter Joey Kaufman says the Wolverines seem to have a psychological edge in this long-running rivalry.

“It just feels like, for whatever reason, Michigan has been in Ohio State’s head,” he says.

OSU hasn’t beaten its archrival since 2019. The two teams did not play in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kaufman says this year, the scarlet and gray are treating it as a normal game.

“They’ve tried to structure their routine to be more akin to a typical game week rather than ‘Michigan week,'” he says.

That does not mean the game will be less intense. OSU players and fans, still stinging from last year’s defeat, despise “the team up north” as much as ever. 

People have covered up the letter “m” with red “x” stickers on signs throughout Columbus. And Kaufman says many fans are still sore after Michigan players planted a large, blue block “M” flag in the center of Ohio Stadium.

“Even though the rivalry has meant less than ever in terms of the on-field stakes and the national championship, the bitterness is evident,” Kaufman says.

“The Game” or just “a” game?

During the latter half of the 20th century, the winner of this game invariable won the Big Ten Conference championship and a berth in the Rose Bowl. Since 2001, conference realignment and the playoff system have lowered the stakes. It’s possible to lose the game and still win a national title. 

In 2025, Ohio State enters Michigan Stadium unbeaten and ranked first in the College Football Playoff rankings. Michigan, at 9-and-2, is 15th. A fifth straight win could earn the Wolverines a berth in the 12-team playoff field and a trip to the conference championship in Indianapolis on December 6. OSU is a virtual lock for the playoff, but beating the maize and blue would solidify their position as the tournament’s top seed.

Kickoff is scheduled for noon at the Big House. 

The second annual In The Groove Throwback Thursday Turkey Fun Time Holiday Show—all with comfort classics! Starting with Sam Cooke, plenty of Nina Simone, John Coltrane, Roberta Flack, Ten Years After, Albert King and many, many more. Enjoy!

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 27, 2025

• “A Change Is Gonna Come” – Sam Cooke
• “Better Days” – Graham Nash
• “Whatever I Am” – Nina Simone
• “Saturday Night Special” – Jazzanova
• “Equinox” – John Coltrane
• “Compared To What” – Roberta Flack
• “Lady Day and John Coltrane” – Gil Scott Heron
• “Backlash Blues” – Nina Simone
• “Cadillac Assembly Line” – Albert King
• “Down By The River” – Buddy Miles
• “Come Together” – Ike & Tina Turner
• “California Soul” – Marlena Shaw
• “Soul Vibrations” – Dorothy Ashby
• “Twenty Five Miles” – Edwin Starr
• “Magalenha” – Sergio Mendes
• “Funkier Than A Mosquito’s Tweeter” – Nina Simone
• “Bra” – Cymande
• “Hand Clapping Song” – Meters
• “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone” – Temptations
• “Superfly” – Curtis Mayfield
• “Rebel Rebel” – Seu Jorge
• “Can You Get To That” – Funkadelic
• “Let ‘Em In” – Wings
• “This Must Be The Place” – Talking Heads
• “Muizenberg” – John Wizards
• “Les La Bas” – Henri Texier
• “This Love Is Here To Stay” – Thomas Dybdahl
• “Open Your Eyes” – Bobby Caldwell
• “Love And Happiness” – Monty Alexander
• “I Dig Love” – George Harrison
• “I’d Love To Change The World” – Ten Years After
• “Fried Neckbones and Some Homefries” – Willie Bobo
• “The Wind Cries Mary” – Jimi Hendrix
• “Wooden Ships” – Crosby, Stills & Nash
• “Sympathy For The Devil” – The Rolling Stones

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.

New music from Yin Yin, Automatic, Dry Cleaning, Soulwax, plus your songs of gratitude and thanks with selections from Massive Attack, Big Star, The Cure and Donald Byrd.

Comedian T. Barb stops by to talk about the music that influenced her throughout her career ahead of her big hometown show at the Detroit House of Comedy this Friday. 

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 26, 2025

• “Spirit Adapter” – Yin Yin
• “Mq9” – Automatic
• “Hit My Head All Day” – Dry Cleaning
• “Angles Mortz” – Nightbus
• “Run Free (Nite Version)” – Soulwax
• “Maybe I Got It Wrong” – Ruti
• “Last Forever” – Patchwork Inc. & Wyatt Waddell
• “Nancy From Now On” – Father John Misty
• “Clover” – Billie Marten
• “Guns of Brixton (feat. Camille)” – Nouvelle Vague
• “The Harder They Come” – Jimmy Cliff
• “High Tide or Low Tide (B is for Bob Mix)” – Bob Marley
• “You Got It” – Thandii
• “Free” – Sault
• “La Ceiba” – Antibalas
• “Blue Lines” – Massive Attack
• “Be Thankful For What You’ve Got” – Massive Attack
• “The Lovecats” – The Cure
• “Thank You Friends” – Big Star
• “Can’t Hardly Wait (Cello Version)” – The Replacements
• “Power Of The Moon” – Ezra Furman
• “Rock & Roll” – Velvet Underground
• “Veni Vidi Vici” – The Black Lips
• “Paper Tiger” – Spoon
• “I Love Your Smile (In The Groove with Detroit Comedian T. Barb)” – Shanice
• “#1 Stunna (In The Groove with Detroit Comedian T. Barb)” – Big Tymers
• “Big Pimpin’ (feat. UGK) [Edited] (In The Groove with Detroit Comedian T. Barb)” – Jay-Z
• “Ice Me Out (In The Groove with Detroit Comedian T. Barb)” – Kash Doll
• “5pm” – Otis Junior & Dr. Dundiff
• “The Light” – Jordan Rakei
• “Wind Parade” – Donald Byrd
• “Ainda é Verão” – Alulu Paranhos & Bruno Berle
• “Tenderly” – Luiz Bonfá
• “Dumb Feeling” – Mei Semones

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 vast majority of popular online games like Roblox, Genshin Impact, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive have in-game currency, encouraging players to spend real money on digital prizes. The University of Sydney reports that when some young people encounter digital currency they often don’t understand how much real money they’re spending.

Many of these games, even ones catered toward young audiences, also have mechanics that mimic the effect of slot machines, and use them to generate a lot of their revenue.

Nick Devor, a journalist who specializes in reporting on the gambling industry, joins The Metro to tell about the different ways video games can imitate and encourage gambling. 

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

Youth are especially at risk of over-engaging with digital worlds and disconnecting from reality. Gaming addiction is just like any other—and according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, having an addiction to anything is six times worse if it starts before adulthood.

How can we guard ourselves and impressionable young people against a new medium that triggers a familiar form of addiction? 

Harvard trained psychiatrist Dr.Alok Kanojia aka Dr.K joins The Metro to explain more about gaming addiction and how to deal with it.

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

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.

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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 lanternfly poses trouble for Michigan’s produce, predicts Simek. “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, it’s good to remove their egg masses, which look a bit like chewed gray-brown gum, advises Simek. And definitely 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.”