The Michigan Department of Transportation recently announced postponing a planned I-375 reconstruction project citing increasing increased costs and community feedback.
The plan would have converted the freeway interchange to ground-level boulevard. The project was to be funded in part by $100 million in federal dollars from the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act. The rest of the cost, estimated to be at least $300 million, would have come from the State of Michigan.
When the project was announced in 2022, then-Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttegig characterized the federal project dubbed “Reconnecting Communities” as a reparative one, aimed at fixing injustices created from federal highway construction of the mid-20th century.
The announcement that I-375 would be redesigned raised interest and even optimism. Was this an opportunity to address the wrongs of the past? Was this truly going to help resolve the razing of Detroit’s Black Bottom and Paradise Valley neighborhoods in the name of paved roads?
There were community input meetings, and the plans presented gained both support and criticism. MDOT hosted a presentation on the history Black Bottom and Paradise Valley neighborhoods at the Charles H. Wright Museum.
Despite being a controversial project, one of the points that was largely agreed upon was that if the I-375 reconstruction was going to be reparative, there should at least be some recognition of the thriving neighborhoods that Detroiters once called home.
Marcia Black and Lex Draper Garcia Bey from Black Bottom Archives joined Tia Graham on The Metro to share their reaction to the I-375 redesign being paused, and the exhibition on display at the Detroit Historical Museum, “10 Years Back, 10 Years Forward,” on display until September 14, 2025.
Guests:
Marcia Black is the director of archives and education at Black Bottom Archives
Lex Draper Garcia Bey is the director of community engagement and programs at Black Bottom Archives
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Michigan Department of Health and Human Services launches Medicare support program
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has launched a program to assist residents with Medicare. MI Options is a statewide system that offers free counseling for people who need long-term care.
MDHHS director Elizabeth Hertel says in a press release that the resource hub will provide information about Medicare enrollment and prescription costs, while empowering people to make choices for their health and wellbeing, including aging in place.
People can call 800-803-7174 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Monday through Friday, to speak with an agent. More information is available at Michigan.gov/MDHHSMIOptions.
Reporting by Bre’Anna Tinsley
Additional headlines
MDOT warns of road closures without budget agreement
The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is urging state leaders to pass a budget soon to prevent road closures.
Officials warn the I-96 and Southfield Freeway interchange in Detroit is in poor condition and at risk of becoming too dangerous to use. MDOT spokesperson Diane Cross says that without a funding plan, closures can be expected within the decade.
“Which sounds like a long time, but it is not really. When it comes to road projects, you have to design them, you have to do safety studies, you have to do traffic counts, you have to do updated environmental things. There is a lot you have to do when you plan and design and do any major rebuilding,” Cross said.
She adds that the department has already completed as much maintenance and made as many repairs as possible, and the only next step is a full rebuild. Many other bridges across the state are facing the same risk if funding is not approved soon.
Reporting by Bre’Anna Tinsley
Students return to school as budget uncertainty looms
Students across Metro Detroit are returning to class for the first day of school. That comes as school officials remain uncertain about how much money they will actually have to spend this year.
The Michigan House and Senate are still divided over how much funding to allocate for schools in the state budget.
Michigan’s overall education system is under scrutiny amid high absenteeism in many classrooms and low student performance in state and national testing.
Some educators also remain concerned about the Trump administration’s possible cuts in federal school funding. And some students say they worry that immigration enforcement could cause classmates to be forced to leave school.
Reporting by Quinn Klinefelter
Detroit Senior Task Force hosts free movie day
Detroit’s Senior Task Force is hosting a movie day for seniors this week. The free event will be held on Wednesday at the Bel Air Luxury Cinema starting at 10 a.m.
The first 500 people ages 55 and older will receive free entrance, popcorn, and a drink.
Film Detroit to host outreach and resource fair
The City of Detroit is hosting a Film Detroit Outreach and Resource Fair. The networking event will include food and conversations with Detroit’s film community.
Attendees can learn about film permits and local resources to access Detroit’s cable channels. The event will take place on September 10 at the community center at AB Ford Park, located at 100 Lenox in Detroit, from 4 to 7 p.m.
Roughly one-third of food grown on U.S. farms never gets eaten. For many Detroiters, food insecurity is a daily concern. Federal cuts to SNAP benefits are coming, and they are expected to hit low-income households in Detroit especially hard. That’s on top of the already-limited access to fresh produce, meat and dairy.
But Detroit’s farming story runs deep. Black farmers have long helped the city feed itself, before and after settlers colonized the area. The historic Black Bottom neighborhood — which was razed to make way for freeways — was named for its rich soil. Now, Detroit is one step closer to adding city-wide composting to its urban agriculture story.
Last week, the city launched a pilot composting program with openings for the 200 people to sign up. Demand was so high that people who wish to sign up are now joining hundreds of others on a wait list. That enthusiasm is good news for proponents of urban agriculture in Detroit.
The City of Detroit’s Director of Sustainability, Tepfirah Rushdan, and the city’s Deputy Director of Urban Agriculture, Patrice Brown, joined The Metro to discuss the enthusiasm for the program, and the future of urban agriculture and sustainability in Detroit.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.
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Starting out as a recreational soccer league at Belle Isle in 2010, Detroit City Football Club has grown its footprint in Detroit and metro Detroit, quickly amassing a loyal and passionate fanbase.
Now, over a decade later, a new stadium is helping usher in a new era for DCFC. AlumniFi Field is set to open for the 2027 USL Championship season.
Construction is scheduled to begin by the end of this year in the Corktown and Southwest Detroit neighborhoods, pending Detroit City Council’s approval.
Detroit City Football Club Stadium Neighborhood Advisory Council will begin to accept nominations for the council. Any Detroit residents who live within the impact area and are over 18 are eligible to serve.
CEO and Co-founder of DCFC Sean Mann joined Tia Graham on The Metro to talk more about the stadium and the community that AlumniFi will call home.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.
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This Detroit Jazz Festival weekend, Rob Reinhart brings something special to Essential Music. On Friday, August 30, Rob will re-air his interview and live performance with trumpeter Keyon Harrold, recorded earlier this year on his nationally syndicated show Acoustic Café.
Keyon Harrold, performing at this year’s Detroit Jazz Festival, joined Rob back in May to talk about his latest album, “Foreverland”. During that session, Harrold performed selections from the record and shared insights into his creative process, life on the road, and the stories behind the music.
You can hear the full interview and performance on Essential Music during the festival weekend. But if you’d like a preview, check it out now on Acoustic Café.
Don’t miss this chance to hear one of today’s most powerful trumpeters as Detroit comes alive with the sounds of jazz.
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In this week’s episode of Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music, some cool music from and around the 50th anniversary of Springsteen’s “Born To Run” album. It turns 50 on Monday, August 25.
Also, Chance the Rapper with Jazmine Sullivan, The City Lines with new Motor City Music, Jack White punches back hard and more!
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 August 23, 2025
HOUR ONE:
“Finest Worksong” – R.E.M.
“Daria” – Toro y Moi
“Everybody Scream” – Florence & The Machine
“‘Running Boy” – Mon Rovia (at The Ark 11/19)
“That’s How I Feel'” – Jack White
“Born To Run” – Bruce Springsteen
“Thunder Road” – Matt Nathanson
“So Young And In Love” – Bruce Springsteen
“Moody” – Royel Otis
“Sushi & Coca Cola” – St. Paul & The Broken Bones
“Found A Friend” – Southern Avenue (at The Leon Loft, Ann Arbor)
“Gethsemane” – Ian Gillan (turned 80 this week)
HOUR TWO:
“Lisztomania” – Phoenix
“Old Me, New Wig” – Molly Tuttle (9/11 at Masonic)
“Speed Of Love” – Chance The Rapper w/Jazmine Sullivan
“People” – Patrick Adams
“Do It All” – The City Lines
“Janey Needs A Shooter” – Bruce Springsteen
“Jeannie Needs A Shooter” – Warren Zevon
“You Were Wrong” – Roomful Of Blues
“Walking The Dog” – Rufus Thomas
“Watch Me Go” – Lord Huron
“She’s The One” – Bruce Springsteen
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
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On this week’s episode of Acoustic Café, our guest is the band Southern Avenue, the family band from Memphis. In July, they absolutely brought the house down at The Leon Loft, playing songs from their new album “Family.”
Also, the late Flaco Jimenez, cool new covers from Maia Sharp (U2) and kissing other ppl (Lennon Stella), Warren Zevon and Lianne La Havas from our in-studio archives and more!
See the playlist below and listen to the episodes on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.
Acoustic Café Playlist for August 24, 2025
“Million Dollar Intro” – Ani DiFranco
“And So It Goes” – Billy Joel
“No Champagne (6 AM)” – Cautious Clay
“How About A Drink” – Billy Raffoul
“What’s It All For” – Noah Cyrus
“Paperthin” – Lianne La Havas (in-studio performance)
“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” – Maia Sharp
“Upside” – Southern Avenue (in-studio guests)
“Found A Friend” – Southern Avenue (in-studio guests)
“Long Is The Road” – Southern Avenue (in-studio guests)
“So Much Love” – Southern Avenue (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.
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Chef Booze brings Arkansas roots to Detroit’s food scene
Jermond Booze, professionally known as Chef Booze or simply Booze, was born and raised in Arkansas and has turned Detroit into home. His southern roots are foundational to who he is and to the way he views food as a conduit for larger conversations.
Through hosting music themed dinners, mentoring kids, and winning “Chopped,” Booze has become instrumental in Detroit’s food scene.
CONTAINER On The Metro is a new WDET-produced storytelling series that brings Detroit’s creative heartbeat to the airwaves.
CONTAINER is a program created by The Love Building to showcase Detroit’s most promising creative talent across music, fashion, fine arts and food. Done in collaboration with WDET Public Radio with major support from the Gilbert Family Foundation.
As COVID-19 cases rise in Michigan this summer, it’s still unclear when residents will be able to get the updated vaccine at local pharmacies, clinics and doctors’ offices.
Differing recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and other federal health officials have created confusion over who should get the vaccine. Michigan health leaders have also diverged from federal guidance, which could mean some people may need to pay out of pocket or face co-pays this year.
The Kent County Health Department has confirmed the first West Nile virus–related death of the year, involving a West Michigan man. Five other cases have also been reported in the state.
Most people infected with the virus never develop symptoms, though about 20% may experience mild, flu-like illness. Serious complications are rare, but Michigan resident Jerry Feldman says his infection in late November was “life altering.”
Health officials recommend protecting yourself by wearing long sleeves and pants at dusk and dawn and using insect repellents containing DEET.
Detroit launches first responder alert system
The City of Detroit is rolling out a new notification system to warn drivers when emergency vehicles are approaching. The Haas Alert Safety Cloud connects with navigation apps to alert motorists when an ambulance, fire truck, or police cruiser is nearby.
Detroit Fire Commissioner Chuck Simms says all city emergency vehicles will be equipped after a successful year-long pilot program. City leaders hope the technology, developed with NewLab in Detroit, will reduce the thousands of crashes each year involving police and fire vehicles.
Sports roundup
MLB: The Detroit Tigers take on the Kansas City Royals this weekend at Comerica Park. The Tigers lead the American League Central, while the Royals sit 10 games back. Tonight’s first pitch is at 7:10 p.m.
NFL: The Detroit Lions wrap up their preseason tomorrow at Ford Field, with kickoff at 1:00 p.m.
MLS: Detroit City FC faces the Tampa Bay Rowdies tomorrow at Keyworth Stadium. Game time is 7:00 p.m.
Southwest Fest returns to Detroit
Detroit’s South West Fest is back for its fifth annual celebration on Saturday, August 23, from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Senate Theater. The event features food, music, and family-friendly activities, with organizers calling it a beacon that highlights the tapestry of Detroit’s culture.
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The Whitmer administration is moving forward with changes to Michigan’s behavioral health system. As part of the weekly series MichMash, WDET’s Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow discuss how the proposal is being received by supporters and opponents, including Daniel Cherrin and Robert Sheehan.
“Right now there are too many layers of behavioral services in the state of Michigan and too many conflicts of interest,” he says. “We support the state’s efforts because now they are asking Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans if they want to be a service provider or a funder. We want them to make a choice.”
Cherrin says the changes would also remove unnecessary gatekeepers in the system.
He believes the fundamental structure should not be dismantled in the name of reform. “There is a lack of uniformity with Medicaid benefits. Uniformity has a cost,” he says.
“If a town is told to do it a certain way but they have an innovative practice, they won’t be able to pursue it.” Sheehan argues the state needs a balance of uniformity and innovation.
The Michigan Apple Committee estimates growers will harvest about 30 million bushels of fruit in 2025. That’s about 1.2 billion pounds.
Good weather helps
The committee’s executive director, Diane Smith, says the weather has been perfect for growing apples.
“We’ve had a little hail here and there, but generally that stays localized and doesn’t affect the overall crop,” she says.
Michigan grows a wide variety of apples. Image from michiganapplles.com
Michigan has more than 850 family-owned apple farms and over 17 million trees covering 38,000 acres.
Smith says new farming methods have yielded several bumper crops.
“We’ve gone to more high-density planting,” she says. “So instead of having 250 trees to an acre, you can have up to 2,000 trees per acre.”
The future could look different
While the weather has been ideal, Smith says climate change could eventually affect the industry.
“As temperatures continue to rise, we’re seeing less rain at different times during the summer,” she says. “In 10 or 15 years, there could be a shift in some of the varieties that we grow.”
Michigan is one of the top three apple producing states, behind Washington. It competes with New York for second place.
Smith says the industry also competes with other fruits, and that could take a bite out of sales.
“People aren’t eating as many apples as maybe they used to,” she says. “You go into the grocery store, and you can get different products year-round that maybe before you couldn’t get.”
Labor is another challenge
Smith says most Michigan apple farms rely on migrant workers to pick the fruit in the fall. She says that’s costly, but necessary.
“We just don’t have enough domestic workers that want to do the harvest,” she says. “Not many people just want a job for six weeks.”
Smith says she is not aware of any immigration raids at Michigan apple farms this summer. She also says tariffs have had little impact, though some producers face higher prices for imported chemicals to spray their crops. But she says most growers utilize organic methods.
“They don’t want to spray unless they absolutely have to,” she says.
Support local journalism.
WDET strives to cover what’s happening in your community. As a public media institution, we maintain our ability to explore the music and culture of our region through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
In this episode of CuriosiD, we answer the question:
“What is the origin of ‘What up doe’?”
The short answer
‘What up doe?’ was a condensed greeting between drug dealers — dope boys — that operated in Detroit in the late-1970s and 80s. Doe = dough = cash.
The dark origins of ‘What up doe’
Professor and Poet Aurora Harris grew up in Detroit, bounced around the city including a couple semesters at Detroit Pershing High School, home of the Doughboys.
“We had the drug culture with the heroin, with Pony down gang, Young Boys Incorporated, the Errol Flynns,” Harris said. “And then in the 80s, we had the Chambers Brothers, you know, doing the heavy cocaine stuff.”
Detroit music producer Waajeed says that’s how he remembers it growing up in the 80s on the city’s east side.
Waajeed is a renowned DJ and producer. He’s also the host of The Boulevard on WDET
“Unless you had a certain status, you couldn’t walk in the street. You had to walk on the sidewalk. Only the dope boys could walk in the street,” Waajeed said.
Each crew had their own identity.
“I remember those guys…they wore a specific type of hat. They wore, like Max Julian jackets, leather, really, really nice jackets with fur and around the collar and Stan Smith Adidas,” Waajeed said.
“Those were the guys that would say, ‘What up doe?’ in my neighborhood.”
In the 80’s “What up Doe” was a form of sonar – a call and response way of navigating the neighborhood.
“So you could check someone with ‘What up, doe’,” Waajeed said. “You could say ‘What up doe’ as a greeting, as a way of saying, ‘hello,’ ‘Aloha,’ whatever, but it was also a way of…making sure that a person is aware that you’re aware of them.”
Poet and University of Michigan-Dearborn Professor Aurora Harris.
For Harris, ‘What up doe’ meant talking to the dope boys — not to score drugs, but to find her niece who had a substance use disorder.
Harris wrote a poem to discuss her experience — a pain that was shared by many Detroiters over the past five decades.
“Good morning, my brother, yo, I’m not a cop, not Po Po. How you doing today? Can you talk for a minute? I’ll make it real quick, because you clock in sunlight, cars and corners. I’m looking for my kid, my sister, brother, auntie, uncle, Mama, daddy, nephew, my niece.”
A salutation. A greeting. A cry for help.
“None of y’all should be out here. I gotta find my baby, / Yo if I see her, what you got for me? / You got that cross on the chain, wearing Jesus on your chest? I’ll, I’ll pray for you daily. That’s all I got left.”
But meanings can change over time.
“What up doe was born out of love and pain from the 70s to the 90s, to be born again as Detroit’s unique and coded greeting for strangers, families and friends.”
Listen to the full poem
From the underground to Detroit catchphrase
For Detroit Comedian Tiffany Barber — T-Barb on stage — that greeting has always been a part of her life.
“I was in the womb saying ‘What up doe,’ Barber said. “I was in my mama third trimester, and I was in there, and I said, ‘What up doe’. And she got gas when I said it”
Rap-group Afrocentric Wicked Old-school Lyricists AKA A.W.O.L. is said to have been the first Detroit act to put ‘What up doe’ in a single, but the recording has been tough to track down.
Then Eminem’s cinematic classic 8 Mile gave ‘What up doe’ a worldwide platform.
Waajeed says that’s alright.
“In the same way that Detroiters are wearing the Tigers’ hat and know absolutely nothing about baseball, it’s the same way that some people are saying ‘What up doe’ and just have no real cultural reference and understanding towards what it is and who it’s for,” Waajeed said.
“And either way is okay.”
Barber says she’s not about to gatekeep — in most circumstances.
Comedian T-Barb getting laughs at WDET’s ‘What’s so Funny About Detroit?’ comedy event in July 2025.
“We’re cool with everybody. One thing about Detroit is we’re some of the coolest people that you’ll ever meet. We’re always the friendly ones. We’re always the inviting ones,” Barber said.
“So we invite you to say ‘What up doe’, but you can’t capitalize off of ‘What up doe’ if you not from Detroit.”
“Leave our ‘What up doe’ alone when it comes to the paper, that’s our money, but we welcome you to embody the culture,” Barber said.
There have been attempts to turn ‘What up doe’ – and its many visual iterations – into paper. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has denied at least two attempts to trademark the phrase.
Poet Aurora Harris says ‘What up doe’ belongs to everyone now.
“I feel like at this point the term is like Motown Records,” Harris said. “It was born in in Detroit, and it’s gone global. There’s nothing we could do about it. Be happy about it.”
Still, is all this just a little problematic given the phrase’s roots in drug culture?
“Detroiters are adaptable. We’re resilient, and we could take anything that’s a tragedy or anything that’s a trauma and turn it into something good.”
About the listener
Peter Bloye was born in Detroit and raised in Dearborn Heights.
For him, the origins of the question came when he was working for the City of Detroit a few years ago.
“I heard a lot of different things that people would say I was unfamiliar with. And I would ask my crewmates, like, ‘hey, what does this mean exactly?’ And you know, we had a good relationship, and they would explain it. But this phrase, I got different answers. So I really like, ‘Okay, well, none of those really work for me.’ So I just was still curious.”
Bloye no longer works for the city. He’s a full-time caretaker for his mother in Allen Park.
Did he ever feel comfortable using the phrase?
“No, I did not, ”Bloye said. “It seemed like an exclusively Detroit thing,”
We want to hear from you!
Have a question about southeast Michigan’s history or culture? Send it our way at wdet.org/curiosid, or fill out the form below. You ask, we answer.
WDET strives to cover what’s happening in your community. As a public media institution, we maintain our ability to explore the music and culture of our region through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
I started re-reading James McBride’s brilliant book “Kill ‘Em and Leave: Searching for James Brown and the American Soul,” so I had to start the show with “Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud (Pts. 1 & 2)” by the man himself. Plus, a spotlight on jazz guitarist Mansur Brown, putting Erykah Badu’s “Mama’s Gun” tour on your calendar (which lands at the Fox Theatre on November 20th) and new music discovery from Love Spells and Justin Bieber (yes, that guy).
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 August 21, 2025
“Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud (Pts. 1 & 2)” – James Brown
“Him Belly No Go Sweat” – Antibalas
“Dog It” – Digable Planets
“Black Is… (feat. DSTL, Sareem Poems & Rich Medina) [Instrumental]” – Tall Black Guy, Ozay Moore & Malaya
“Legs” – Darondo
“Hard Times” – Baby Huey & The Baby Sitters
“Woman Of The Ghetto (Reimagined)” – Melanie Charles & Marlena Shaw
“Kiss Me On My Neck” – Erykah Badu
“A.D. 2000” – Erykah Badu
“Dark Clouds Rain Soul (Dub)” – Breakestra
“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” – José Feliciano
“Wish I Didn’t Love You” – Love Spells
“Bittersweet” – Lewis Taylor
“Sun” – Emma-Jean Thackray
“In The Breaks” – Galliano
“Crosseyed And Painless” – Talking Heads
“YUKON” – Justin Bieber
“Faded” – Mansur Brown
“Snitches Brew (feat. Mansur Brown)” – Kamaal Williams
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.
When COVID-19 shutdowns were enacted and social distancing became the norm, restaurants and public spaces emptied out. Streets across the country went quiet. But people, cities and businesses adapted. Many set up temporary outdoor seating. It provided a much-needed solution in a public health and economic crisis.
In Northville, as the pandemic crisis waned, outdoor dining remained. The city’s downtown was reminiscent of cafes and public plazas in other, more walkable, less car-dominated cities around the world.
City residents and elected officials wanted to make the innovation permanent.
In 2023, the Northville City Council voted to close the two main streets in downtown Northville, Center and Main, during summer months. Residents were drawn to the city center like never before. But not everyone was happy with the changes.
On July 9, Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Charlene Elder ordered Main street and Center streets opened back up, saying seasonal road closures violated the city’s charter. The City of Northville appealed Judge Elder’s ruling and on October 1, she’ll make a final ruling.
Kristi Wysocki and Peter Hoffman from Community Over Cars joined the Metro to discuss their group’s efforts to preserve seasonal road closures and outdoor dining in downtown Northville.
The Metro contacted the City of Northville and the group Let’s Open Northville. We haven’t heard back.
Guests:
Kristi Wysocki lives in the city of Northville and is the founder of Community Over Cars.
Peter Hoffman lives in Northville Township and is on that group’s board, serving as their government relations liaison.
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.
Detroit expands access with surge in paratransit ridership
Paratransit ridership in Detroit has increased. That’s according to the Detroit Department of Transportation. Trip requests have nearly doubled since the launch of DDOT NOW, a same day paratransit service to help mobilize residents with a disability in the city.
The service is available from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and can be requested as quickly as an hour ahead. D-DOT is now exploring hybrid vehicles for the service, cashless payment options, and app-based trip booking alternatives.
Detroit emergency vehicles to get cloud technology
Detroit will equip some police and fire vehicles with cloud technology designed to improve public safety. The devices transmit signals over cellular networks to alert motorists when an emergency vehicle is nearby.
The goal is to remind drivers to move over when they approach a fire truck, police car, or ambulance.
Community benefits meeting on new soccer stadium
The Detroit Planning and Development Department is holding a community benefits ordinance meeting tonight. The Detroit City Football Club, also known as DCFC, has announced plans to build a new soccer stadium in Southwest Detroit on the site of an abandoned hospital.
The 11-acre development is expected to open in 2027. The community benefits ordinance process ensures residents have input into major development projects through a neighborhood advisory council.
Tonight’s meeting takes place at the Mexicantown CDC Mercado on 2826 Bagley. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the meeting starts at 6 p.m.
Michigan State Police step up Labor Day drunk driving enforcement
Michigan State Police are cracking down on drunk driving through Labor Day. Officials have created a task force to increase enforcement and messaging through the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign.
The effort is a collaboration between state police and local law enforcement agencies. Officials say between mid-August and Labor Day there is an increase in crashes involving drivers under the influence. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports one person is killed about every 45 minutes in a drunk driving accident.
Detroit PBS to premiere new documentary
Catch the new documentary Islam’s Greatest Stories of Love on Detroit PBS Saturday at 9 p.m. The film chronicles Ariella Gayotto Hohl’s journey grieving the death of her father.
An Islamic religion scholar, she travels the world interviewing members of the Muslim community about how their faith and culture help them navigate love and grief.
Gayotto Hohl spoke with One Detroit’s Chris Jordan about the film. Watch their conversation tonight at 7:30 p.m. on Detroit PBS.
Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Nicole Melnyk is a comedian known for her energy and sharp wit. The Lansing native has performed at WDET’s What’s So Funny About Detroit event in the past, and now she’s headlining on August 28.
She joined Tia Graham to talk about what inspired her comedy, why she reps Lansing so hard, and her love of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
You can buy tickets for next week’s Old Miami performance at this link.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
WDET strives to cover what’s happening in your community. As a public media institution, we maintain our ability to explore the music and culture of our region through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
The race to electric vehicles is happening. That may be surprising for some when considering our political climate.
President Donald Trump has reversed course on the electricity-forward Biden years.
The new federal budget law will phase out tax credits for electric vehicles by the end of September. Congressional Republicans also eliminated penalties for companies that don’t comply with fuel economy standards. Those standards encouraged automakers to produce electric vehicles to offset the sale of gas-powered cars that emitted too much dirty energy.
But despite all this, Ford announced two weeks ago that it was charging ahead with its EV plans. The company announced the creation of a new electric vehicle production system to produce EVs more efficiently. Ford hopes to bring a $30,000 mid-size electric pick-up to market in two years.
How might this plan turn out? And, can Ford and other American automakers outcompete China on EVs?
John McElroy broadcasts three radio segments on WWJ, writes for Auto Blog and has a monthly column for Wards Auto. He spoke with Robyn Vincent.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
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.
Looking for something fun to do this week? Metro Detroit is packed with free festivals, family activities, and cultural events — from art fairs and workshops to live music and delicious food.
*General museum admission is FREE for residents of Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties.
Many people doodle as a fun, spontaneous way to express ideas. Grab some drawing materials and see where your creativity takes you! Event time varies; check the website for details.
Tickets start at $7 online. Military free with proper ID.
Get ready for a weekend of flavor and fun at the Novi Taco Fest! Enjoy authentic Mexican-American dishes, sip refreshing margaritas, and celebrate Hispanic culture with live music and entertainment all around.
The Motown Museum and Enjoy Detroit are hosting a Back to School Jam with free school supplies, live performances by local artists and Lyric Project singer-songwriters, giveaways, and family fun. Supplies are limited, so come early to enjoy the music, treats, and positive vibes to kick off the school year.
This weekend, celebrate the powerful work of Shakespeare in Prison at the Alumni Performance at Detroit Public Theatre. Experience stories of resilience, creativity, and community as former ensemble members share their voices on stage.
The Hazel Park Art Fair is back! Free and family-friendly in Green Acres Park with local art, live performances, tasty eats, and a craft beer tent. Don’t miss this celebration of creativity in Hazel Park!
Palmer Park provides a peaceful escape from the noisy, hot summer streets of Detroit.
Spanning roughly 70 acres of forest, the park is home to over one hundred native plant species including treasured, towering oaks — some of which are centuries old. It serves as a sanctuary for wildlife such as pollinator bees, butterflies, birds, deer, and coyotes.
There are many reasons that Palmer Park is one of the most popular urban parks in Detroit, but taking a closer look at the conditions of the tree canopy has one forestry educator concerned for the future.
He recently conducted a forest forensics lesson at Palmer Park on a hot, humid Tuesday where he said that fewer tree species are thriving in the park without human intervention, risking reduced biodiversity.
“Having a diversity of species in there…not just relying on a couple of species that are shade tolerant,” Gorland says. “Absolutely have beech in there, absolutely have sugar maple in… it’s [about] creating a mosaic of different conditions that promotes biodiversity.”
Gorland stresses that hands-on actions are needed to ensure the survival of Palmer Park’s oaks, which require full sunlight. According to
Gorland, shade-tolerant species are crowding them out. There are also more mature oaks than young saplings, a sign that future survival is in jeopardy.
The park recently did a prescribed burn to help young oaks, but further consistent interventions are needed, says Gorland.
The Michigan Forestry Club plans to host additional forest forensics classes across parks in Metro Detroit and Ann Arbor.
WDET’s Natalie Albrecht contributed to this report.
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WDET strives to cover what’s happening in your community. As a public media institution, we maintain our ability to explore the music and culture of our region through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
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Detroit Institute of Arts
Wednesday 8/20 – Sunday 8/24
Free with general admission
