This weekend, we’ve got last-chance art exhibits, early holiday shopping and lots of beer.

Plus, 101.9 Day! Read on to learn more.

Sip some brews

This Friday, Oct. 18 is our beer release party with Batch Brewing! Ryan Patrick Hooper (host of In The Groove weekdays noon to 3 p.m.) will be your host for the evening as you get to be the first to try “It’s So Kölsch In The D,” an easy-drinking German-style lager designed to appeal to the masses — just like the programming at WDET. Guests will also enjoy live music from Sugar Tradition, Winestoned Cowboys and the Allen Dennard Trio while cozied up on Batch’s heated patio. Doors open at 6 p.m., the show starts at 7 p.m. and tickets are $25. For more information, visit our events page.

Related: Winestoned Cowboys perform Live On WDET

Then, keep the brews flowing at the 15th Annual Detroit Fall Beer Festival at Eastern Market on Saturday, Oct. 19. Guests will get to sample Michigan-made beers while listening to a lineup of local musicians between 1-6 p.m. Food from Detroit-area restaurants will also be available for purchase. Tickets are $60 in advance or $70 at the door while supplies last. For more information, visit mibeer.com.

Rep your radio station

Saturday, Oct. 19 is also 101.9 Day, which is the perfect opportunity to join Team DET! Show off your public radio pride with a Team DET t-shirt, baseball hat or zipper tote bag when you make a sustaining gift of $10.19 per month at wdet.org/give. Your gift supports Detroit’s legendary public broadcaster during our 75th year of service to the community.

Start your holiday shopping

On Saturday, Oct. 19, the Michigan Makers Market returns to The Hawk in Farmington Hills. This indoor juried art fair features more than 50 local artists across various disciplines, including painting, sculpture, jewelry and other wearable art, fiber art, ceramics, printmaking, and more. This year’s market features an Oktoberfest feel with live music on The Hawk patio and beer, wine and hot pretzels available to enjoy while shopping. The market goes from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and admission is free and open to the public. For more information, visit their Facebook event.

Explore new music

This week through Saturday, Oct. 19 is Edgefest 28, an annual avant-jazz festival at the Kerrytown Concert House in Ann Arbor. This exploration of new music — both improvised and composed — features a diverse roster of innovative international and local artists. Day passes are $60 to $80, and packages are available starting at $200. For more information, visit kerrytownconcerthouse.com.

Catch this exhibit

This weekend is your last chance to see Double ID at The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Through the lens of W.E.B. DuBois’ work, Double ID showcases striking contemporary artworks that focus on the inner self, identity and evolving spirt of Black men. The exhibit features works from the CCH Pounder-Koné collection, where artists across the diaspora capture the images of Black men amid a myriad of influences. For more information, visit thewright.org. 

Walk with purpose

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is holding annual community walks across the country this weekend, allowing people to remember loved ones who died by suicide while also working as a community to create more mental health support. The Metro Detroit Out of the Darkness Walk will take place at Cricket Field on Belle Isle this Saturday, Oct. 19. On-site registration starts at 8 a.m. and the program starts at 10 a.m. For more information, visit support.afsp.org.

Related: Out of the Darkness Walk on Belle Isle aims to shine a light on mental health, suicide

If you or someone else needs support, a trained counselor can be reached by calling or texting the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.

Save the date

Mark your calendars — The Rock & Roll Horror Show is coming back from the dead on Friday, Oct. 25! Now in its second year at the Cadieux Cafe, the show will feature live performances from garage rock royalty, The 3-D Invisibles and Eastside Elvis & the Motor City Mafia, as well as tarot readings from Moon Club (featuring our own Amanda LeClaire), all hosted by Modern Music’s Jon Moshier. Join us for a night of spooks and scares, and wear your best costume to be featured on stage as best dressed! This event is 21+ and tickets are $25. For more information, visit our events page.

Detroit’s Poletown neighborhood is now home to a restored forest.  

Detroit Future City and Arboretum Detroit worked with community members, the city of Detroit’s Neighborhood Beautification Program and others to restore 1.3 acres of land back to nature. 

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

Circle Forest is located along 12 Poletown city lots and will serve as a communal space for residents in the neighborhood. 

Arboretum Detroit Executive Director Birch Kemp and Park Maintenance Assistant Robyn Redding joined The Metro on Thursday to talk about the forest project and trail. 

The first step in the Circle Forest project was clearing 60 yards of garbage from the site, Kemp said.

“There’s this healing aspect that happens with liberating the land from garbage. And everybody who’s been a part of these volunteer work days has felt that, right?” Kemp said. “And planting a tree too, you feel like you’re actually doing something in this world [that] is very tangible, and we’re doing it together and basically building the Detroit we want to see.”

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation with Birch Kemp and Robyn Redding of Arboretum Detroit.

More headlines from The Metro on Oct. 17, 2024: 

• Detroit, like other cities around the country, is trying to reduce its emissions and ensure clean air, clean water, and safe green spaces for residents to explore. One recent step the city has taken to make Detroit more environmentally-friendly is  offering a new composting program. Patrice Brown, associate director of urban agriculture for the city of Detroit, joined the show to discuss the initiative.
• The fall colors are beautiful in Michigan. And while you’re admiring the trees, Michigan state officials are also asking people to keep an eye out for invasive Asian long-horned beetles, which pose a danger to trees — especially maples. To talk more about this invasive species, we’re joined by Axios Detroit reporter Annalise Frank. 
• For all you beer and Detroit Public Radio lovers out there, we’ve got something special brewing in honor of WDET’s 75th anniversary. WDET’s Ryan Patrick Hooper joined The Metro to talk about a new collaboration between the station and Batch Brewing commemorating the milestone. Our new WDET Beer – “It’s So Kölsch in the D” – will be unveiled at a special beer release party tomorrow night at Batch. 

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 11 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

There’s a new mental health center located inside the Islamic Center of Detroit.

ICD held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday for its faith-based My Mental Wellness center, which is open to all.

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

It’s believed to be the first mental health center inside a mosque in the U.S. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan says ICD has come a long way from its humble beginnings.

“ICD is now the center of this community, and I’ve been here for food programs. I’ve been here for youth programs, been here for recreation programs, and now opening of a mental health clinic is going to serve the whole community,” he said. “It’s just a terrific day for Detroit.”

The clinic provides free on-site and virtual therapy and counseling sessions, as well as ASL services, career coaching, annual health fairs, and initiatives for the special needs community.

My Mental Wellness has served 200 people so far. ICD hopes to add additional health care services for the community in the near future.

For more information, visit mymentalwellnessicd.org.

Reporting by Nargis Rahman, WDET

Other headlines for Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024:

• Detroit is looking for a new top cop. Police Chief James White is set to become the CEO and president of the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network after the group’s board of directors voted to appoint him to the role at their meeting on Wednesday.
• The Michigan Education Justice Coalition Youth Collective is hosting its second virtual statewide candidate forum on Monday, Oct. 21, called Student Strong.
• Six local Black tech founders have been awarded a total of $120,000 in grants from the “Community Regrant” program from Black Tech Saturdays and Rocket Community Fund. Each recipient received $20,000 for projects that will help bridge the digital divide in the city of Detroit.
• The Wayne County Treasurer’s Office and the city of Detroit are hosting a foreclosure prevention seminar for seniors and individuals with disabilities on Saturday, Oct. 26, at Perfecting Church, 7616 Nevada Ave., Detroit. Call 313-244-0274 to schedule an appointment and Lyft Service to the event. 

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

London’s Matt Johnson has released records as The The since the early 1980s.

After a 25-year hiatus, he has returned to the studio to produce his first full The The album. Ensoulment sounds as relevant as ever, cinematic, and lyrically in tune.

Johnson joined me on In The Groove during my week as guest host, just as he arrived in Georgia to prepare for the United States’ leg of his current world tour. We discussed the new album, the life-threatening circumstance that led to The The’s first improvised song, “Linoleum Smooth to the Stockinged Foot,” and the meaning behind “Cognitive Dissident” — the first song released from Ensoulment.

We also spoke about the use of his music in films, including “Guardians of the Galaxy” and the new Francis Ford Coppola film, “Megalopolis.” Closing out the conversation is a thoughtful reflection on the role nostalgia plays in moving life forward.

The The will perform two sets at the Masonic Cathedral Theatre in Detroit on Wednesday, Oct. 23. The first set features the new album, and the second set is a retrospective of songs throughout The The’s discography until now.

Use the media player above to hear my entire conversation with Matt Johnson.

Voters on Grosse Ile will decide whether to let the local government buy one of the two bridges connecting the island to other communities Downriver.

The gateways to Downriver

Nestled in the Detroit River between the United States and Canada, Grosse Ile is home to about 10,000 people. It has a grocery store, three golf courses, and an airport that was once a U.S. Naval Air Station. For those who don’t own a boat, a plane, or a helicopter, the only way on or off the island is by crossing the bridges over the Trenton Channel.

Most islanders use the Parkway Bridge — or the “free bridge” as they call it — near the south end of Grosse Ile. Wayne County, which owns and operates this span, estimates about 16,0000 vehicles cross it every day. It’s the older of the two bridges. Island historian Tony Krukowski says it predates the automobile.

“The free bridge was part of a rail line that was built in 1873 to carry cargo to and from Canada,” Krukowksi said. “It was built by the Canadian Southern Railroad. The Railroad stopped running in 1924 and the county converted the railroad trestle to a vehicle bridge in 1931.”

Competition arises

But the free bridge was not the first to allow automobiles to cross. In 1912, a man named Edward Voigt started building his own bridge. Krukowski says the German immigrant owned a farm at the north end of the island.

“He raised Percheron horses on his farm, and he also owned a brewery in Detroit,” Krukowski said. “So, he used the bridge to transport his Percheron horses over to Detroit to pull his beer wagons.”

Horses gave way to automobiles, and Voigt opened his bridge to vehicle traffic in 1913. He charged car owners a fee to cross. Today, the toll is $3.50.

The Voigt family still owns the toll bridge, but not for long. Edward Voigt’s great-grandson, Paul Smoke, is putting it up for sale, and giving the island’s government first dibs.

How would local leaders pay for it?

Grosse Ile Township trustees voted unanimously to put that question to the voters in the form of a new property tax. Township Supervisor Jim Budny says the 1.67 mill levy would raise $59 million to buy the bridge and upgrade it.

“The first step would be passing the proposal in November,” Budny said, “and then we can get into all the other stuff that we have to do, selling the bonds, getting the designs, getting the work scheduled.”

That work includes increasing the toll bridge’s weight limit of 7.5 tons per vehicle, which only allows commuters to cross. Heavier vehicles use the Parkway Bridge to deliver goods and services such as fuel and groceries. But the free bridge is in bad shape. Wayne County plans to close it twice in 2025 to repair damaged piers and pressure plates. Those closures could last weeks or months. Budny says that could put Grosse Ile in a bind.

“We couldn’t get any food to the island,” Budny said. “We couldn’t get any gas to the island, we couldn’t get any big trucks onto the island, we couldn’t get our waste OFF the island. We could get our emergency vehicles off the island. We couldn’t get emergency vehicles onto the island.”

Budny says the toll bridge needs work, too. But because it’s privately owned, he can’t force the current owners — or another buyer — to improve it. He says if the township owned the bridge, it could decide what kind of vehicles can cross and how much they pay.

Island residents consider their options

That appeals to island resident Fay Givens, who expressed her support at a public meeting in September.

“We’d be able to control the tolls coming off and on that bridge,” Givens said. “We would have, in cases of an emergency, we would be able to act quickly. We would not have to go through an owner that doesn’t live on the island.”

Givens says she’ll vote yes on the millage. Another resident, Brian Kostielny, isn’t sold yet. At the same meeting, he said he’d likely vote no unless he gets more information.

“I’m just looking to go ahead and get a breakdown of how much revenue the bridge makes, you know, what the cost of repair is with the sale of the bridge,” Kostielny said. “I don’t even know how they valued the bridge. I mean it’s not like you can Zillow the value of a bridge.”

That information is subject to a non-disclosure agreement between the township and the toll bridge’s owners, who declined comment for this report. If voters reject the millage, Budny says they probably won’t get another chance.

“If it doesn’t pass, then the seller will go to the open market and sell it to some other private individual,” he said. “There aren’t any municipalities that want it that I’m aware of around here. So, it’ll go to another private individual who would probably keep it the way it is.”

Voting ends Nov. 5

With absentee voting already underway, Grosse Ile residents will decide whether the millage is a bridge to the future or a bridge too far.

For more information about the Grosse Ile Parkway Bridge Projects, visit waynecounty.com.

WDET will pre-empt its regular programming from 4-6 p.m. this Sunday, Oct. 20, to host a special collaboration between Canada’s national broadcaster, CBC Radio, and American National Public Radio to bring a special international call-in version of CBC’s Cross Country Check Up and NPR’s The Middle. 

The broadcast, titled America Votes: A Cross-Border Conversation, will air across Canada and the U.S., bringing international focus to the city of Detroit. The collaborative show will focus on the impending national election’s impact on the U.S. and Canada’s relationship; and WDET’s distinction as a cross-border broadcaster at North America’s largest trade corridor sets us up as the appropriate station to host this international conversation.

Jeremy Hobson, host of The Middle, and Ian Hanomansing, co-host of CBC’s The National and host of Cross-Country Check-Up, will both be present at WDET for the live interactive broadcast.

Here’s how to join the conversation

Call in details:

• Call live: 1-888-416-8333
• Text: 226-758-8924
• Share your story now (anytime): cbc.ca/aircheck

Show pages:

• Checkup page: cbc.ca/radio/checkup
• The Middle page: listentothemiddle.com

Watch live:

• CBC News: cbc.ca/news
• YouTube: youtube.com/@CBCNews
• Tiktok: tiktok.com/@cbcnews?lang=en

Listen live at 101.9 WDET FM in Detroit, or online at wdet.org.

Or, join the conversation by filling out the form below.

Tonight on the Detroit Evening Report, we cover Harris’ recent visit to Detroit to shore up support from Black male voters; the opening of the new Dr. Maya Angelou Village in northwest Detroit and more.

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Harris joins The Breakfast Club in Detroit

Vice President Kamala Harris spent part of the day in Detroit on Tuesday to take part in an “audio town hall” moderated by Charlamagne Tha God, host of iHeartRadio’s nationally syndicated radio show “The Breakfast Club.”  Discussion topics ranged from the economy, to the use of misinformation, to the violence on Jan. 6, 2021. 

“Donald Trump incited a violent mob to try and undo the will of the people and undo the results of a free and fair election,” Harris said Tuesday. “That violent mob attacked the United States Capitol. Over 140 law enforcement officers were injured.  Some of them were killed. And he has said since then, that there will be a bloodbath after this election.”

Harris has been working to attract more Black male voters in recent weeks, making several trips to Detroit in the process.    

Harris and Trump in Detroit Friday

Both Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are scheduled to campaign in metro Detroit on Friday. The Harris campaign announced Wednesday that former President Barack Obama will come to Detroit next Tuesday. Michigan is a key battleground state in what is expected to be a very close presidential election. 

Duggan to host District 6 meeting

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is scheduled to hold a charter-mandated community meeting in District 6 Wednesday night. It’s an opportunity to hear from the mayor and his administration about important news and events in the area. Officials from the Detroit Police Department will be there to give a presentation to residents about code enforcement. The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. at the Kingdom Apostolic Ministries, 4735 W Fort St., Detroit. Interested residents can also join the meeting via Zoom. 

Maya Angelou Village opens

A new development named after renowned poet Dr. Maya Angelou has opened in northwest Detroit, Model D reports. The mixed-use permanent supportive housing development, located near Grand River and Burt Road, is a partnership between a Chicago-based developer and the Detroit-based non-profit Alternatives for Girls.   The non-profit focuses on serving at-risk girls and young women in Detroit.  

Devin Scillian retiring

Longtime Detroit television anchor Devin Scillian is retiring. He announced the move last night on WDIV.   

“I am currently in my 30th year here at WDIV. And maybe it’s the roundness of that number, but I’ve decided to move on to the next chapter of what has been a most enjoyable and gratifying book,” he said.

Scillian started at the station in 1995. In the past three decades, he has covered politics, natural disasters, court trials, the Olympics and a wide range of news stories in metro Detroit. Scillian gained national prominence shortly before coming to Detroit, when he covered the Oklahoma City bombing for a local station there. He says he has decided to retire now to devote more attention to some of his other passions, including writing children’s books and singing with his band. Scillian’s last newscast will be sometime in December. 

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

It’s no secret that America’s politics are polarized. According to one preacher and educator, they’re not broken beyond repair. Jim Wallis, author of “The False White Gospel” says the Christian gospel is one way to bridge the political divides in the United States.  

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

Wallis says the teachings of Jesus Christ are at odds with the white Christian nationalism that has dominated conservative politics for a long time. 

“Jesus did not say ‘blessed are the peace lovers, or the peacekeepers.’ He said blessed are the peace makers — which means conflict resolvers,” Wallis said. “White Christian nationalism is a conflict maker, dividing people. And Jesus says we’re supposed to be peacemakers, conflict resolvers.” 

Guest: 

• Jim Wallis is a writer, educator and preacher. He is the author of “The False White Gospel” and is the inaugural holder of the Chair in Faith and Justice and the founding Director of the Georgetown University Center on Faith and Justice. 

Listen to Created Equal with host Stephen Henderson weekdays from 9-10 a.m. ET on 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand.

The two major-party candidates for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat faced off in a substantive, sometimes combative debate hosted by WXYZ-TV on Monday.

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

Democratic congresswoman Elissa Slotkin and former Republican congressman Mike Rogers debated issues including education, immigration, abortion and electric vehicles. It was the final scheduled U.S. Senate debate of the election season.

Dennis Darnoi, a political consultant, says this election is uniquely focused on the two candidates’ principles instead of their party affiliations with President Joe Biden or former President Donald Trump. 

“Both of them have long records upon which to run, they have reputations within the party and within the state. So, it’s not as if they are new candidates that no one’s ever heard of,” Darnoi said.

Slotkin and Rogers are vying for the open seat to replace longtime Michigan U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, who is retiring at the end of her fourth term.

Guests: 

• Dennis Darnoi is a political consultant for Densar Consulting. 

• Zoe Clark is the political director at Michigan Public. 

Listen to Created Equal with host Stephen Henderson weekdays from 9-10 a.m. ET on 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand.

The presidential campaign for Vice President Kamala Harris is taking its messaging to Black men in Detroit this week.

That’s through the release of a new policy platform and events aimed at Black male audiences, like a nationally syndicated radio appearance with The Breakfast Club host, Charlamagne tha God.

During that interview, Harris fielded questions about the border, the stakes of the election, and how she would advance the Black community if she wins in November. Harris took that chance to highlight parts of her recently unveiled agenda for Black men.

Those include proposals for increased downpayment assistance for first-time homebuyers, and forgivable loans for Black businessowners, before being ribbed by Charlamagne that some of her general talking points have become her “greatest hits.”

“The needs of the Black community are not just about criminal justice,” Harris said. “The community is not going to stand up and applaud just because everybody has a job. That should be a baseline.”

Harris also fielded a question from Detroit rapper Icewear Vezzo, who has said he’s dissatisfied with Democratic politicians, over whether her proposals for the Black community were opportunistic, given the timing.

Harris said her plan “is not new and not for the sake of winning this election,” before continuing into her record working with Black business owners prior to running for president.

The push to shore up Harris’ support among Black men comes at a time when there’s been reporting that her Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump, was making inroads in that community.

In that vein, the Harris campaign hosted an event this week in Detroit also geared toward Black men. Harris was not there, but it featured range of speakers, including political commentator Bakari Sellers and actors Don Cheadle and Delroy Lindo.

Lindo said he got involved after hearing about doubts young Black men had about Harris.

“For me, it’s a question of coming out, meeting people where they are, if I can, talk to as many young people as I can, and try to understand why are you feeling that way. Well, let me tell you what I feel, let me tell you what I understand. And see if we can have a meeting of the minds,” Lindo said.

Campaign staff said the Tuesday event built upon ones in other states.

BET personality Jeff Johnson, who also spoke, said this is the first presidential election he’s seen campaigns discuss what he calls the “complexity of Black men.”

“To help make Black men the center of this election is a blessing and I’m excited about that. And I think it gives us an unbelievable opportunity to really show who we are and what our power is in a way that the country has never paid attention to before,” Johnson said.

Trump is also trying to engage Black audiences. A few months ago, he visited a Black church on Detroit’s west side.

The Trump campaign says he has a history “delivering for Black Americans.”

Janiyah Thomas is Black media director for the campaign.

“Under his leadership, we saw historic job creation, rising wages, and real opportunities for building generational wealth. In contrast, the Harris-Biden administration’s policies have reversed these gains, leaving many Black families burdened by higher living costs, stagnant wages, and a surge in crime,” Thomas said in a statement.

The statement went on to criticize Harris for some of the ways she’s campaigned for the Black vote.

“While Kamala Harris panders to Black voters with collard green recipes and cheap ads at the BET Awards, Team Trump is actively making inroads with Black voters,” Thomas said.

Both Harris and Trump will be in metro Detroit on Friday.

This week on MI Local, I received another visit by a local artist/musician, so that they could personally share a new song with our listeners! R&B singer-songwriter C3 stopped by to premiere his latest song, “The Other Man,” which he spoke about during our interview.

“I really just wanted to write a record for the good guys,” C3 said. It’s about finding “a good-hearted individual” who can “protect you and love you, forever.”

It’s also a song that’s quite danceable, while also showcasing C3’s vocal talents.

Along with this premiere, we heard brand new music from Detroit rock trio Shadow Show, and Ypsilanti-based singer-songwriter Kylee Phillips. We also previewed WDET’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Horror Show II, hosted by Jon Moshier next weekend at the Cadieux Cafe.

Stream the whole show and you’ll also hear some great local tracks that capture a quintessentially autumnal vibe, including Kalamazoo-based artist Jordan Hamilton and Detroit’s own Zilched.

• “The Good Parts” – Kylee Phillips
• “Baba Yaga” – Shadow Show
• “The Other Man” – C3 (In-Studio Guest)
• “Graveyard Rockin'” – The 3-D Invisibles
• “The Morning After (The Monster Mash)” – Norcos Y Horchata
• “Dark Dance” – Detroit Riddim Crew
• “Mezcal” – Duende
• “Sun” – Windy & Carl
• “Like The Dead” – Carmel Liburdi
• “Halloween” – Misty Lyn & the Big Beautiful
• “Believe In” – Jordan Hamilton
• “Radio Tower Blues” – Raw Honey
• “Loveless” – Zilched

After a lovely WDET Travel journey to Switzerland, I’m back in the fold and dropping new stuff from Nilufer Yanya, Julian Lage, Kokoroko, GOAT, Las Palabras & Angélica Garcia, plus lots more new discovery. Also had to put an artist spotlight on IDLES and their fantastic album from earlier this year, Tangk. I can’t stop listening to this more gentle take on post-punk from the group — definitely their best album yet. And it’s always a pleasure to play a jazz epic from Jeff Parker as he gets ready to release a new album later this year on International Anthem (I’ll be spotlighting this label later on this month).

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 Oct. 15, 2024

• “Just A Western (Boy Harsher Remix)” – Nilufer Yanya
• “Things You Do For Love” – Apiento
• “To Ardent (feat. Nancy Sinatra) [Horse Meat Disco Remix]” – Black Devil Disco Club
• “Jungle” – IDLES
• “Roy” – IDLES
• “POP POP POP” – IDLES
• “Why Am I Alive Now?” – Anohni
• “You’ve Been In Love Too Long” – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
• “Elevator” – Gavin Turek
• “Don’t Leave Me” – Sugar Tradition
• “Northern Shuffle” – Julian Lage
• “Three Piece Suit (feat. Azekel)” – Kokoroko
• “Late Autumn (feat. Anna Butterss, Jay Bellerose & Josh Johnson)” – Jeff Parker & ETA IVtet
• “Hit Or Miss” – Odetta
• “Little Failure (Live On WDET)” – Winestoned Cowboys
• “Sorry Tomorrow (Live On WDET)” – Winestoned Cowboys
• “Pour Man” – Lee Hazlewood
• “It Ain’t Nothing To Me” – Sanford Clark
• “Ouroboros” – GOAT
• “I Can’t Hardly Stand It” – The Cramps
• “They Call Me Country” – Sanford Clark
• “La Misma Luna” – Las Palabras & Angélica Garcia
• “First Class” – Khruangbin
• “Gemini” – Angelica Garcia
• “Billboard Heart” – Deep Sea Diver
• “Farewell Transmission” – Kevin Morby & Waxahatchee
• “On the Floor (Noise NY version)” – Galaxie 500
• “Free Money” – Patti Smith
• “I’ve Never Loved A Man” – Aretha Franklin

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 Council on American-Islamic Relations Michigan chapter (CAIR-MI) wants prosecutors to further investigate whether a recent attack on a 7-year-old girl at a Detroit park qualifies as a hate crime.

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Police allege that 73-year-old Gary Lansky slashed the girl’s neck with a knife as she was playing in Ryan Park on Detroit’s northwest side. The victim, a Yemeni American Muslim, was playing at the park when Lansky reportedly approached her without warning, lifted her head and sliced her throat with a knife.

The girl ran home and was taken to the hospital where she received treatment and was later released. Lansky currently faces charges including assault with intent to murder and felonious assault.

“While the charges faced by Garly Lansky are serious, we urge the Detroit Police Department and the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office to conduct a comprehensive investigation into this matter to determine whether hate was a motivating factor in the attack,” said CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid in a statement.

WDET’s Karen Brundidge and Jenny Sherman contributed to this report.

Other headlines for Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024:

• The Michigan Legislative Black Caucus is asking for a formal investigation into an ad by a Republican Congressional candidate that lists the wrong election date.
• Detroit Disability Power is holding a Day of Action from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday — the day early voting starts in the city of Detroit. 
• A town hall focused on demystifying 2025 Medicare plans is taking place at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Woodbridge Senior Village, 1200 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Detroit.
• Detroit City Councilman Coleman Young II will host a virtual meeting from 5-6 p.m. Wednesday with Police Chief James White to discuss police department initiatives. To register, call 313-224-4248. 

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

It’s the last day of Hispanic Heritage Month, and to celebrate, The Metro was joined by a Detroit musician, activist, historian, and educator who has dedicated his career to improving the lives of Latino residents in southeast Michigan. 

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

Osvaldo “Ozzie” Rivera currently teaches at Wayne State and the University of Michigan. He also writes for “El Central” newspaper, serves on Detroit’s Historic Designation Advisory Board and is the former director of Southwest Solutions. He was instrumental in the creation of the Wayne State Center for Latino/a American Studies, established 1971. 

Rivera was born on the island of Puerto Rico but is a lifelong Detroiter. His father was a musician and early in life, Rivera became interested in both music and activism. If you attended this year’s Concert of Colors, you might’ve seen Rivera perform with his band Rican Struction, a Bomba music ensemble. 

Rivera joined the show to discuss the importance of Latino culture in southeast Michigan and work done to support the community. One of the issues in the Detroit Latino community that Rivera fought against was systemic racism in public schools.

“There’s some broad brushes to discuss in terms of just acknowledgement and civil rights, but specifically as it related to the Latino community in Detroit, there were issues with the lack of bilingual education,” Rivera said. “Actually, many students were funneled into special-ed classes only because they spoke Spanish. So La Sed … also put in a successful lawsuit against the Detroit Public School system for funneling, directing Spanish speaking students and some who weren’t even Spanish speaking, they were put in special rooms and some would say some closets. And so you have to fight for bilingual education and against standardization or delegitimizing Latin students.”

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation with Rivera.

More headlines from The Metro on Oct. 15, 2024: 

• A new early childhood educator workforce index shows that child care wages remain low in Michigan and across the United States. Director of Multi-State and International Programs at Berkeley’s Center for the Study of Child Care Employment Caitlin McLean joined the show to discuss the new report.
• There are a lot of issues voters care about, but depending on your party, voter priorities are very different. We’re less than a month away from the presidential election, and that leaves us wondering what might turn out the vote most for either party. Joining us to discuss the upcoming election and what’s on voters’ minds, The Atlantic staff writer Tim Alberta joined The Metro. He’s covered politics with a close eye on both the white, evangelical christian movement in this country and the shifts happening in the Republican Party. He will also be speaking at an event called “Democracy at a Crossroads” at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday on Michigan State University’s campus.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 11 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

Eight candidates are vying for the opportunity to serve on the Michigan State Board of Education. There are two Republican incumbents, two Democrats, a libertarian, and other parties. 

Although they have different focus points, most candidates say school funding is a top concern. 

Democratic candidate Dr. Theodore Jones says that if elected, he would fight to increase education spending in Michigan. 

“Our state’s chronic disinvestment in education since 2008, local and state level spending on education is down by $5 billion and that has had serious real-world effects,” he said. “Our position is now 41st in the nation when it comes to education. We have 72% of our 4th graders not reading at grade level.”

Jones, a former teacher and social worker, has also worked in the administrative offices of the Detroit public schools. He says studying and remedying the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on student learning and achievement is also important. 

“It has had detrimental effects for our students in terms of learning delays, social challenges,” Jones said. 

Adam Frederick Zemke is a Democrat from Ann Arbor who served in the state House of Representatives from 2013-2018. He says student safety is the most pressing issue. 

“Ensuring that there is good statutory support from our legislative partners to prevent gun violence and also sufficient funding for real school safety aspects is going to be very important,” Zemke said. 

Tom McMillin, one of the Republican incumbents, has served on the board for the last eight years. He emphasized the importance of defending parents and kids in special education. He has argued against the Department of Education’s handling of a lawsuit by its federal counterpart over special education violations. 

McMillin says the board should also better protect parents’ rights to choose between public schools, charter schools or homeschooling for more personalized learning. He says that kids all learn differently and that, “the assembly line way of doing things is outdated.” 

McMillin also acknowledges that being a conservative member of the board comes with its challenges. 

“We’ve had concerns, and I know some people say oh you know you’re trying to ban books. We’re not. There’s certainly books that have inappropriate material. And so you know a lot of times we get tagged as wanting to be right-wing or whatever, but really we’re just looking for reasonable policies,” McMillin said. 

The state board does not create education policy, but it does give recommendations to the Michigan Department of Education, legislators, and the state superintendent of schools. It also has the authority to hire or fire the superintendent. 

The board has recommended a list of changes it says would increase transparency in the operations of charter schools in the states. It recently challenged budget cuts to mental health and school safety funding. 

Mary Anne Hering is a candidate for the Working Class Party. She’s a long-time teacher in local community colleges. Hering says funding schools should be a top priority. 

“The money is there in this society for there to be a full tidal wave of funding in all the school districts, and I’m talking about all the way up to the Upper Peninsula, the rural areas, the urban areas,” Hering said. 

Scotty Boman, a libertarian, teaches physics, astronomy and mathematics at the Wayne County Community College and Macomb Community College. He also serves on Detroit’s Zoning Appeals Board and the city’s District 4 Community Advisory Council. 

Boman is against what he calls coercive means of funding. 

“What I’m referring to is taxation, that people are forced to pay for something that they may or may not use. I would support tax breaks on people who choose to spend money out-of-pocket to educate their children differently than through the public system,” Boman said. 

Ted Gerrard and Christine Schwarz are running for the Michigan Board of Education as members of the U.S. Taxpayers Party. 

Gerrard is a U.S. Navy veteran and electrical contractor. He stresses the need for strong vocational programs and for high school graduates to be prepared for the workforce. 

“We should not be training just college entrants. We need skilled trade out in the field, and I need people that can show up on my job site as a high school graduate and do basic math,” Gerrard said. 

Republican Nikki Snyder has been a board member since 2016. Snyder is running for reelection. Snyder and Christine Schwartz have not responded to WDET’s request for an interview. 

The two winners of this race will each serve an eight-year term on the State Board of Education. The election takes place on November 5. 

This week on Visions, my playlist is all over the board. Between 1965 Sonny Rollins to 2024 Andy Milne, I cover some interesting ground.

Before I get into the music, definitely check out the interview I did during the first hour with Deanna Relyea, director of Edgefest, an annual avant-jazz festival happening this week in Ann Arbor. Deanna and I talk about how Edgefest started (it’s now in its 28th year!), which artists are performing at the festival, and what kind of music to expect. Happening this week, Oct. 16-19 in Ann Arbor, you won’t want to miss it.

I also give a preview of some artists coming to Ann Arbor, many of whom have already graced the airwaves through Visions!

The artists coming to Edgefest are Andy Milne, Myra Melford, Tomeka Reid, Detroit artist Kenji Lee, Sylvie Courvoisier, and William Parker. I also play selections from Sonny Rollins, Wynton Marsalis, Milton Nascimento & Esperanza Spalding, Sam Newsome, and the late Benny Golson.

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 Oct. 14, 2024

• “Outubro” – Milton Nascimento  & Esperanza Spalding
• “Mr. Clean” – Roy Hargrove
• “Jaki” – William Parker
• “Freedom Jazz Dance” – Ethnic Heritage Ensemble
• “Black Codes” – Wynton Marsalis
• “Le Pavot Rouge” (feat. Wadada Leo Smith, Christian Fennesz, Nate Wooley, Drew Gress & Kenny Wollesen) – Sylvie Courvoisier
• “Papounet” – Andy Milne and Unison
• “B.K.” – Nicole Mitchell, Tomeka Reid & Mike Reed
• “The Strawberry” – Myra Melford
• “Three Little Words” – Sonny Rollins
• “In the Vein of Trane” – Sam Newsome Quintet
• “Empty Cup” – Kenji Lee’s Fortune Teller Trio
• “Voyage” – Benny Golson, Mulgrew Miller, Rufus Reid & Tony Reedus

Coming up this Sunday on Acoustic Café, the in-studio guest will be rock ‘n’ roll icon Sting.

Sting’s voice arrived in the new wave era as the frontman for The Police. And up until that point the world really hadn’t heard anything like it. The Police made five iconic albums between 1978-1983, and then called it a day. By 1985, Sting was not only established in music, but film as well, and the movie roles didn’t slow his solo career at all — now having released 15 solo albums.

After the first night of his current North American tour, Sting brought guitarist Dominic Miller and drummer Chris Maas to our studio at Big Sky Recording in Ann Arbor for their brand new song, a couple from Sting’s vast catalog and a classic from The Police. Our discussion included this new phase of Sting’s career (Sting 3.0), recent collaborations, his Broadway musical (The Last Ship) which may become an opera soon, and lots more.

Tune in to Acoustic Café from 1-3 p.m. this Sunday on 101.9 WDET FM, on the mobile app or online at wdet.org to hear the full interview.

Democratic Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin faced off tonight against former Republican Congressman Mike Rogers in Michigan’s final scheduled U.S. Senate debate of the election season.

The seat is open with the retirement of Democratic U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow and the race will help determine the make-up of the Senate next year. Polling shows the race is tight.

During the hour-long debate held at the WXYZ-TV studios in Southfield, the candidates were asked about the economy, immigration and the cost of health care.

Gun control was a big difference between the candidates. Slotkin said she supports tougher federal gun laws.

“To me, we have to, as Democrats and Republicans, as gun owners and non-gun owners, go after the No.1 killer of our children in our communities and in our schools, by suicide and by accident, and it is the responsibility of our leaders to protect children,” she said.

Slotkin’s House district includes Oxford, the site of a mass school shooting in 2021.

Rogers said he does not want new gun laws and instead supports better enforcement of existing gun laws and improved mental health services for children.

“We need to enforce the gun laws that we have. We also need to deal with mental health issues that are happening in our schools,” he said. “This generation of Americans is under mental duress and distress like I have never seen before.”

The candidates were also asked about their stances on abortion.

Slotkin said she would support setting in law the standard that existed before the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision that ended federal protections of abortion rights.

“If codifying Roe v. Wade came before the U.S. Senate, I would vote for it,” Slotkin said.

Rogers, who has a long record of supporting abortion restrictions, said he would not go against the wishes of voters who adopted a state reproductive rights amendment in 2022.

“I will respect the vote of the people of Michigan that they put as part of the Michigan Constitution,” Rogers said.

On student loan debt, the candidates agreed that a national service program might be an option for dealing with the increasing burden of educational costs and interest on loans. Slotkin also endorsed a 2.5% interest rate cap on student loans.

Absentee voting is already underway in Michigan so this debate could be the closing argument for many voters. Election Day is Nov. 5.

Tonight on the Detroit Evening Report, we cover a local event commemorating Indigenous Peoples’ Day; city officials in Hamtramck considering the use of police drones and more.

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Belle Isle Prayer Walk

A solidarity prayer walk and potluck took place at Belle Isle for Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Monday. The day is meant to honor the history, culture and contributions of Indigenous communities. The Prayer Walk for the Water event started off in Ralph Wilson Gateway, with stops along the path to pray and reflect. Michigan is home to about 240,000 Native Americans, with 12 federally recognized tribes. 

Hamtramck considers drone use by police

The Hamtramck Police Department wants to get a drone to help solve crimes. Hamtramck Police Chief Jamiel Altaheri says the measure was brought before the city council, but was not approved initially. 

A poll was posted on the police department’s Facebook page, asking people if they thought a drone would be beneficial for the police department. About 300 people responded – 80% voting yes.

Altaheri says the measure will be reintroduced to the city council at its next meeting.

Ohio man arrested for Hamtramck threats

An Ohio man was arrested after allegedly making threats against immigrants in Hamtramck. The man told fellow churchgoers in Toledo that he planned to harm people in Hamtramck last Saturday.

Chief Altaheri says there were extra police on hand in the city during the Hamtramck Neighborhood Arts Festival and Night Bazaar activities in the city that day.

The Toledo Police Department informed the Hamtramck Police Department, who both monitored the situation along with the FBI. The man, identified as 69-year-old William Darocha, then drove to Michigan and was arrested in Taylor and is facing charges of Making Terroristic Threats.

Metro Detroit Out of the Darkness walk

The local chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is hosting a community walk on Belle Isle this weekend. The Metro Detroit Out of the Darkness Walk aims to raise awareness about those impacted by suicide for a day of support.

The community walk takes place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19, at Belle Isle. On-site registration begins at 8 a.m.

New Detroit hosting racial equity conference

The racial justice organization New Detroit is hosting the “Just Lead: Advancing Racial Equity Moving Forward Together” conference on Thursday, Oct. 17 at The Icon in Detroit. The conference has themes of health care, Detroit parks, and philanthropy. Awards will also be given to leaders for advancing racial equity.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.