Do you consider yourself a storyteller? It’s in human nature to tell stories. Stories have been used to pass down knowledge and legacy. The power of storytelling has the ability to transcend time. It has a way of connecting people across scripted lines in our society. 

A new exhibition opening next week wants to explore storytelling through the lens of food, poetry, comedy, visual art, fashion, film, and performance.

“Many Tongues,” curated by Omo Misha of Irwin House Global Art Center, will use activations to dive into the power of storytelling, while uplifting Detroit creatives.

Brittini Ward or Eye N Eye is a storyteller, poet and multidisciplinary artist. Her recent works include “The Seer,” commissioned by the Kennedy Center, and “Grandma’s Baby,” featured in Wasserman Projects’ Bas Bleu Exhibition.

LaMarr Ward is a film maker, multidisciplinary artist and featured panelist for “Many Tongues.” His works, “Windstorm Chronicles” will be on display.

They joined The Metro to talk about “Many Tongues” and the importance of storytelling as a connector for all people.

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

You may be familiar with the Grammy-winning band Red Hot Chilli Peppers, famous for songs like “Dani California on Stadium Arcadium” or “Can’t Stop” off the 2002 album “By The Way.”

Hall of Fame Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith recently announced The Chad Smith Foundation. Chad grew up in Michigan and returned to the place where he got his start to help students do the same. 

The Curtis and Joan Smith Scholarship will honor his parents while also providing need-based support for incoming music students to the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance. 

During U-M’s Band O Rama, Chad joined the Michigan Marching Band in Hill Auditorium for a performance including U of M’s fight song “The Victor’s” and the Red-Hot Chili Peppers classic “Can’t Stop.”

Tia Graham had the chance to chat with Chad about the foundation, the scholarship and growing up in Michigan.

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

City Council President Mary Sheffield is running for Mayor, leaving District 5 open for new representation for the first time in more than a decade.

District 5 police Commissioner Willie Burton and UAW retiree Renata Miller are facing each other for the seat.

Burton’s campaign

Willie Burton was the youngest police commissioner in the U.S. when he took his seat in 2014. Before his election, he served for two years on the Detroit Public Schools Police and Public Safety Oversight Committee and then as Director of Community Relations for Wayne County Commissioner Martha Scott.

Burton’s campaign website calls for improving public transit, lowering water rates, and pushing for more affordable housing.

But Burton says his biggest concern is improving mental health support and services in the city. He says if he wins, he plans to hold a mental health symposium within his first 100 days in office.

“Our community has to be educated as well when it comes to crisis intervention training, which is Mental Health First Aid, as well as training our officers,” Burton said.  “So we have our officers as trained, which is one thing, but our community has zero training. The business partnerships in the city has zero training.”

Burton says he wants to see Detroit receive a state-of-the-art triage center and social workers with more boots on the ground to help with issues from domestic violence to homelessness.

Miller’s campaign

Renata Miller is a UAW retiree. She is a founder of the Detroit Historic District Alliance and a community ambassador to the Detroit Opera House. Miller has served as president, vice president, and membership chair of the Historic Indian Village Association. She is also the program director of the Lawn Academy, an organization that teaches environmental stewardship and provides job training to youth in Detroit.

Miller’s campaign page says she is committed to protecting Detroit’s historic neighborhoods—advocating for community-led development, and ensuring government transparency.

Miller also advocates for more jobs in the city, quality affordable housing, and improved safety in the neighborhoods.

At a candidate meet and greet event hosted by the community group and podcast Detroit is Different, Miller said the best way to serve the public is to meet with the public.

“You have to get out to your residence,” Miller said. “You’re not, you shouldn’t even act or move without coming to the community. They know what they want, and they know what they desire for their neighborhood. Some of them have plans that you will never think about, but if you don’t engage with them or talk with them, you’ll never know what the desire is.”

Controversial candidates

Both Miller and Burton have faced criticism in the media. The Detroit Free Press described the race for District 5 as an “unenviable choice” for its residents, as both candidates have had their fair share of legal issues in the past.  

Burton was arrested during a Board of Police Commissioners’ meeting in 2019, where the Detroit police department’s controversial use of facial recognition was being discussed. The board chair had Burton removed after warning multiple times that he was out of order. Burton was handcuffed, but not charged.

Renata Miller’s record includes a 2001 bankruptcy filing, multiple lawsuits with Southfield and Bloomfield Hills landlords, and a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction in 2003.

Political analyst Mario Morrow says it’s in both candidates’ interests to speak up about their faults.

“Before they take the seat, they need to go out here and campaign hard and admit their flaws. Then, when they get into the seat, say, ‘We won’t make those mistakes again, and we’re going to do better by our constituents, ’” Morrow said.

Morrow says the issues that most affect residents in District 5 are the same for the rest of the city, so the next council member in the seat needs to be able be dependable.

“It doesn’t matter who the mayor is, the city council has a big role to play, even though it’s a strong merit mayoral endorsed government. People are really concerned about the future of the city, and… people are fearful of change, and this change over is causing a lot of confusion, especially in District 5,” Morrow said.

*After multiple attempts by WDET, Renata Miller declined to be interviewed.

More election coverage

Ijania Cortez brings Detroit’s stories to life through color and community

Whether on canvas or a towering wall, Detroit artist Ijania Cortez creates portraits that reflect the city’s people and places. She uses vibrant color, often with neon tones, to capture the spirit of everyday Detroiters and the icons who shape the city.

Cortez’s murals appear throughout Detroit, including Cutter’s in Eastern Market and the Ruth Ellis Center’s Clairmont building. Her work celebrates community and the stories that define it.

In 2021, Cortez received the Kresge Gilda Snowden Emerging Artist Award and collaborated with Hubert Massey and the Detroit Institute of Arts Partners in Public Art Mural Program. She has also taken part in the BLKOUT Walls street art festival.

In 2025, she was recognized as a Ruth Ellis Center honoree and featured artist in Murals in the Market, hosted by 1xRUN.

On this week’s episode of Acoustic Café, two legends of song, Mike Reid and Joe Henry, join us in the studio to play songs from their first album together “Life And Time.”

Also, some archived performances from Teddy Thompson, Aimee Mann, Amythyst Kiah, Lianne La Havas and much 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 2, 2025

• “Million Dollar Intro” – Ani DiFranco
• “Goodbye Mr. Blue” – Father John Misty
• “Deja Vu” – aron!
• “Hold On To You” – Belle Canyon
• “Walking The Floor Over You” – Teddy Thompson (in-studio performance)
• “I Can’t Make You Love Me” – Mike Reid
• “Sleeper Car” – Mike Reid & Joe Henry (in-studio guests)
• “The Bridge” – Mike Reid & Joe Henry (in-studio guests)
• “Boombox” – Charlie Parr
• “Disarray” – Lianne La Havas
• “Is Your Love Big Enough” – Lianne La Havas (in-studio performance)
• “Morning Morgantown” – Joni Mitchell
• “These Days” – Muireann Bradley
• “Pour The Wine” – Sons Of The East
• “Thunderbird” – Josh Ritter
• “Silk And Petals” – Amythyst Kiah (in-studio performance)
• “Best Guess (Wedding Version)” – Lucy Dacus
• “My Full Name” – Madison Cunningham
• “Dead Flowers” – The Rolling Stones
• “You’re With Stupid Now” – Aimee Mann (in-studio performance)
• “Martins Ferry” – Mike Reid & Joe Henry (in-studio guests)
• “History” – Mike Reid & Joe Henry (in-studio guests)

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, a new month brings a new set of album anniversaries, including classics from The Miracles, Four Tops, L.L. Cool J and more.

Also, lots of new music from Brandi Carlile, Jalen Ngonda, Lucinda Williams with Brittney Spencer and Sloan!

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 1, 2025

HOUR ONE:

• “What Good” – Arkells
• “Call On Me” – Daniel Caesar
• “Keeper” – Courtney Marie Andrews
• “All About Me” – Jalen Ngonda
  
• “What It Is” – Will Sessions ft. Dames Brown
  
• “I Can’t Live Without My Radio” – LL Cool J (November 1985)
  
• “Something About You” – The Four Tops (November 1965)
• “You Sexy Thing” – Hot Chocolate (November 1985)
• “Unpopular Ideas” – The Mammals
  
• “k.i.s.s.” – keiyaA
• “The Bridge” – Mike Reid & Joe Henry (Acoustic Cafe preview)
• “Ain’t Nobody Making Me High” – Bartees Strange
  
• “Let It Bleed” – Rolling Stones (November 1995)

• “Unshielded Desire” – John Abercrombie, Dave Holland & Jack DeJohnette
  
• “Straight, No Chaser” – Bruce Hornsby, Christian McBride & Jack DeJohnette
• “If You Want Me” – The Womack Sisters
  
• “Chicken Wings” – Samm Henshaw
• “Back To The Land” – JR JR
• “Hey Lover” – LL Cool J ft. Boyz II Men (November 1995)
• “Good Day” – Tally Hall (November 2005)
• “Give Me One Reason” – Tracy Chapman (November 1995)
• “Witch Dance” – Florence & The Machine
• “Heathcliff” – Snocaps (Katie & Allison Crutchfield)
• “The World’s Gone Wrong” – Lucinda Williams ft. Brittney Spencer
  
• “Night In” – Brittney Spencer
• “shut up” – Royel Otis
• “Going To A Go-Go” – Smokey & The Miracles (November 1965)

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

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The former Marine who opened fire in a Michigan church and set it ablaze last month was motivated by “anti-religious beliefs” against The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the FBI confirmed Friday.

While friends of the gunman in the deadly shooting have said he harbored hatred for what is widely known as the Mormon church, the FBI had previously declined to specify the motivation behind the attack that left four people dead and the church burned to the ground, except to say it was a “targeted” act of violence.

The gunman, Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, was killed by law enforcement responding to the shooting.

“I am confirming this is a targeted act of violence believed to be motivated by the assailant’s anti-religious beliefs against the Mormon religious community,” Jennifer Runyan, special agent in charge of the FBI Detroit field office, said in a prerecorded video message. The agency declined to share further information on what led to its conclusion.

Sanford drove his pickup truck into the side of a Latter-day Saints chapel in Grand Blanc Township, 60 miles (80 kilometers) northwest of Detroit, on Sunday, Sept. 28, and began shooting at congregants. Authorities have said he used gasoline as an accelerant to then light the church on fire.

The FBI said Friday that nine people were injured in the attack. The previous official count had been eight.

“During our investigation, an additional individual was determined to be “injured” during the Grand Blanc critical incident,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

The agency declined to comment Friday on the nature of the additional injury.

The four people who were killed have been identified through family and friends as Craig Hayden, William “Pat” Howard, John Bond and Thelma Armstrong.

Lisa Louis, who was in the chapel when her father, Hayden, was fatally shot, wrote in a letter that after looking into the shooter’s eyes, she forgave him, “with my heart.”

Earlier this month, top church leaders preached a message of love and forgiveness in the wake of the attack while gathered for the faith’s twice-annual general conference in its home state of Utah. Its members responded by raising hundreds of thousands of dollars in an online fundraiser for the gunman’s family.

The church said it strengthened its security protocols for the conference and, days later, for the funeral of its oldest-ever president, who died a day before the Michigan shooting.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints did not have a comment Friday.

Brandt Malone, a member of the faith who was attending services at a nearby church on the morning of the shooting, said the FBI’s statement “did confirm some of our darkest fears — that this attack was motivated by hatred.”

“This affects all believers of all religious traditions, and it hurts that there are those out there who are motivated by the darkest of feelings,” he said.

Malone grew up attending events at the church where the attack occurred. He said local Latter-day Saints have been uplifted by an outpouring of love from the Grand Blanc Township community and other religious congregations.

Authorities have released little information about Sanford and the attack. People who knew him have said he began vocalizing anti-Mormon sentiments years ago after living in Utah, where he dated and broke up with a girlfriend who was a member of the faith. Sanford had moved to Utah after leaving the Marines and told his friends he had become addicted to methamphetamines.

An attorney acting as a spokesperson for Sanford’s family did not immediately return a request for comment.

By Isabela Volmert and Hannah Schoenbaum, Associated Press

BREAKING: Government ordered to pay food stamp benefits during shutdown

FBI arrests multiple people in Dearborn connected to potential terror plot

The head of the FBI says agents thwarted a potential terrorist attack and arrested several people in Michigan this morning. Bureau Director Kash Patel said attacks were planned for this weekend but offered no other details in an early morning post on X.

Dearborn Police confirmed on Facebook that federal agents conducted operations in the city this morning, but said there’s no threat to the community. Agents from the FBI and the ATF reportedly entered homes in two Dearborn locations, with Michigan State Police also on the scene.

Detroit clerk urges residents to vote in Tuesday’s election

Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey is urging residents to get out and vote in next week’s municipal election. At a news conference Thursday, Winfrey said 519,000 Detroiters are registered to vote — but she expects less than 25 percent to actually cast a ballot.

“It’s a sad state of affairs. It’s sad. But unfortunately it’s not just happening in Detroit. The low voter turnout is happening all over our country.”

Early voting began last Saturday and runs through Sunday at 5 p.m. Election Day is Tuesday, November 4. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Detroit Fire Department completes national training program

The Detroit Fire Department has completed another round of its Fire Investigation Course, which provides hands-on training in fire investigation. The nationally recognized course gives students field experience in Detroit neighborhoods and helps participants master the science and skill of determining how and why fires start.

The course is taught by current and former members of the department and is structured for two weeklong sessions that can be taken separately or together. The training hours count toward national certification requirements for fire investigators. It’s offered twice a year.

Weekend sports lineup

NFL: The Detroit Lions take on the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, November 2, at 1 p.m. The Lions will be without All-Pro safety Kerby Joseph, who is recovering from a knee injury. Detroit is currently second in the NFC North behind the Packers.

NBA: On Saturday, the Pistons (3–2) face the Dallas Mavericks (2–3). Mavericks power forward Anthony Davis continues to deal with an Achilles injury and is expected to miss the game, according to reports. Tipoff is at 10 p.m. EST at Arena CDMX in Mexico City.

NHL: The Red Wings lead the Atlantic Division with an 11–8 record and hope to maintain their position as they face the Anaheim Ducks tonight at 10 p.m. EST at the Honda Center.

Halloween in the D

Halloween in the D takes place tonight, with family-friendly activities happening at police precincts, recreation centers, and fire stations across the city. For more information on locations, visit detroitmi.gov.

DIA celebrates Día de los Muertos

The Detroit Institute of Arts is hosting the 13th Annual “Ofrendas: Celebrating el Día de Muertos” exhibition. The annual showcase highlights Mexican traditions of the Day of the Dead through art and community participation.

For more information, visit dia.org.

In the interior arch of Michigan’s “thumb” lays the Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy, a group dedicated to protecting and restoring surrounding natural areas. 

The conservancy currently owns and manages 9 properties in the region. One property, the Sand Point Nature Preserve, was recently recognized by the Old Growth Forest Network for its potential. 

As a well-established woodlot with trees over a hundred years old, Sand Point hosts migratory birds and and diverse species. Its wetlands aid in flood management. The property also has a rare grove of hemlock trees. 

Although the Old Growth Forest distinction doesn’t immediately grant the property strong legal protections, it does aid the Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy when they work to apply for grants and the like. And any additional support to protect the unique ecosystem right off the shores of Lake Huron is welcome. 

Beyond the ecological, the Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy continues to protect the surrounding areas for the community to have access to the green space. Executive Director of Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy, Zachary Branigan emphasizes the importance of preserving nature.

“ Having access to high quality outdoor recreation spaces is important, for any community. You know, that’s one thing that, that the highest quality communities in the nation have in common,” says Branigan. And nature preserves like Sand Point provide a space for hikers and dog-walkers, as well as a glimpse into more heavily wooded past. 

Exploring Sand Point

The Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy gained ownership over the 220 acres of undeveloped land through a series of land acquisitions between 2008-2012. 

Sand Point is the largest of the properties they oversee, and includes a wide range of features that make it a gem in the region that was hit hard by deforestation in the logging boom. Program Manager Trevor Edmonds highlights some of the features on property.

 ”There’s some pretty dense mature forests. Like kind of open meadow areas, and then some, various types of wetlands on the property. There’s a lake, there’s kind of like a seasonal pond, on the property as well. So it’s, there’s just a lot to be seen here,” says Edmonds. He adds that because of the diverse array of habitats, there’s also a diversity of animals occupying them, including reptiles and amphibians.

As a part of their mission to use their properties as ambassador landscape, SBLC takes inventory of signs of health and potential threats to the established landscape. 

Signs of the ecological health at Sand Point include different species of trees—Edmonds points out maple, black cherry, and paper birch in the immediate area. He also looks for indicator species, which foreshadow what kinds of vegetation will thrive in the future. 

Understory vegetation is another noted feature. “There’s a very robust canopy throughout much of this preserve’s acreage, which really kind of speaks to the overall health of the forest on this preserve as well.”

Caretaking in nature

Edmonds then got into the weeds of property management at Sand Point. 

Since acquiring the property in full, the conservancy has become experts on the wetlands and woods that make up Sand Point, as well as the pests, diseases, and invasives that threaten them. 

The most present invasive on the property is phragmites, which Edmonds generally treats with hand-swiping—placing herbicide on a glove and targeting the undesirable plants in order to leave “the lightest touch possible” on the landscape. 

A deep knowledge of the environment helps Edmonds monitor for invasive species and disease in the areas they are most likely to appear in, and the places they can do the most harm. 

Eastern Hemlocks

One of the key features that garners attention at Sand Point is the Eastern Hemlocks. They aren’t a common tree throughout Michigan, and especially not in the thumb. Part of that is because they need a healthy tree canopy above them to grow. 

Branigan describes the hemlock groves as dark and brooding, and Edmonds say that they’re a part of why Sand Point is his favorite property— in addition to its reliable five lined skink sightings. 

However, hemlocks face a threat in the hemlock woolly adelgid. 

 Edmonds shares how the conservancy monitors for the threat. “You’re actually trying to look specifically at like the undersides of the needles. And if you actually see, like at the base of the needles where they connect to the branches, it basically will look…almost like kind of a white cottony mass that starts to like develop at the base of the needles, under the branches.”

Thankfully, Sand Point hasn’t caught any sign of the harmful pest so far. Edmonds says that its more present in the west side of the state. 

But, if woolly adelgid does appear, there are ways to treat it if its detected early. “You can do like a treatment around the base where the, the roots will bring it up into the canopy of the tree and basically like eliminate the infestation.”

For now, he and other conservationists in the area maintain a careful watch. 

Safeguarding access to a healthy environment

Conserving a large undeveloped land like Sand Point provides space for recreation, mitigating effects and causes of climate change, and a place for wildlife to thrive. 

It’s also an education in nature. SBLC’s restoration and conservation efforts uplift their preserves as healthy ambassador landscapes, environments that serve as an example of what natural areas should be at their best. “While it does obviously serve an important purpose in and of itself, hopefully the people that come and visit our properties, across all the counties that we work in… take a little something home from that as well,” says Branigan. 

Additionally, it provides another place for people to fall in love with the environment.

Edmonds reflected on what it means to him as a new parent to see his daughter’s connection to nature grow. Although it’s more common to fall in love with the outdoors in one’s youth, he notes that it’s never too late for someone to click with nature. 

“Nature’s always here, and we want to be an entity that makes it be the case. We want nature to be here for people and then when they’re ready to receive it and you know, be a part of it and do what they can to protect it, then like that’s on them. But we just want to be facilitators for those times when they become receptive and ready for it.”

This story is a part of WDET’s Detroit Tree Canopy Project

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, cannabis attorney Lance Boldrey joins the show. He chats with WDET’s Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Alethia Kasben about how the 2026 state budget affects the cannabis industry.

Plus, Republican gubernatorial candidates had their first debate this week. We discuss a notable absence and the major themes of the debate.

In this episode:

• How does the wholesale tax on the marijuana industry affect businesses of different sizes?
• Reviewing the first Republican debate for Michigan’s 2026 gubernatorial race
• Which gubernatorial candidates have raised the most money so far?

Cannabis in the state budget

The 2026 state budget included a 24% tax increase on the marijuana market. The tax will be applied to the retailer’s sales regardless of other taxes already listed in the line of items of any marijuana invoice.

Boldrey, who focuses on cannabis cases at the law firm Dykema, says small businesses will be hit the hardest.

“I think the folks that get the most negatively impacted are the micro businesses, which are the social equity part of the industry, which are people that come in as craft producers. They don’t have any wholesale activity at all because everything is grown, processed and sold in the exact same location.”

Boldrey says these micro businesses can’t make a wholesale purchase or a wholesale sale, but they will have a wholesale tax on their production.

Reviewing the gubernatorial debate

At the Republican gubernatorial debate this week, there was a notable absence from U.S. Representative John James, who said he would not participate in these debates until the field was more settled. As of now, James is perceived as the frontrunner, but there may be risk with his approach.

He’s already upset some GOP delegates mad by skipping a different event organized by the state party. If he does win the primary, he may have to win those delegates back heading into the general election.

Also, campaign finance reports were due this week from all parties. Republican John James, Democrat Jocelyn Benson and Independent Mike Duggan have raised the most from donors in their campaigns so far.

The Carr Center is a hub for the visual and performing arts in Detroit focused on promoting and sharing the work of Black artists.  For the last 3 decades, it has thrived on collaborations with local community groups and organizations. 

The Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club is a local art enthusiast group that supports the fine arts in Metro Detroit. 

Recently, The Carr Center and Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club teamed up to present Bridges: Because of Them – Honoring the Past, Uplifting the Present, Shaping the Future. 

The show is curated by co-founder of Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club, Henry Harper, local art buyer Kendale L. Jones and multi-disciplinary artist Andre Reed Jr. 

Oliver Ragsdale Jr. is the CEO of the Carr Center and Henry Harper, the co-founder of Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club, and owner of Harper Galleries of Art and Interior.

Henry and Oliver joined The Metro to talk more about the exhibition and Detroit’s fine arts scene.

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

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

More stories from The Metro

The head of the FBI says agents thwarted a potential terrorist attack, arresting several people in Michigan this morning.  Bureau director Kash Patel offered no other details in an early morning post on X. 

The FBI says several people have been arrested.

Dearborn Police confirmed on Facebook that federal agents conducted operations in the city this morning, but the department says there’s no threat to the community.

Agents from the FBI and the ATF are going through homes in two Dearborn locations. Michigan State Police are also on scene.

This story is still developing. Our news team is working to keep readers updated with current verified information. Last edits made at 2:07 p.m. 10/31/25

General Motors says it’s laying off more than a thousand workers at its Detroit-Hamtramck electric vehicle plant due to weak demand.

The Detroit News reports GM is cutting production at Factory Zero to a single shift. It’s also cutting hundreds of jobs at EV battery plants in Ohio and Tennessee.

The layoffs follow the expiration of federal tax credits for EV buyers and pressure from the Trump administration to build more gasoline-powered cars and trucks. 

Additional headlines from Thursday, October 30, 2025

Detroit settles lawsuit over pedestrian death

The city of Detroit has agreed to pay nearly $6 million to settle a lawsuit over the death of a pedestrian who was struck by a bus. It was the second fatality involving the same driver since 2015.

A Wayne County judge signed off on the deal last week. Janice Bauer, 67, was hit by a city bus while walking in a downtown crosswalk in 2023. The driver, Geraldine Johnson, was sentenced to six months in jail a year ago after pleading no contest to a moving violation causing death.

– Reporting by AP 

DTE Energy net profit updates

DTE Energy is reporting net profits of $419 million in the third quarter of this year.  The earnings, not including non-recurring costs, hit $2.25 per share.  That beat Wall Street analysts’ expectations.  The company says it has invested $3 billion this year to improve electric and natural gas infrastructure. 

Short-term rental tax

A state House bill would let local governments ask voters to approve taxes on short-term rentals.

Republican Representative Mark Tisdel is one of the sponsors. He says communities are incurring costs that exceed existing tax revenue from rentals. 

“If you’re renting that out to different short-term renters all summer long, that’s their week on the beach to howl. And it creates a problem for the houses on either side, which creates a problem for the police. Those expenses have to be covered.” 

The Michigan Association of Realtors says it wants lawmakers to include limits on local regulations meant to shut out short term rentals.  

Honorary street signs

Detroit City Council approved several honorary street signs for local leaders and influencers, including Imam Abdullah El-Amin. El-Amin was a prominent faith leader in Detroit and co-founder of the Muslim Center of Detroit. 

Among other recipients are Reverend JoAnn Watson, Mudgie’s Deli founder Gregory Mudge, and Viola Liuzzo. 

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

Your spooky soundtrack to Halloween is returning to the WDET airwaves at 6 p.m. Friday, October 31.

Jon Moshier, host of Modern Music on WDET, produces his annual Halloween special with an ear for the classic and the offbeat.

This year’s blood-curdling setlist includes tracks from Bert Convy, Vincent Price & The Young Spirits, and Detroit’s own The Incurables. The radio special combines novelty music with radio theatre into a perfect radio companion for handing out candy to trick or treaters.

Jon Moshier spoke with The Metro’s David Leins about how he makes his selections, the pinnacle of spooky soundtrack LP’s and what to expect in this year’s special.

Hear Jon Moshier’s Halloween special on Friday, Oct. 31 from 6–8 p.m. on 101.9 FM, wdet.org/listen-live and in the WDET app.

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

More stories from The Metro

Update: Just hours after this segment aired, the Michigan Senate passed a measure that would put $71 million toward food assistance. Supporters say it wouldn’t take effect by Nov. 1 or cover all SNAP benefits, but it would help food banks bridge the gap in the meantime. The measure still needs approval from the House. (Reporting by Colin Jackson, MPRN)

The politics of food is personal, especially now.

It’s day 30 of the federal government shutdown, and key programs are grinding to a halt. One such program is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which helps more than 40 million Americans keep food on the table.

In Michigan, roughly 1.4 million residents rely on those benefits to stretch their grocery budgets. The federal pause means November’s payments could be delayed — a disruption that would ripple through the entire food system. Families will face the prospect of empty dinner tables, while local grocers, food co-ops, and urban farms brace for reduced spending. 

In Detroit, one person working to keep the city’s food systems healthy amid the uncertainty is Amanda Brezzell, co-founder and creative director of Fennigan’s Farms, an urban agriculture and community design studio devoted to food access, sustainability, and resilience.

Brezzell joined Robyn Vincent on The Metro to describe what she’s hearing from residents and what advocates are doing in real time.

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 Nov. 4, Dearborn residents will vote for mayor of the city. Current mayor Abdullah Hammoud is running for a second term against political newcomer, independent Nagi Almudhegi.

Dearborn voters elected the city’s first Arab American Muslim mayor, Abdullah Hammoud, in 2021. 

“It’s my hope that we’ve demonstrated that we have been able to make progress over these last four years, and we’re running for another term to continue on that progress,” he says.

Hammoud says during his nearly four years in office, crime has dropped significantly, and he’s helped bring in $100 million in grants to improve the city.

During his campaign in 2021, he organized volunteers to clean homes devastated by catastrophic floods. He says residents are still concerned about flooding.

“Each and every single time it rains, if it’s a heavy rain event, people are texting anxiously, asking what has been done to help prevent flooding and back up into people’s basements,” he says. 

The city has invested $25 million in capturing rainwater in short-term projects, hoping to attract another $400 million for long-term projects.

Machhadie Assi is a community organizer and political strategist. She says flooding caused by poor infrastructure concerns her.

“The Mayor and his team, they’ve been working tirelessly on improving it and developing it. I’m sure we’re not at a point where it’s perfect, but there’s definitely progress,” she shares.

Assi is raising her three kids in Dearborn. She says she’s voting for Hammoud.

“They’ve been always transparent on what they’re doing and what they’re working on and what’s in progress,” she says.

Assi says it’s a way to keep the administration accountable. 

Resident Maryam Hoballah says she appreciates Hammoud’s focus on creating more green spaces in the city.

“I have two young kids, and I just love that he’s renovating the parks, and he’s making it a safe environment for kids too,” she says. 

Hammoud says building parks and green spaces is a priority for him as a father. He says the city invested $30 million in parks and green spaces.

Back to the basics

Abdulnaser Alnajjar has been living in Dearborn for 17 years. He says the city has shifted away from helping residents with their basic needs. 

He says the city needs a new leader, “someone who cares actually to fix their real problem, not just bragging about grants and some parks that I personally don’t care about.” 

Alnajjar says the next mayor should focus on different issues like tax increases, garbage collection, traffic, and public safety.

He says the city also feels divided. 

“I do a lot of door knocking and the west side, and then they feel like that they’re not welcomed, they’ve been pushed [out] by the city and when you come to the East Side, the East Side, feel like the West Side is getting all the good services, and we just get the leftover[s].”

Alnajjar believes mayoral challenger Nagi Almudhegi brings a fresh perspective to city politics.

A fresh perspective 

Nagi Almudhegi has been working as an IT professional for 20 years. He says he’s running for Dearborn mayor as an independent candidate to bring change to the city. 

He’s also Arab American.

“These last few years is I see the direction of Dearborn deteriorating. We’re more divided than ever before,” he says.

For example, Almudhegi says more could have been done sooner to resolve the flooding in the city.

“What I would have done exactly within the first six months of getting into office, I would have issued a report,” he says.

If elected, Almudhegi says he wants to build a $1 million internship program for youth.

He also wants to attract more businesses.

“I want Dearborn to be known as the entrepreneurial hub and innovation hub of America, and we have the talent to do it,” he says. 

Mayor Abdullah Hammoud says the city invested a $25 million federal grant to improve Warren Avenue and launched the Night of Innovation to provide monetary prizes to businesses during a pitch competition.

“We are at over 100 ribbon cuttings this year,” he shares.

Recently, Hammoud has come under fire for telling resident Ted Barham he’s not welcome in Dearborn in response to a comment against a street sign bearing the name of Arab American newspaper publisher Osama Siblani. The sign was put up by Wayne County.

Nagi Almudhegi says he would have handled things differently by staying silent.

“As politicians, we can come up with statements that will try to defuse the situation,” he says.

Hammoud issued a response to the criticism at a city council meeting, saying everyone is welcome. 

“Those who call Dearborn home know who we are, a city that welcomes and embraces everyone. It is our hope that one day, the unity you actually find in Dearborn, amongst its residents, is the same unity and coexistence that you see across our entire nation,” he says.

Representation for Arab Americans

Ali Baleed Almaklani, Executive Director of the Yemen American Benevolent Association, has been living in Dearborn for more than 50 years. He says Dearborn has more Arab American representation in public office than it did prior.

“Listen, long time ago, we didn’t have nobody in the city council. We used to wish to have an Arab American, Muslim American, whatever, to be even in the city council,” he says.

Dearborn residents will have to decide whether they want to give Abdullah Hammoud another four years in office or want a new leader to bring a different viewpoint to the city.

Election day is Tuesday, November 4th.

More election coverage

Update: Just hours after this segment aired, the Michigan Senate passed a measure that would put $71 million toward food assistance. Supporters say it wouldn’t take effect by Nov. 1 or cover all SNAP benefits, but it would help food banks bridge the gap in the meantime. The measure still needs approval from the House. (Reporting by Colin Jackson, MPRN)

The federal shutdown has migrated from Washington to the dinner tables of Michigan families.

The federal shutdown began October 1, after Congress failed to pass a new budget to fund government operations. The stalemate centers on disputes over spending levels and policy riders, including aid to Ukraine and domestic program cuts. In the meantime, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has warned states that November SNAP benefits may be delayed. If nothing changes, families could find no new funds on their EBT cards when the month begins.

In Michigan, roughly 1.4 million people—about one in seven residents— rely on the aid once known as food stamps to help cover groceries.

State leaders are scrambling. 

In Lansing, Democrats are drafting a short-term plan: one option would front limited state dollars to keep benefits flowing or to bolster food banks until Congress and the White House break the stalemate. 

Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks is at the center of that push, pressing federal officials to move faster even as the USDA says it won’t tap contingency funds for November. 

She is pointing blame at Republicans because they control Congress, calling this impending crisis “a weaponization of hunger.”

In a conversation with The Metro’s Robyn Vincent, Brinks discussed Michigan’s next steps, and the need for federal action to keep dinner on the table.

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

Next week, the Hamtramck will residents will elect a new mayor. 

That’s because the outgoing mayor, Amer Ghalib was picked to be the Kuwait ambassador. His Senate confirmation is stalling because of a positive remark he made about Saddam Hussein, liking a social media post comparing Jews to monkeys, and for his refusal to condemn Hamas’ attacks on Israeli civilians. 

Still, in Hamtramck, residents have a choice of who they want to be the next mayor. Those candidates include Adam Alharbi, Hamtramck City Council Member Muhith Mahmood, and write-in candidate Lynn Blasey.

WDET reporter Nargis Rahman reported on the race, and joined The Metro to discuss.

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.

More stories from The Metro

Detroit voters will elect two at-large city council candidates from a field of four.

Incumbents Coleman Young II and Mary Waters are on the ballot with former council member Janeé Ayers. The fourth candidate is James Harris. He’s the Detroit Fire Department‘s Community Relations Chief.

Why is he running?

Harris says winning would fulfill a dream he’s had since a city councilman came to his elementary school and spoke to his fifth grade class.

“He made us feel like our voice counted,” Harris says. “And I said one day I want to serve the citizens in that capacity.

Harris is the only at-large candidate without council experience. He says that’s not necessarily a disadvantage.

“The majority of people say we need some fresh blood in there,” he says. “The city always needs to change.”

One change Harris says he wants is to make it easier for new businesses to start up in Detroit. He says it’s frustrating for many entrepreneurs to cut through red tape.

“I’d make it a simple one-stop shop,” he says. “You get your certificates, you get all your compliance done, bam! You’re ready to go.”

Public safety matters

Harris has been a Detroit firefighter for 28 years. He says that experience is something his opponents do not have. He also says public safety starts with the citizens.

“You can’t have a police officer on every corner, every block, every house, but you do have citizens,” Harris says. “When you build that bridge with the citizens, with community violence intervention, it works.”

Harris says he does not want to see the National Guard policing the city.

“We have one of the best police departments in the world,” he says. “Our police officers, our citizens, our block clubs have a relationship.”

His vision: an affordable, walkable city

Harris says one way to increase affordable housing in Detroit is to lower property taxes. Another is to keep building housing projects that working class people can buy. He also wants to make Detroit more walkable. Harris says people should be able to walk to work, school, church, and recreation centers safely.

“I will work with the eight other council members to see what we could do to have more walkable communities.”

Election Day is Nov. 4, 2025.

More election coverage

Happy Halloweekend! Below are four free celebrations happening around the city this week, from public trunk-or-treating to EDM dance parties. Plus, new exhibitions highlighting world-renowned artists and niche local legends. Read on to learn more.

Upcoming events

DaVinci: The Exhibition

  The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn

  Sunday, Oct. 26 through May 2026

  $25.50–$34 (free for museum members and children 4 and under)

A detailed exploration of Leonardo da Vinci’s discoveries in art, engineering, science, flight and more. The 7,500-square-foot exhibition features 65 full-scale models of his inventions, 20 fine art studies of his masterpieces like “Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper,” in-depth explanations of his discoveries, interactive machines, and multimedia materials that illuminate his creative and scientific processes. The exhibition is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is included in museum admission.

Halloween Programming on WDET

  Online and on the air

  Friday, Oct. 31

  Free

Let WDET be the soundtrack to all your Halloween festivities this year. You can listen to special episodes of The Detroit Move (aired Oct. 28), Alternate Take (aired Oct. 30) and more on-demand using the WDET mobile app. Plus, tune in live on Oct. 31 from 6–8 p.m. to hear an encore broadcast of Jon Moshier’s award-winning Halloween Radio Special on 101.9 FM.

Halloween at The Station

  The Station at Michigan Central in Detroit

  Friday, Oct. 31

  Free

An outdoor Halloween celebration featuring trunk-or-treating, spooky science demonstrations, arts and craft stations, photo booths, and cider and donuts. Complimentary parking is available in the Bagley Mobility Hub and the event is free and open to the public. Festivities are rain or shine and go from 5–9 p.m.

Fridays at The Station: Halloween Edition

  The Station at Michigan Central in Detroit

  Friday, Oct. 31

  Free

An indoor Halloween-themed edition of Fridays at the Station, curated by DJ Dez Andrés, featuring live performances by Gabriel Duran Band, DJ Cisco, Motor City Street Dance Academy and painter demaciiio. Costumes are encouraged, but masks are not permitted inside The Station. Space is limited so admission will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis. Festivities go from 5–10 p.m.

Harloween: A Filipino Day of the Dead Party

  Detroit Public Library – Main Branch

  Saturday, Nov. 1

  Free

A celebration blending Halloween with Day of the Dead, featuring a dance party and DJ sets from Filipino EDM artist With Love, Harlow and Erika.Irie. This joyful event is a time to hold space for ancestors and lost loved ones while enjoying music and community. Festivities go from 2–5 p.m.

Mythic Chaos: 50 Years of Destroy All Monsters

  Cranbrook Art Museum in Bloomfield Hills

  Sunday, Nov. 2 through March 2026

  $8–$12 (free on Thursdays and for children 12 and under)

An exhibition highlighting the wide-ranging works of Ann Arbor-based artist collective Destroy All Monsters, formed by Cary Loren, Mike Kelley, Jim Shaw and Niagara in 1974. The collective served as an outlet for young creatives to explore rebellious interests in the post-hippie, pre-punk era. The exhibit features iconic posters, zines, photographs, collages, films, drawings and banners selected from the DAM archive. The exhibition is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (8 p.m. on Thursdays) and is included in museum admission.

Haas Brothers: Uncanny Valley

  Cranbrook Art Museum in Bloomfield Hills

  Sunday, Nov. 2 through February 2026

  $8–$12 (free on Thursdays and for children 12 and under)

The first mid-career survey for artistic duo and twin brothers Nikolai and Simon Haas, whose work combines art, craft, design and technology. The exhibition includes examples of their artistic journey over the last 15 years, exploring themes related to nature, fantasy, the subconscious and the human experience. The exhibition is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (8 p.m. on Thursdays) and is included in museum admission.