The race for the U.S. Senate in Michigan is heating up.
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed declared Thursday morning he is running for the state’s open Senate seat next year.
El-Sayed, who is running as a Democrat, previously served as the head of the Department of Health and Human Services for Wayne County. Before that, he ran for governor in 2018 and lost in the primary to now-Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
El-Sayed joined The Metro on Thursday to discuss why he is running, how his experience as a doctor and scientist inform his vision as a political leader, and what he sees as the most pressing issues facing Michiganders.
Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
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WDET’s CuriosiD series answers your questions about everything Detroit. Subscribe to CuriosiD on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.
In this episode of CuriosiD, we answer the question:
“What happens to old fire trucks in Detroit?”
Fire trucks are among the most recognizable vehicles on the road. They’re big, red, loud, and built to respond when lives are on the line. But what happens when these machines are retired from service?
WDET listener and Detroit Fire Department cadet Kevin Snook reached out to CuriosiD to find out.
“I have family that are first responders,” Snook told WDET. “My dad was a cop for many years, but I decided to take a different route right out of high school, and that led me to the fire service. I’ve been seeing a lot of different trucks at the stations and started wondering — where do they all go when they’re retired?”
The short answer
There’s no single answer, but the journey of a fire truck after its last alarm can take a few surprising turns.
Not every retired not every fire truck finds a second home.
Fire trucks have deep roots in Michigan’s automotive past
Detroit has long been home to some of the most well-known fire truck brands in the country. That includes Spartan Motors, based in Charlotte, Michigan, and Seagrave Fire Apparatus, which started in Rochester in the 1800s.
Seagrave is the oldest continuously operating fire apparatus manufacturer in the country.
“Fredrick Seagrave originally made ladders for apple picking,” said David Egeler, director of operations at the Michigan Firehouse Museum in Ypsilanti. “His equipment became popular, and his business grew so much that he moved into the city in 1881.”
Seagrave later moved to Columbus, Ohio, and now operates out of Wisconsin. It’s the oldest continuously operating fire apparatus manufacturer in the country, and many older rigs in metro Detroit still bear the Seagrave name.
The Michigan Firehouse Museum maintains 15 vintage fire trucks, all in running condition. Some of them still roll out for local parades and events.
“When Michigan won the national football championship and had their parade in Ann Arbor, we took three of our fire trucks,” Egeler says. “Coach Harbaugh, team captains, and staff rode on them.”
Members of the Michigan Firehouse Museum and University of Michigan football team, including head coach Jim Harbaugh, at the Wolverine’s championship victory parade in 2024.
Some end up in collections, others are scrapped
There’s a collector’s market for fire trucks, much like classic cars. Egeler says some retired firefighters buy trucks they once worked with, while others look for specific models or brands.
The Detroit Firemen's Fund Association restored a 1937 Seagrave safety sedan into a hearse for fallen firefighters.
The sedan was completely rebuilt inside, while retaining it's vintage exterior.
A second life in service of remembrance
One notable exception is a restored 1937 Seagrave safety sedan used by the Detroit Firemen’s Fund Association.
“Traditionally, we’d place a firefighter’s casket on top of a fire engine during funeral processions,” says John Bozich, a trustee with the association. “But modern trucks are too large for that.”
To honor fallen firefighters in a more fitting way, the group restored the 1937 sedan. It looks original from the outside, but inside, it’s a complete rebuild —new engine, wheels, transmission, and frame.
There’s a collector’s market for fire trucks, much like classic cars.
“There were less than 100 made and Detroit bought 93 of them,” says Arnie Nowicki — a retired Detroit fire chief who helped lead the restoration project. “Those apparatus became known world-wide as the Detroit safety sedan.”
The $300,000 restoration, funded through donations and volunteer work, now allows the vehicle to be used for funerals throughout the region.
“Where the hoses used to go in the back, that’s where the casket is placed,” Bozich said. “There’s also room for pallbearers inside.”
Mark Bilancetti, a machinist with the Detroit Fire Department, was one of the first volunteers to help with the restoration and has maintained the vehicle ever since.
“It’s been a labor of love,” Bilancetti said. “We let the firefighter’s children or grandchildren ride up front, ring the bell, step on the siren. It means a lot to families.”
So where do fire trucks go when they retire?
Most are scrapped or sold off, but some live on for decades as museum pieces, collector items, or tools of remembrance.
“It’s easier to celebrate a firefighter’s life when you can take them to their final resting place in something that meant so much,” Bilancetti said.
Inside the converted 1937 Seagrave safety sedan.
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Last month, the U.S. government deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a native of El Salvador who has lived in Maryland for the past 15 years — ignoring a federal court order forbidding his removal.
Garcia, who was detained for alleged association with the MS-13 gang, is now being detained at the Center for Terrorism Confinement in El Salvador. And the Trump administration insists it’s not required to engage El Salvador’s government to bring him back.
Trump’s defiance of court orders at the national level, is also having a local impact.
University of Michigan law professor, legal analyst and former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, Barbara McQuade, returned to The Metro to discuss this defiance to court orders by the Trump administration.
Editor’s note: The Metro reached out to Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall and Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt. We have yet to hear back from them.
Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.
More stories from The Metro on Wednesday, April 16:
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
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Detroit’s musical legacy has left an undeniable mark on the industry. The city gave the world Motown and icons like Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin — artists who reshaped modern music. And we can’t forget Detroit’s role in the rise of techno, born from the basements of Belleville and stretched across the globe.
But no one flipped the game quite like producer and artist James Dewitt Yancey — best known as J Dilla.
Dilla wasn’t just a producer, he was a visionary whose beat-making style redefined hip-hop and R&B. With his MPC3000, he crafted soulful, off-kilter rhythms that broke the rules — and built new ones.
His touch can be felt in the music of Common, The Roots, Erykah Badu, A Tribe Called Quest, and Detroit’s own Slum Village, the group he helped form. Tracks like “The Light” by Common and “Runnin’” by The Pharcyde showcase his genius. And even now, nearly two decades after his passing, artists and producers still study his sound.
J Dilla died from lupus in 2006 at just 32 years old. Still, his sound lives on. From Detroit to Tokyo, Dilla’s music continues to inspire.
Feb. 7 — Yancey’s birthday — was recently designated “Dilla Day” by the city of Detroit. The city also renamed a street in his honor at the corner of Nevada and Charest. And this Thursday, Pershing High School — his alma mater — is hosting an event to celebrate his life and raise awareness about lupus.
Dilla is survived by his two daughters, Ja’Mya Yancey and Ty-Monae Whitlow.
Joylette Hunter, Ja’Mya’s mother and public relations developer for the James Dewitt Yancey Estate, and hip-hop educator Quan Neloms joined The Metro on Wednesday to discuss the event and reflect on Dilla’s legacy.
Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.
More stories from The Metro on Wednesday, April 16:
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
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WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today »
He delivered the news Tuesday in a campaign video, saying the state should eliminate the income tax and promote right to work measures. He also says Michigan schools should “teach A-B-C’s not DEI.”
Cox was elected as Attorney General in 2002, serving in the role until 2011. He ran for governor in 2010, but finished in third place in the Republican primary.
Other Republicans who have declared their candidacy for next year’s gubernatorial race include Congressman John James, state Sen. Aric Nesbitt and former U.S. House candidate Anthony Hudson. Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson are seeking the Democratic nomination in the August primary, and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is running as an independent.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer can’t run again because of term limits.
Other headlines for Wednesday, April 16, 2025:
Dearborn mayor Abdullah Hammoud delivered his annual State of the City address Tuesday night at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center.
Detroit Deputy Mayor Malia Howard joined other city officials and residents Wednesday morning to celebrate the success of the Detroit Land Bank Authority. The agency has helped to rehab more than 12,000 vacant houses in the city since 2014.
The schedule has just been released for the Detroit Pistons’ first round playoff games. The team will play the New York Knicks on Saturday in Manhattan. Game one starts at 6 p.m. Game two is also in New York at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, with games three and four to be held in Detroit.
Detroit broadcaster Guy Gordon is no longer on the air at WJR after he was released by the radio station as part of cost reductions.
Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.
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Went hard on Mogwai today and their excellent new album “The Bad Fire” (plus some throwbacks from their catalog) ahead of their tour stop at St. Andrew’s Hall in Detroit.
Twenty years ago, I saw them at the same venue! I was underage, sneaking beers and a buddy got kicked out, but I managed to stay and finish the show. It was one of the best live shows I’ve ever seen and a completely cemented musical memory that I’ll never forget, so I’m really looking forward to that tonight.
Plus a fond farewell to reggae legend Max Romeo, new music from Vegyn (remixing Air), Jadu Heart, Black Country, New Road, The Bug Club, Lily Talmers and more.
Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.
In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for April 16, 2025
“Boys in the Better Land” – Fontaines D.C.
“How to Be a Confidante” – The Bug Club
“Jealous Boy” – The Bug Club
“Just Like Heaven” – The Cure
“God Gets You Back” – Mogwai
“Kelly Watch the Stars (Vegyn Version)” – Vegyn & Air
“Roygbiv” – Boards of Canada
“So Easy” – Röyksopp
“The Divine Chord (feat. MGMT & Johnny Marr)” – The Avalanches
“Got To Keep On” – Chemical Brothers
“I Just Can’t Take The Risk” – Saint Saviour, Jadu Heart
“Gone Till November (feat. New York Philharmonic)” – Wyclef Jean
“Sonny Jr. (Dreams) [feat. Robert Glasper & Dwele]” – Black Milk
“Feed The Fire” – Geri Allen, Lenny White & Palle Danielsson
“Côte D’ivoire” – Yoni Mayraz
“TNT” – Tortoise
“The Big Idea” – Lily Talmers
“Hog of the Forsaken (Chris Bathgate / Live On WDET Session)” – Michael Hurley
“Common Blue” – Warpaint
“Ritchie Sacramento” – Mogwai
“A.M. 180” – Grandaddy
“Hunted By a Freak” – Mogwai
“ASR (feat. Jeff Parker)” – Meshell Ndegeocello
“Eja (Dave Okumu Remix)” – Monzanto Sound
“Under The Pressure” – The War On Drugs
“They Came in Peace” – Tranquility Bass
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.
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Tens of thousands of immigrant children — including hundreds in Michigan — came to the U.S. fleeing gangs, human trafficking or trying to re-unite with family members.
Nonprofit groups supplied attorneys to help keep the children here, some so young they need a teddy bear to calm them when they testify in immigration court.
That’s hitting the nonprofit Michigan Immigrant Rights Center (MIRC) hard.
Christine Sauve, manager of policy and communication for MIRC, told WDET the group has to make severe cuts in key areas.
Listen: Michigan Immigrant Rights group shares repercussions of federal funding cuts
The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.
Christine Sauve, Michigan Immigrant Rights Center: We did lose federal funding for two of our programs. One is the help desk in immigration court. We had previously received a stop-work order on that program. There was a court order for us to return to services and then just last week, the federal government terminated the contract completely. There is continued litigation on that. However, the funding has been terminated for now. The other program is our unaccompanied children’s program. We provide legal representation and “Know your rights” information to all immigrant children in Michigan in court proceedings. Unfortunately, that program had received a stop-work order. Then it was lifted too. But the contract was terminated at the end of March. There was litigation filed in that case as well. And unfortunately, to date, the Trump administration has not followed the court’s orders. Payment has not been made for those services, and due to the financial pressure from the loss of both of those contracts, we’ve had to lay off 72 staff in our five offices across the state. We will still have our small help desk team, five individuals operating outside of the Detroit immigration court. We have 49 staff remaining distributed in our five offices across the state.
Quinn Klinefelter, WDET News: In terms of what the administration is supposed to do according to the courts, have they ordered them to fund you guys and they are simply not?
CS: In the unaccompanied children’s case, the hearings are ongoing. But after the last judge’s order to return to services, the government has not complied with those orders. There has been no payment and no communication with the contractor. We are a subcontractor for the services. There’s been no communication, no follow through, no intention shown to provide payment for the services. So without the federal funding coming in we were left with very difficult pressures to continue our services as best we can. What we do know is that under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, a bipartisan act passed by Congress decades ago, it acknowledged the unique vulnerability of children and actually codified the federal government’s obligation and responsibilities to ensure that unaccompanied children have legal representation so they’re not facing that risk of deportation without due process, without a chance for a fair hearing in court.
“Most unaccompanied children are eligible for permanent status and other forms of relief under current U.S. law. But they can’t access that relief without an attorney to help make their case in court. It’s so heartbreaking because children just cannot meaningfully navigate immigration court alone. We don’t expect children to do that in any other court process in America.”
– Christine Sauve, Michigan Immigrant Rights Center
There was a recognition that it could not be a fair hearing if the child did not have an attorney or representation. Most unaccompanied children are eligible for permanent status and other forms of relief under current U.S. law. But they can’t access that relief without an attorney to help make their case in court. It’s so heartbreaking because children just cannot meaningfully navigate immigration court alone. We don’t expect children to do that in any other court process in America.
QK: At times some unaccompanied kids try to get a sponsor in the U.S., perhaps a family member, after they arrive here. There’s concerns from some sponsors now about doing that going forward, because some of their own personal information could be revealed that didn’t used to have to be. How is that process unfolding?
CS: The Trump administration had authorized information-sharing between agencies. There’s something known as the “foundational rule” for the unaccompanied children’s program. It previously stated that information about sponsors’ immigration status could not be shared with other federal agencies, in particular Immigration, Customs and Enforcement. This administration has changed course to permit sharing of sponsor immigration status with law enforcement, specifically for the purposes of achieving their goals of mass deportation. They are looking at all avenues to do so. And unfortunately, it affects some of the most vulnerable of our community members, the children who are placed in those homes. They’ve been placed with family or relatives that they know and trust. Removing the sponsor would affect the health and outcomes for the child as well. So that is challenging our work right now.
QK: With your current situation, while you still watch what’s going on with the litigation that’s underway, where do you guys go from here? How badly understaffed are you? Is it going to affect your mission tremendously as you go forward?
CS: The capacity will be lowered but we will not stop representing the children that we currently have in our caseload. We currently have 800 cases that are still proceeding. We’ll have a small team focusing on those cases for the next nine months to complete as many of them as we can. But unfortunately, we won’t be able to accept any new children’s cases for the foreseeable future. We have done a fair amount of fundraising. But there’s a reason that public funded services exist and it is because often other entities are unable to provide that level of funding. We have been very busy over the past couple of months reaching out to as many foundations and private donors as possible to raise the funds to have this small team continue over the next nine months. I don’t think with the current funding we have available at the moment we could continue that beyond nine months.
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Detroit’s General Service Department is looking to increase the tree canopy across the city to improve citizens’ quality of life. The department is accepting requests from residents for tree plantings in their neighborhoods.
The free program is open to residents and small businesses to plant a tree on the berm in front of their property.
Savion Stephens, tree planting program manager for the city of Detroit, says trees can help improve residents’ quality of life.
“And what that looks like is improving air quality over time, conserving water, reducing soil erosion, filtering runoff, reducing flooding, and even things like lowering energy costs and raising property values,” he said.
Trees are also known to trap pollutants such as dirt, ash, pollen and smoke which can help those with asthma.
Stephens says the city plants over 50 different species of tree throughout the city.
“They’re primarily urban tolerant trees for public and private property, including some native species like oak and elm,” he said.
The planting process involves three phases: utility marking, tree location marking, and tree planting. Eligibility for a tree is assessed based on site conditions, including utility lines and soil quality.
The city has planted up to 14,000 trees annually through this program.
Residents who would like to request a tree must fill out this form.
Detroit’s five reasons to plant a tree
Clean air. Trees absorb pollutants and improve air quality, reducing respiratory issues.
Cooler summer. A single tree can lower temperatures by up to 10°, providing shade and cutting cooling costs.
Stronger neighborhoods. Tree-lined streets increase property values and create a more welcoming community.
Flood prevention. Trees absorb excess rainwater, reducing the risk of street flooding.
Wildlife Habitat. Trees support birds, bees, and other beneficial wildlife, keeping our ecosystem balanced.
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WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
What a loud, fun, gnarly night! Several members from a wide array of local punk bands stopped by the studio during my night shift to talk about the upcoming Spring Stunr Fest, happening this weekend at the Lager House!
This is the third annual Spring Stunr, and now that you’ve seen me write it stylistically twice, you’ll know it’s not a typo. But it’s going to be quite the “stunner” for sure when groups like 3 The Hard Way, Wild Shape and Lansing-based Rot Knot take the stage for this “DIY Femme-Punk Bonanza!”
I was joined, in full, by members of nearly every band on the line-up, including 3 The Hard Way, Meek, Sea Hag, Pillow Princess, and — driving all the way in from Lansing — Rot Knot; Wild Shape didn’t make it in-person but we did play one of their songs to close out the night.
On the show, organizer Jenny Lees described Spring Stunr as “an intersectional femme-punk fest showcasing Michigan femme-punks and anyone who supports them, and everyone is invited! It’s a really great event for anyone who is femme, or punk, or who loves them and who wants to support the scene.”
There will also be vendors, as well as all of these aforementioned bands, nestled into the Lager House, this Friday night, starting at 7 p.m. Find more info here. You can also follow Spring Stunr on Instagram.
Along with all of my special guests, I also looked ahead to the upcoming Corktown Music Festival, which will be hosted next weekend inside of several venues throughout the Corktown neighborhood, and particularly along Michigan Avenue. This three-day festival showcases a wide spectrum of styles, with everything from punk to folk with a splash of country and a big helping of rock, indie, punk and beyond. Initially founded in 2022 with intent on filling what-was-then a bit of a void in the local music calendar, this ongoing fest has continually donated proceeds to a nonprofit, and this year ticket sales will benefit Passenger Recovery!
Other special tidbits on this week’s MI Local were premieres from local punk groups like Gerber & the Babies, the latest from longtime local rockers Mystery Math, and new shoegaze and dream-pop from Ann Arbor’s Petalwave.
See the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.
MI LocalPlaylist for April 15, 2025
“Attention” – Gerber & the Babies
“Convenience Over Destiny” – Mystery Math
“Vagabond” – Vampire Cowgirl
“Secrets” – Kat Steih
“Heat Dome” – Doogatron
“Tightrope” – The Boreouts
“Nothing to Say” – Fen Fen
“Decomposer” – The High Strung
“Wreck Lanes” – The Casper Fight Scene
“If You Get Lost” – Petalwave
“blight” – meek
“Melted Numb” – Rot Knot
“eventually” – 3 The Hard Way
“Girlfriend” – Wild Shape
Support the shows you love.
WDET’s unique music programs are dedicated to exploring the music and culture of our region and the world.
But tariffs, and how Michigan is navigating economic uncertainty, were also a focus at the White House and the DEC event.
Auto suppliers are concerned that Trump’s tariffs will devastate their businesses, driving up the cost of cars and reducing sales. And this is important in Michigan where the auto industry makes up about 20% of our economy.
WDET reporter Bre’Anna Tinsley attended the DEC event, held at MotorCity Casino’s Sound Board Theater. She joined The Metro on Tuesday to discuss Whitmer’s remarks.
Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today »
Crowds at Detroit Metro Airport recently cheered and sang as four children from Gaza arrived in wheelchairs. The children are amputees and are among thousands in Gaza who have lost limbs from Israeli bombardments.
Now, they face severe, life-altering injuries.
The Israel-Hamas war in Gaza has made that tiny part of the world — which is roughly the same geographical size as Detroit — home to the highest number of amputee children per capita.
The World Health Organization says this crisis of child amputees is especially dire because these kids have little access to medical care. Israeli air strikes have decimated what was an already fragile medical system. Many children who have lost their limbs must have surgery without anesthesia, according to the United Nations.
Steve Sosebee is trying to do something about that. He orchestrates complex plans to evacuate and treat Gazan kids through his organization HEAL Palestine — including the four children who arrived at Detroit Metro Airport on April 13.
He joined The Metro on Tuesday along with HEAL Palestine volunteer Yasmeen Hamed, a Dearborn Heights mother who has opened her home to multiple young Palestinians who have arrived in the U.S. for treatment after experiencing intense pain and trauma.
Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today »
WDET will celebrate the life of one of its musical pioneers this Saturday at the Garden Theater.
Adams, a former program director and host at WDET for more than 30 years, died in December of 2024. During her time at the station, Adams pushed the boundaries of music programming on the radio in Detroit. Her shows Morphogenisis and The Judy Adams Show were known for mixing genres and blending musical styles, curating an eclectic listening experience for her many fans.
As the station’s program director, she encouraged the music hosts to experiment and many of the music programs on WDET that followed have adopted the “Judy Adams style.”
Metro Producer Cary Junior II spoke with Adams’ son, Anthony Minnie, and Essential Music host Ann Delisi about Adams’ work and how her legacy will continue at WDET.
Saturday’s event will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. and feature music inspired by Adams’ radio shows, DJed by Ismael Ahmed — host of WDET’s This Island Earth. “Sean Blackman and Friends” will also perform music honoring Adams’ love of global music and rhythms, and artist Jon Strand will share an visual art set to original music composed and performed by Adams.
WDET is also creating the Judy Adams’ Music Internship, helping foster the education and career development of students with a passion for music, education, community service and radio.
For more information about Saturday’s event or to RSVP, visit wdet.org/events.
Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today »
Always a good day when we’ve got a fresh Tall Black Guy flip to explore alongside new music from Cousin Kula, Smerz, Flying Vipers, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, SHOLTO, Clea Vincent & Via Mardot, HAIM, Bon Iver, Durand Jones & the Indications and more.
Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.
In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for April 15, 2025
“Too High” – Stevie Wonder
“Never Come Down” – Tall Black Guy x Stevie Wonder
“Work This Time” – King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
“Backline” – Butcher Brown
“Nautilus (Mawtilus)” – Nuyorican Soul
“Yeah Yeah” – Will Sessions
“The Sunrise Fool” – SHOLTO
“Bugs” – Jamila Woods
“Wish I Didn’t Miss You (Dragutesku Edit)” – Angie Stone
“Vitamin C” – Can
“Pali Gap” – Jimi Hendrix
“O Sapo” – João Gilberto
“Nuit Magnétique” – Clea Vincent & Via Mardot
“Another Day” – Los Hermanos & Soul Saver
“Relationships” – HAIM
“Day One (feat. Dijon & Flock of Dimes)” – Bon Iver
“Are You Even Real” – Teddy Swims & GIVĒON
“The Line” – D’Angelo
“Black Hole Sun” – bigboihums
“Run” – Madison McFerrin & Bobby McFerrin
“She Cleans Up” – Father John Misty
“My Fun” – Suki Waterhouse
“18 Cigarettes” – Duck Ltd.
“Wire” – OMNI
“Been So Long” – Durand Jones & The Indications & Aaron Frazer
“The World Is A Ghetto” – War
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.
Support the shows you love.
WDET’s unique music programs are dedicated to exploring the music and culture of our region and the world. Keep the music going. Please make a gift today. Give now »
This is the third time the Detroit Democrat has run against Thanedar for the 13th Congressional District seat, which includes portions of Detroit, Hamtramck, Highland Park and Grosse Pointe.
“I’m going to earn your support because people making decisions for our community should be a part of our community. I have a lot to say about where our representatives should be doing to actually improve our lives, building more homes, getting a break on childcare, and finally, a tax cut for real people, not the millionaires and certainly not the billionaires,” he said in his announcement Monday on social media.
“We screwed up — [I] trusted someone I shouldn’t have to help get our campaign on the ballot. The end result was, I let people down,” Hollier said in his announcement. “…and I’m pissed about it.”
Hollier also ran in 2022 but finished behind Thanedar in that crowded primary race.
Other headlines for Tuesday, April 15, 2025:
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has declared April 11-17 as Black Maternal Health Week. She says the declaration is just one part of an effort to address the systemic disparities in health care that lead to higher risks of death for Black women during pregnancy and childbirth.
Detroit’s young entrepreneurs are invited to a kickoff party on Wednesday at the Love Building for NextUp313. The program is run through City Council Member Mary Waters’ office and is focused on making residents between the ages of 18-30 aware of entrepreneurial opportunities, including small business development.
The Detroit Historical Society is hosting the Honorable Robert L Wilkins for a talk about his 2016 book, “Long Road to Hard Truth: The 100 Year Mission to Create the National Museum of African American History and Culture.” The free event will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. this Saturday, April 19.
Detroit’s District 3 residents are invited to a block club workshop focused on sharing skills to organize and run a block club at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 16, at the SAY Detroit Play Center, 19320 Van Dyke Ave. This week’s focus will be on preparing to participate in the Motor City Makeover.
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There are not enough affordable housing units in Detroit, but the city and community members are working to change that.
The Campbell Street Apartments is a new $18 million affordable housing development in Southwest Detroit’s East Chadsey-Condon neighborhood.
Leading the charge of the project is MiSide Community Impact Network. The nonprofit works to provide resources for entire communities to create stability for people.
MiSide and Detroit officials broke ground late 2023 to bring the housing complex to the community. A ribbon cutting ceremony for the new development is taking place with Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and community partners on Thursday.
President and CEO of MiSide Community Impact Network Sean De Four joined The Metro to discuss how the organization is working to create affordable housing in Detroit.
Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
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The Department of Natural Resources says an untold number of trees and power poles snapped or fell over under the weight of an inch or more of ice. Some landed on people’s houses, causing roof damage.
Some trees look like toothpicks
DNR Incident Response Team spokesperson Kathleen Lavey says the coating was so thick it bent pine trees out of shape.
“And we have hardwood trees that have lost a lot of their top branches due to the weight of the ice,” she said. “It’s kind of shocking when you’re looking at it.”
Lavey says people traveling north on I-75 between Gaylord and Mackinaw City will see many broken trees this spring.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency in 12 counties where thousands of homes and businesses lost power for several days. She also mobilized the Michigan National Guard to help the DNR and local authorities remove fallen trees and branches from hundreds of miles of roads.
An ice storm brought down trees and damaged roofs in northern Michigan.
Lavey says DNR staff showed Guard members how to use chain saws to clear large tree trunks.
“Our No. 1 goal is to get trees out of the roadways so that people can drive as needed, especially for emergency purposes, and so kids could go back to school,” she said.
Things have mostly returned to normal up north, but the ice storm’s impact will last for weeks, maybe months.
The DNR has temporarily closed many state parks, trails and campgrounds. The agency expects to reopen them in time for the tourism season.
More fuel for wildfires
The amount of tree debris on the ground has also raised concerns about of wildfires in northern Michigan. The DNR responded to almost two dozen wildfires in mid-April. Lavey says as trunks and branches dry out, they provide extra fuel for wildfires. Insects and disease are another concern.
“A tree that has damage to its bark is more susceptible to like a fungal infection or to insects penetrating the tree, and we do have some concerns about forest health that we’re also going to be trying to address,” she said.
Lavey also warns people to watch for loose branches hanging in trees.
“The old loggers back in the day used to call them widow-makers,” she said. “If one landed on you, you were done.”
Forests will recover
Lavey says the ice storm has changed the appearance of Michigan’s forests, but their resilience ensures they’ll recover.
“Forests are used to having a reset every now and then,” she said. “They will persevere, and we will help them.”
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Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she was caught by surprise last week to walk into the Oval Office for a meeting with President Donald Trump to find she was in a televised press conference.
She told the Detroit Economic Club that people ask “what was going through your mind at that moment and it was ‘I don’t want my picture taken.’ That’s all it was. I kind of wish I hadn’t put a folder in front of my face, but whatever.”
But Whitmer said she was also able to express her concern about tariff fights with Canada, which is Michigan’s largest trading partner.
“I do think that all of that is taking a toll on the relationship,” she said. “It’s one that I recognize is incredibly important to us as people and as Michiganders and to our economy. I’m going to do everything I can to keep it strong, but there’s no question it’s having a negative impact.”
Whitmer said she has been in touch with Ottawa Premier Doug Ford on the situation.
Whitmer also told the group she remains “in productive conversations” on getting a road funding deal with state legislative Republicans. She told the group her negotiation lines are setting money aside for economic development and not cutting funding for public safety.
That drew a rebuke from a key Republican lawmaker, who said cuts to public safety and housing are not part of the proposal the House GOP put on the table.
“We understand the importance and necessity of a bipartisan effort to get anything passed through our divided Legislature and ultimately signed into law without a veto from our Democrat governor,” said Rep. Pat Outman (R-Six Lakes), who chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. “We believe there is a compromise out there, and we are eager to find it before one more tire falls victim to a Michigan pothole.”
Regardless, a major sticking point in road funding negotiations is Whitmer’s desire to maintain a business attraction fund to help finalize economic development deals.
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The major highlights here are Bon Iver’s stunning new album (featuring Flock of Dimes, Dijon and Danielle Haim, just to name a few), plus new music discoveries from Smerz, Tirzah, Kelela, Lady Wray and more.
Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.
In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for April 14, 2025
“If Only I Could Wait (feat. Danielle Haim)” – Bon Iver
“Day One (feat. Dijon & Flock of Dimes)” – Bon Iver
“S.N.C.” – Darkside
“Aruna” – DJ Koze
“You got time and I got money” – Smerz
“This Is How We Walk on the Moon (feat. Tirzah)” – Speakers Corner Quartet
“Off Om” – Jeff Parker
“..THUS IS WHY ( I DON’T SPRING 4 LOVE )” – Saya Gray
“Waitin’ (unplugged)” – Kelela
“Charlie (feat. Lil Yachty)” – Lola Young
“Wrap Myself Up In Your Love” – Say She She
“Be A Witness” – Lady Wray
“Best For Us” – Lady Wray
“Violent Shiver” – Benjamin Booker
“Defense” – Panda Bear & Cindy Lee
“Gut Feeling / (Slap Your Mammy)” – Devo
“Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)” – Neil Young
“Could Be Forever” – Joshua Idehen
“Give It To Me Baby” – Jarina De Marco
“Back 2 Me (feat. Sadie Walker)” – Girls of the Internet
“Sorrowful Horns (feat. James Mollison)” – Joe Armon-Jones
“Ghost Town” – The Specials
“Love and Happiness” – Al Green
“I’m Glad You’re Mine” – Al Green
“Everybody Hurts” – Al Green
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.
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This is a love song that is absolutely stuck to my ribs.
If Smerz is new to you, know that it’s new to me, too — and probably a lot of other American listeners. Smerz is a Norwegian electronic music duo (Catharina Stoltenberg, Henriette Motzfeldt) based in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Oslo, Norway.
And this woozy, understated anthem is so damn good, I’ve already listened to it three times today (and counting). The lyrics are sensual with a dash of adolescent sweetness and a bit funny, too (“baby, can I see you naked / even though I love how you dress”).
Smerz have a new album, “Big City Life,” out on May 23 via Escho (which also puts out music from Astrid Sonne, who is in heavy rotation on In The Groove, too).
Listen to the In The Groove song of the week below.
Support the shows you love.
WDET’s unique music programs are dedicated to exploring the music and culture of our region and the world. Keep the music going. Please make a gift today. Give now »
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