We’ve got everything from jazz vocalists to Memphis rappers this week, so be ready to put on your cufflinks, but don’t forget the Three 6 Mafia-themed pocket square

Upcoming events (April 9 – 16)

The Saunderson Brothers 

Big Pink

April 10

$23

We know that last week we let down you house heads and now we’re here to repay our debt. This weekend, electronic music is practically flooding the Eastside and we’ve got your snorkel and flippers. The Saunderson brothers are slinging out house tracks like Waffle House slapjacks in a B2B set with Slimey so lace up those non-slip shoes and get ready to step into the kitchen. This event starts at 10 p.m. and goes until 2 a.m. 

SHIFT 

Spot Lite

April 11

$23+

Urban Pulse reacquaints with Spot Lite this weekend, bringing the heart of Berlin to Detroit. Headliner Lars Huismann is delivering atmospheric German techno that’s reminiscent of the old days but continues to carve a clear path in today’s scene. He’s also joined by DJs Redax, JANSØ, Austin Buck and KHONSHU. Whether you’re sporting a pair of lederhosen or dressing like you’re ready for Berghain, embrace the sounds of the Fatherland and get grooving. This event begins at 10 p.m. and goes until 3 a.m. 

Siren: Girls on Wax 

Paris Bar

April 11

$17

Slide down Six Mile over to Hamtramck’s Paris Bar to catch Chicago native Inés spin deep–cut disco vinyl until you can’t remember whether you’re in Michigan or France. She’s also joined by an all-femme roster of DJs, including angel baskets, Savannah G and Auntie Chanel. This event goes from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. 

Golden Grizzly and Blue Grizzly Jazz Singers 

Varner Recital Hall

April 12

$7-10

Perhaps last week’s hiatus from house and techno was a breath of fresh air for some folks and don’t worry, because we’ve still got you stuck on our minds like spaghetti sauce on a Tupperware container. This Sunday, Oakland University’s Golden Grizzly and Blue Grizzly vocal groups are coming together for an energetic jazz ensemble set to leave your ears as soothed as a massage. This event begins at 7 p.m. and goes until 9 p.m. 

Northern Lights Festival 

Orchestra Hall

April 9-11

$21

Oh and we’re not done with the classics just yet. This weekend, take a rickshaw ride downtown to Orchestra Hall to hear the beauty emanate from the Northern Lights Festival. The performance will be led by Principal Guest Conductor Tabita Berglund as you dive into a Nordic soundscape. The hall will be filled with birdsongs as the violinist Johan Dalene puts his bow to the grindstone in Sibelius’s violin concerto. The event begins at 8 p.m. 

Project Pat 

Diamondback Music Hall

April 10

$38+

This weekend, the mane who’s down for his crown returns to bring that Memphis heat to Southeast Michigan. Project Pat is making a stop in Van Buren Charter Township as part two of his Redemption Tour, so get out there and bring your iced tea… but leave the nine’s and TEC’s at home. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m. 

Visceral Soup 

22North

April 11-12

Free

If the music isn’t appealing to you this week, sneak out to Ypsilanti for a calm yet vibrant vibe supporting Michigan artists. 22North art gallery is teaming up with Eastern Michigan University to put on their 10th exhibition, “Visceral Soup.” The show will feature work from 11 of EMU’s Master of Fine Arts students exploring the world of ceramics, painting and mixed media. The gallery is open Saturday and Sunday from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. 

Microwave 

Majestic Theatre

April 10

$42+

Atlanta-based rock band Microwave is making their way to Detroit as they tour with Anthony Green, Hunny and Into It. Over It. They’ve recently released a 10th anniversary version of their 2016 album Much Love, and it’s time to show them how much love our city has to offer. The show begins at 7 p.m. If you’re not there, we’re going to assume you went to see Air Fryer instead and while we don’t entirely condemn that move, we will be judging semi-silently. 

Concrete Boys 

Saint Andrews Hall

April 11

$35

The Concrete Boys are back in Detroit this weekend for their This Is Us Vol. 2 tour at Saint Andrews Hall downtown. The group, made up of Lil Yachty, Draft Day, Camo!, Honest and more recently dropped their second album, a sequel to their first project and now it’s time to break out those hard hats and prepare for the mosh pit. The concert begins at 8 p.m. 

The Michigan Democratic Senate Primary is heating up a bit. Polls largely show the trio of Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, Congresswoman Haley Stevens, and State Senator Mallory McMorrow all within the margin of error of each other.

Stevens and McMorrow have been trading off the lead.

The race has simmered with the candidates not really taking shots at each other. That’s now changed.

Yesterday, El-Sayed rallied at the University of Michigan and Michigan State with left-wing influencer Hasan Piker.

Piker’s livestreams – and political commentary – have drawn over three million followers on Twitch.

In 2024, Piker was invited to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, but was kicked out over his criticism of Democrats and candidate Kamala Harris – for their failure to stop or criticize Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

The 34-year-old Piker has made some controversial statements and his inclusion by the progressive El-Sayed has drawn sharp criticism by centrist Democrats.

When the campaign stops were announced, McMorrow was quick to compare Piker to Nick Fuentes—a far-right white supremacist holocaust denier. Stevens and current Michigan U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin also criticized the move.

Detroit-based reporter Tom Perkins looked at the controversy for The Guardian.

He tells WDET’s Russ McNamara that this fight is indicative of an internal struggle within the Democratic Party.

A party divided

Tom Perkins: I think this is really part of the ongoing civil war between the sort of Hillary Clinton wing of the party and the more progressive Bernie Sanders / AOC (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) / Zohran Mamdani wing of the party.

You have El-Sayed and Piker, who are very progressive, and Piker has campaigned or interviewed AOC, Sanders, Zohran Mamdani, etc. And while McMorrow is a little bit younger and more progressive than somebody like Hillary Clinton, a lot of her surrogates, her aides, etc., come from that camp. And so that’s sort of the broader dynamic here and worth keeping in mind.

Accusations of anti-semitism

TP: Piker has been highly critical of Israel. He’s criticized it over its genocide, its rampaging through the Middle East, its war crimes, its atrocities, and he speaks about it in very strong terms. So that’s that alone has drawn some criticism, but he’s also said some pretty controversial things.

[Piker] said Hamas is lesser of the two evils with the Israeli government. Hamas is 1000 times better than the Israeli government. And he said this in the context of looking at who causes more death in the Middle East. And while it’s a controversial statement, people have said, “Oh, well, that’s antisemitic.” But he’s defended himself and said, “No, that’s a criticism of the Israeli government. That’s not a criticism of all Jewish people.”

[Piker] called a sect of Orthodox Jews in Israel who are ethno-supremacists, “inbred.” And that ignited a huge controversy, and that’s been used against him. People have said, “Oh, well, he called all Jews inbred.” He’s, defended that, and said, “No, I use that term to describe Nazis. I use that term to describe ethno-supremacists and racial supremacists of all kinds.”

When I talked with him about it, he said, “Look, there’s a super cut out there of an hour long of me calling different groups inbred, and it has nothing to do with with Jewish people or Jews. It’s just a term that I use to describe supremacists.”

Arab American views

Russ McNamara: What do Arab American leaders say here in Michigan?

TP: For my story, I spoke with seven local and national Arab American and Lebanese American leaders. They all said some variation of the same thing, which is that these attacks on El-Sayed and Piker show that the establishment Democrats are making the same moral and strategic blunders that they made in 2024 that led to Dems electoral demise in Michigan and nationally.

They say this is an attempt to censor criticism of Israel, and they say that it shows the anti-Arab bias that imbues the political establishment. McMorrow in her criticism of El-Sayed and Piker said, “Well, you know, Piker shouldn’t be here, because this happened in the wake of the Temple Israel Synagogue attacks,” which she said that Jewish people are suffering from that. Which is true that Jewish people are suffering from that, and that should be acknowledged, but she doesn’t acknowledge the suffering of the 120,000 Lebanese American people in Michigan.

Their families are from southern Lebanon. Israel has invaded Lebanon, virtually every one of these 120,000 people, either have a family member, a loved one, a friend who has been killed by Israel, or displaced by Israel. A million people are displaced right now in southern Lebanon. Many, many people from Michigan have family members who are suffering. That suffering is reverberating across Southeast Michigan, and that is not being acknowledged by McMorrow or centrist Democrats or establishment Democrats.

RM: How much impact will this actually have on the Democratic Primary?

TP: One of the one of the folks I spoke with for the story was Abed Ayoub, who’s the spokesperson for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), an Arab American civil rights group in Dearborn.

He said to me: “Look, Republicans are making inroads here. If there’s somebody like McMorrow, if there’s a Democratic candidate who’s not considering us, who’s not thinking about our suffering, who’s telling us to be quiet about Israel, then the same things that happened in 2024 are going to happen again. People are going to vote for a Republican. They’re going to stay home, they’re going to vote third party. So yes, if you want to win in Michigan, you might want to acknowledge this suffering. You might want to acknowledge that this is happening.”

I should stress that everybody I spoke with said some variation the same thing, which is the suffering of both people can be acknowledged at the same time. We don’t have to exclude one or the other.

A group of anti-war protesters gathered at the McNamara Federal Building in downtown Detroit on Tuesday, as a deadline approached for a new wave of bombing in Iran.  The Free Press reports about 50 demonstrators showed up at the event.  

President Trump had threatened to bomb bridges and power plants in Iran, if an agreement to re-open the Strait of Hormuz wasn’t reached by 8 p.m. ET Tuesday night.  

The Pakistani government helped broker a tentative ceasefire for the next two weeks, but it’s unclear what might happen next.  The Strait has not yet been re-opened. 

Additional headlines from Wednesday, April 8, 2026

Gas prices rise again 

Gas prices in metro Detroit rose again overnight, even though there’s a ceasefire in the Iran war. 

 A gallon of regular self-serve averages $3.99 today.  That’s up three cents from Tuesday.  That price is 50 cents per gallon higher than a month ago.  

The average price statewide today is $4.07. 

NAACP calls for Trump to be removed from office 

The NAACP has called for President Trump to be removed from office under the 25^th Amendment to the Constitution.  It’s the first time the civil rights organization has ever made such a declaration.  

The 25^th Amendment allows a president to be removed from office if he or she can no longer carry out the duties of the office, in this case presumably because of physical or mental incapacity. But that’s only if the vice-president and several cabinet members agree to take that action.  

The NAACP says Trump’s erratic statements and actions call his well-being into question.  The President said on Tuesday that a “whole civilization will die” unless his demands were met.  

Detroit Congressional members Rashida Tlaib and Shri Thanedar have also independently called for Trump to be removed from office under the provisions of the 25^th Amendment. 

Black law enforcement officials meet in Detroit 

The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement (NOBLE) is holding a gathering in Detroit this week.  

The 2026 William R. Bracey CEO Symposium will provide training, networking and collaborative opportunities.  The event runs Thursday through Saturday at the MGM Grand in Detroit  

NOBLE has about 4,800 members in 60 chapters across the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, and Africa. 

Go Blue celebrations continue 

The celebrations continue in Ann Arbor in the aftermath of the University of Michigan’s victory in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. 

The Wolverines beat the University of Connecticut 69 – 63 Monday night to win the national championship – the school’s first since 1989.  

Cheers and jubilation erupted throughout Ann Arbor Monday night.  The team celebrated with fans at an event on campus Tuesday.  A team parade through Ann Arbor has been scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Saturday. 

Pistons play in home finale tonight 

The Detroit Pistons play their final home game of the regular season tonight.  The team leads the NBA’s Eastern Conference with a record of 57 wins and 22 losses.  

The Pistons hope to have All-Star Cade Cunningham back in the line up tonight.  He’s listed as questionable for tonight’s game.  Cunningham has missed the last 11 games with a collapsed lung.  

The Pistons play the Milwaukee Bucks tonight at 7 p.m. at Little Caesars Arena. 

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

Usually, they are found in school gymnasiums or church fellowship rooms. Voting booths are among the most intimate spaces in American democracy.

The process is typically quiet and quick, and it is supposed to be equal. But this is not the case for people with disabilities. A new report published by Detroit Disability Power documents just how often there are barriers at the voting booth, and why it keeps getting worse.

1 in 4 Americans has a disability. In Michigan, that number is nearly 1 in 3. Yet this new report finds only 10% of the polling places assessed in 2025 were fully accessible. That’s down from 13% in the previous report covering the 2024 elections and 16% in the report covering the 2022 elections.

Detroit Disability Power has now audited more than 1,000 polling places across metro Detroit. Trained volunteers have visited precincts during early voting, primaries, and on Election Day, carrying a checklist and a mission: ensure the law is being followed.

Eric Welsby is the advocacy director at Detroit Disability Power. He serves on the Michigan Bureau of Elections’ Voting System Advisory Committee for Accessible Elections, and was recently appointed by Governor Whitmer to the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council.

Bakpak Durden is a Detroit-born artist, disability advocate, and one of the people who actually show up to do the audits — at roughly 100 polling sites and counting.

They joined Robyn Vincent to discuss why the number of accessible polling locations continues to shrink and what it feels like to be part of a community treated like an afterthought.

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President Trump and Republicans want to change our elections in substantial ways. 

Recently, the president signed an executive order that seeks to change how mail-in voting works, having it overseen by the Department of Homeland Security. Trump and Republicans are also trying to pass the SAVE Act, which would ensure voters provide documentary proof of citizenship at the time of registration, and a photo ID at the time of voting.

All of this is happening as the president has called to “nationalize the elections”, and as MAGA influencer Steve Bannon has asked ICE officials to patrol polling locations in November. 

What should we make of all these things? How secure are our voting systems? And, is the president trying to make voting less secure for his advantage?

Ottawa County Clerk Justin Roebuck spoke with The Metro‘s Robyn Vincent about this and more.

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We lost one of the funkiest drummers of all time last week—the legendary James Gadson passed away on April 2 at the age of 86.

You may not have known his name, but you certainly know the tracks he played on, including cuts from Bill Withers, Diana Ross and so many others, like Beck who helped introduce him to a new generation of musicians. In the first hour of the show, we dedicate the whole hour to Gadson and his contributions to music. Rest in rhythm to the legend.

Today’s playlist moves between soul, funk, and indie, with tracks from Marvin Gaye, D’Angelo and The Vanguard, alongside tracks from Courtney Barnett, Kurt Vile, and New Order. 

Newer and more experimental sounds come from artists like SBTRKT, Ela Minus, and Matthew Herbert & Momoko Gill, with additional moments from Jeff Parker and Nation of Language, plus more throughout the set. 

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 7, 2026 

• “Use Me (Live)” – Bill Withers 

• “Think I’m in Love” – Beck 

• “Sugah Daddy” – D’Angelo and The Vanguard 

• “Got to Be Real” – Cheryl Lynn 

• “Dancing Machine” – Jackson 5 

• “Paper Tiger” – Beck 

• “Back To Manhattan” – Norah Jones 

• “Love Hangover” – Diana Ross 

• “Remind Me” – Patrice Rushen 

• “I Want You” – Marvin Gaye 

• “Where to Start” – Bully 

• “Chance to Bleed” – Kurt Vile 

• “Site Unseen (feat. Waxahatchee)” – Courtney Barnett 

• “Six O’clock News” – Brennan Wedl & Waxahatchee 

• “Dance For You” – Dirty Projectors 

• “Jewel” – T. Rex 

• “Greatest Dancer” – Nadine Shah 

• “Hell Is Near (Live)” – St. Vincent & Jules Buckley 

• “Punishers” – Die Spitz 

• “Across That Fine Line (Working Men’s Club Remix)” – Nation of Language 

• “Ceremony” – New Order 

• “Vanishing Point” – Tanlines 

• “Sungazing” – Fluoretro 

• “Thinkin Bout You” – Flea 

• “Like Swimwear (part one) [feat. Anna Butterss, Jay Bellerose & Josh Johnson]” – Jeff Parker & ETA IVtet 

• “Build a Nest (feat. Ruby Parker)” – Jeff Parker 

• “Diane Charlemagne (Iman Houssein Remix)” – LEFTO EARLY BIRD 

• “Animals” – Matthew Herbert & Momoko Gill 

• “Back On” – SBTRKT 

• “Berlin (Godblesscomputers Remix)” – Alexander Flood 

• “dominique” – Ela Minus 

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org. 

Last October, Ground Services at Wayne State University discovered an infestation of bark beetles on trees in Gullen Mall. 

Donna Reincke, Associate Director of Grounds for Wayne State University, explains how these tiny insects caused great harm. 

“They burrow into the tree trunks and leave these tiny little holes, maybe about the size of a pencil eraser. With that, the insect infestation introduced a fungus [blue stain fungus] into the tree, which stopped the tree from being able to take up water, and killed a couple of the trees.” 

The fungus spread to surrounding trees and left them too damaged to save.

Reincke says sadly, they had to remove 11 pine trees in Gullen Mall, as dead trees pose a major safety risk.

“We do remove them to avoid any accidents from happening, and it’s just a safety issue with the risk of it falling, and dead branches falling down,” explains Reincke. 

Expanding campus tree canopy​

With the help of many volunteers from The Greening of Detroit and Wayne State University’s Office of Sustainability, Reincke is happy to share that they replanted 30 trees in the same area. 

Reincke says, “even though the trees are smaller than the ones that were removed, we wanted to make sure we still did right by planting trees that could fill in the canopy, and it was a really fun, successful event.”

In addition to Gullen Mall, Reincke stated they planted 71 trees at Wayne State University’s athletic complex, on the corner of Warren Avenue and Trumbull Street. 

Over these two spaces, they planted Hackberry, Kentucky Coffee ‘Decaf’, Bald Cypress, ‘Autumn Splendor’ Buckeye, Allegheny Serviceberry, London Plane, Blackgum, Tulip Tree, Basswood, Accolade Cherry, and Swamp White Oak. 

Wayne State University’s Ground Services and Office of Sustainability are partnering up again to host a tree planting event for Arbor Day, April 24th, 2026.

For more details, visit Wayne State University’s Get Involved page.

Michigan does not currently participate in a federal program that gives tax breaks to people for donating money to nonprofits that award scholarships for tutoring and private school tuition. Governor Whitmer is weighing whether to opt into the federal initiative.

If adopted, taxpayers in Michigan would receive a $1,700 tax break parents could use for private school tuition, tutors or after school programs. 

U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon recently stopped in Hamtramck to promote the program. 

Detroit Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti says the program might help kids on an individual basis,“But I would just continue to say, you know, as a nation, we have to think about at scale investments. How do we improve institutions that benefit the majority of our children, not isolated improvement?” 

Teachers unions and Democratic lawmakers have expressed concern that the program would funnel money into private schools, and away from public schools and their students. 

Vitti says funding public schools should be the priority. “I’d rather see us use taxpayer dollars and not decrease taxpayer dollars in investing in large scale systems that benefit the majority of American children, not individual children or families.” 

Right now, people in Michigan can still make the donation and get the tax break; however, students in the state would not be eligible for the scholarships. Using public money for private schools is prohibited by the state constitution. 

-Reporting by Russ McNamara

Additional headlines for Tuesday, April 7, 2026

Gas prices rise

Gasoline prices surged overnight. AAA said Michigan drivers paid an average of $4.01 for a gallon of regular unleaded this morning. That’s 15 cents higher than it was yesterday. The national average is $4.14 a gallon, the highest in almost 4 years. 

GasBuddy petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan says escalations between the U.S. and Iran have intensified concerns about disruptions in oil shipments. He adds prices will likely remain high until Iran reopens the Strait of Hormuz.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed an order last week allowing Michigan gas stations to sell cheaper winter fuel blends through the end of June. 

Delta expands flights to Europe

Delta Air Lines is expanding flights from Metro Airport to Europe. The Detroit Free Press reports Delta will offer daily service to Rome in November and March, allowing passengers to take advantage of off-peak travel. 

Public Health Week

It’s Public Health Week in Detroit. The city’s health department is offering free services including health screenings, immunizations, lead testing, and overdose prevention resources.

Chief Public Health Officer Ali Abazeed says health department staff will host free events through Saturday at various community centers. The goal is to make it easier for residents to get health care by bringing it to them. 

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

Detroit’s police department has been collecting wins. Homicides in 2025 hit their lowest point since 1965. Carjackings dropped by nearly half. 

But over the past two weeks, another picture has emerged from inside the department’s own forensic operation.

At recent Board of Police Commissioners meetings, former forensic technicians came forward to describe conditions within the Crime Scene Services unit. What they described raises questions about safety, evidence handling, and whether the integrity of criminal cases has been compromised.

A state workplace safety agency has already cited the unit. A resident has sent those findings to city councilmembers, police commissioners, and the Wayne County Prosecutor. And a commissioner who tried to visit the facility says she had to wait two weeks — and was still unsatisfied with what she saw.

Outlier Media’s March 31 newsletter first reported on these complaints. 

Noah Kincade coordinates the Detroit Documenters program at Outlier Media. He joined Robyn Vincent to discuss conditions inside the Detroit Police Department’s Crime Scene Services unit and the response from community members and stakeholders.

Editor’s Note: The Detroit Police Department is pursuing accreditation from the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police. The broadcast version of this story said the accreditation was national.

Hear the full conversation using the media player above.

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When President Donald Trump took office, he promised to crack down on immigration. He’s done that. 

Since January of 2025, at least 2,400 immigrants were arrested in Michigan alone. But President Trump and immigration officials are not following an orderly process. Officials are often skirting the law, or violating it. 

This was visible months ago in Minneapolis, when masked ICE agents shot and killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti and thousands took to the streets. Here in Michigan, the work of ICE is harder to spot. But due to action in the courts, we’ve been learning more. 

Federal judges recently ruled that hundreds of people in Michigan were unconstitutionally detained as they never had a chance of being released on bond. 

For its part, the administration says it’s detaining the “worst of the worst.” But in many cases, non-citizens without a criminal record have been detained. 

So, what do ICE arrests and detentions look like in metro Detroit? What are the stories of those who’ve been detained? How are local police involved in the work? And, who’s fighting back? 

Violet Ikonomova is an investigative reporter for the Detroit Free Press. She spoke with The Metro‘s Robyn Vincent.

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This week on Visions, I have no theme, just good music. I play artists spanning from the 1960’s through 2026 with classics and new music discovery all in one episode.

You’ll hear classic cuts from Freddie Hubbard, Robert Glasper, Charlie Rouse, and Steps Ahead. I have new music discovery from Nicole McCabe, and Ralph MacDonald. New records from Caroline Davis, Irreversible Entanglements and Immanuel Wilkins. Plus Samara Joy, Walter Smith III, Joel Ross, Walter Bishop, Jr., and more.

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

Visions Playlist for April 6, 2026

• “Sometimes I’m Happy (Take 1)” – Walter Bishop, Jr.
• “Swingin’ at the Haven” – Walter Smith III
• “Hope” – Nicole McCabe
• “Pools” – Steps Ahead
• “Smoke Rings and Wine” – Ralph MacDonald
• “COMPOSITION II (Live)” – Immanuel Wilkins
• “Reincarnation Of A Lovebird” – Samara Joy
• “Alone Together” – Robert Glasper Trio
• “Hostile” – Joel Ross
• “The Intrepid Fox” – Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter*, Joe Henderson* & Lenny White
• “Bitchin'” – Charlie Rouse
• “Panamanian Fight Song” – Irreversible Entanglements
• “Barbara Allen (for Geri)” – Caroline Davis
• “All Blues” – Ethnic Heritage Ensemble & Kahil El’Zabar

* indicates Detroit artists

About 1 in 31 children in the U.S. is now diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD. Behind every statistic is a family trying to figure it out in real time, searching for support, resources, and spaces where their children feel understood and included.

One Detroit mother hustled harder for more. 

After her eldest son was diagnosed with autism, Tiera Moultrie saw first-hand just how much was missing for families like hers.

In 2020, she founded Autism In The D, with a mission to build community and create safe, inclusive spaces for children on the spectrum and their families. Since its founding, Tiera has had three children, with two living with ASD. The work she does is personal but it’s about more than her family. 

Autism In The D is hosting its 6th annual Weekend of Inclusivity, one of Detroit’s largest autism awareness walks. It’s not just about awareness, it’s about access to resources, connection, and making sure families don’t feel alone. This year will also welcome Detroit’s first autism-inclusive adaptive kids gym.

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Excited about some new music in Big Sonic Heaven this week. We played two tracks from the much-anticipated album “Birding” from dreampop three-piece Deary, which was released this week. We also heard the new single from She’s Green, “Paper Thin,” from their upcoming EP, “Swallowtail,” which is due in July.

Plus, the latest from The Julies, Dead Can Dance, Searows, and Miki Berenyi Trio, along with your favorite shoegaze, dream pop, and post-punk.

• “Elysium, Honor Him, Now We Are Free” – Hans Zimmer & Lisa Gerrard
• “Doot Doot” – The Fauns
• “In Violet” – Searows
• “Baby’s Breath” – deary
• “Love’s Easy Tears” – Cocteau Twins
• “I Think I Knew” – The Church
• “A Night Like This” – The Cure
• “Low December Sun” – Air Formation
• “Paper Thin” – She’s Green
• “Sweetness And Light” – Lush
• “I’m So Tired” – Deserta
• “Out Of Sight” – Hooverphonic
• “Nobody Loves You More” – Kim Deal
• “Neon Afterlife” – The Julies
• “All Mine” – Portishead
• “Island Of One” – Miki Berenyi Trio
• “Run” – New Order
• “Orange of the Westering Sun” – The Innocence Mission
• “Primal” – Slowdive
• “Smile” – deary
• “Everywhere” – Cranes
• “New You” – My Bloody Valentine
• “Fine Friend” – Pale Saints
• “Stranglehold” – The Churchhill Garden
• “Hazlewood” – Toothpaste
• “Halo” – Depeche Mode
• “Thin Circle” – Bug Teeth
• “Success Has Made A Failure of Our Home” – Sinéad O’Connor
• “Vanity (feat. Rachel Goswell)” – Drab Majesty
• “Coldsweat” – Sugarcubes
• “Our Day Will Come” – Dead Can Dance
• “The Worst Taste In Music” – The Radio Dept.

Exploring new music from Maurice Louca, who will be at Moondog Cafe later this month, plus selections from David Byrne, Menahan Street Band, and deep grooves from Fela Kuti and Celine Dessberg. We also take a quick trip to the moon in honor of the astronauts on Artemis II, with Norwegian space disco from Todd Terje and a bunch of Pink Floyd.

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 6, 2026

• “Snoopy and Woodstock (Easter Beagle Edition)” – Vince Guaraldi
• “Juana La Cubana” – LA LOM
• “Jolly Papa (Ife cover)” – Cardinal Rex Jim Lawson
• “Polaris” – Maurice Louca
• “The Winner Is… (DeVotchKa Version)” – DeVotchKa
• “Transliterator” – DeVotchKa
• “We’ve Been Had” – Walkmen
• “Primos” – Adrian Quesada & Hermanos Gutiérrez
• “Together” – Misha Panfilov Sound Combo
• “Glass, Concrete and Stone” – David Byrne
• “Home Again” – Menahan Street Band
• “Selenge” – Céline Dessberg
• “Are You with Me Now?” – Cate Le Bon
• “If I Leave” – Mitski
• “Opposite People” – Fela Kuti
• “Inner City Blues” – Zara McFarlane
• “Bad Bad News (feat. Terrace Martin) [Ricky’s Vibe Tape]” – Leon Bridges
• “Beware The Stranger (Chris Seefried’s Ambient Excursion) [feat. Trombone Shorty]” – Lady Blackbird
• “untitled 03 l 05.28.2013.” – Kendrick Lamar
• “untitled 06 l 06.30.2014.” – Kendrick Lamar
• “She Raised Us in Sunset Park” – musclecars
• “Breathe (In the Air)” – Pink Floyd
• “On The Run” – Pink Floyd
• “Delorean Dynamite” – Todd Terje
• “Time” – Pink Floyd
• “Hard Time Killing Floor Blues” – Skip James
• “Blue Nile” – Alice Coltrane
• “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” – Dorothy Ashby
• “Lonely Girl” – Dorothy Ashby
• “Hot Water (Sly5thAve Remix)” – Adesuwa

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.”

Yemeni nationals living in the United States who have Temporary Protected Status (TPS) have until April 13 to self deport or seek other legal residency through asylum or work visas.

In February the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem—who was fired last week—announced the end of TPS for Yemen.

The designation was first granted in September 2015 due to war in the country. Noem said conditions have improved, no longer warranting TPS. About 1,400 Yemeni nationals had TPS status as of last year according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 

People who wish to self deport are encouraged to use the Customs and Border Protection CBP Home app to report their departure. That includes a complimentary plane ticket and $2,600.

People who do not leave or find alternative legal residency could be deported and banned from future immigration to the U.S.  

Additional headlines from Monday, April 6, 2026

Detroit Ride to Rise

Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield launched the Ride to Rise program Monday. It allows all students living in Detroit to ride city buses for free. 

The program is aimed at reducing absenteeism, as well as providing transportation for students to get to after school activities such as tutoring, enrichment programs, and more. 

Sheffield says the program also brings more money back to the district. 

“It’s about $700,000 a year that they currently spend on bus fare for students. Bus passes, that money, again, will be redirected back into the school system. The school board and the superintendent will decide what…they use that money for,” she says. “We have been advocating for it to go back to after school programming.” 

The 6-month pilot allows any student to show their school ID to get on a D-DOT bus for free. That includes students who attend charter, private, and other city schools.  

-Reporting by Bre’Anna Tinsley 

Pay gap widens

A new report shows Michigan’s gender pay gap widened in 2024. Women who worked full-time earned 79 cents for every dollar a man earned. That’s three cents less than the year before, as men’s wages grew faster. 

Sarah Javaid from the National Women’s Law Center lists other factors.  

“The bigger picture is that women are being impacted by caregiving duties, they’re impacted by state policies. Unpaid leave paid sick time. They’re impacted by what education and training they can receive, and they’re also impacted even way earlier than they enter the workforce.”

Javaid says supporting childcare, banning employers from asking about salary history, and increasing education access would help close the gender pay gap.  

-Reporting by Colin Jackson   

Michigan job data

Last year’s partial federal government shutdown made it hard for Michigan to collect statewide job data. The state’s last unemployment rate was 5% in January. Michigan lost jobs last year as more people left the workforce. 

The revised annual report shows unemployment remained essentially flat last year. Michigan showed a net loss of about 2,300 hundred jobs.

The Michigan Bureau of Labor Market Information Director Wayne Rourke says Michigan’s workforce declined by 1.6% percent over the course of 2025. He says that’s largely due to older people retiring and exiting the workforce.

The new monthly federal jobs report for March showed the nation added jobs last month and the unemployment rate ticked down.  

-Reporting by Rick Pluta   

Arab American Heritage Month

Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared April as Arab American and Chaldean-American Heritage Month.

Dearborn, Michigan is home to the largest concentration of Arab Americans per capita in the U.S.  

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

Since 2015, consumer confidence in the economy has plummeted according to recent consumer survey data by the University of Michigan. But while confidence has declined, spending has remained strong. Why? And, how have rising gas prices factored into the economy?

Professor Joanne Hsu is the director of the monthly Surveys of Consumers at the University of Michigan. She spoke with The Metro’s Sam Corey.

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

Automakers and auto suppliers are a huge part of metro Detroit’s economy. And they will likely have to change as the war unfolds. 

As America’s strikes against Iran continue, and the Strait of Hormuz remains in question, gas prices are rising, and more people are thinking about purchasing an electric vehicle. 

But despite interest, how much will EV sales actually increase for companies like Ford, GM and Stellantis — especially as car sales in general have plummeted over the past few decades?

John McElroy is an automotive analyst with Autoline. He spoke with The Metro‘s Robyn Vincent.

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

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

More stories from The Metro

The economy has undergone many drastic changes over the years. If you’re a millennial, change and chaos have been commonplace.

The Great Recession hit in the late aughts, reducing wealth. About ten years later, the pandemic occurred, causing many to stay at home and others to risk their health at work. Inflation deepened during President Joe Biden’s time in office. President Trump enacted tariffs. And now, the U.S. and Israel are at war with Iran. 

It’s hard to gauge all the consequences of this latest shock, but it’s a continuation of one thing: uncertainty. 

Rising gas prices and supply chain disruptions are now among the challenges small businesses must navigate. It might be why over half of small businesses owners in Michigan say they’re making operational changes to prepare for a recession, according to a recent survey. 

Which small businesses are hit hardest by the war in Iran and its disruptions? And, what could make them more resilient in the face of chaos?

Mark Lee is the president and CEO of The Lee Group, where he consults with small businesses across Southeast Michigan. He spoke with The Metro‘s Robyn Vincent.

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

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

More stories from The Metro

On this week’s episode of Acoustic Café,  it’s a deep dive into our archives for random thoughts and songs from recent guests NEEDTOBREATHE, Sting, Mon Rovia and Ye Vagabonds. Plus some from decades ago: the late Todd Snider, Rufus and Loudon Wainwright, Rosanne Cash and many 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 April 5, 2026

• “Million Dollar Intro” – Ani DiFranco
• “Say That You Love Me” – Loudon Wainwright (Acoustic Cafe in-studio performance)
• “Grey Gardens” – Rufus Wainwright (Acoustic Cafe in-studio performance)
• “Better Broken” – Devon Gilfillian (Acoustic Cafe in-studio performance)
• “Undiscovered Country” – Rosanne Cash (Acoustic Cafe in-studio performance)
• “Shape Of My Heart” – Sting (Acoustic Cafe in-studio performance)
• “Where The Road Goes” – Rhett Miller (Acoustic Cafe in-studio performance)
• “Ozilline” – Indigo Girls (Acoustic Cafe in-studio performance)
• “Soundtrack” – Matt Nathanson (Acoustic Cafe in-studio performance)
• “You’re The One” – Rhiannon Giddens (Acoustic Cafe in-studio performance)
• “Spittin’ On Fire” – Buddy & Julie Miller (Acoustic Cafe in-studio performance)
• “I Get No Joy” – Jade Bird (Acoustic Cafe in-studio performance)
• “Life’s Too Short” – Todd Snider (Acoustic Cafe in-studio performance)
• “The Long Surrender” – NEEDTOBREATHE (Acoustic Cafe in-studio performance)
• “49 Tons” – Fred Eaglesmith (Acoustic Cafe in-studio performance)
• “Crooked The Road” – Mon Rovia (Acoustic Cafe in-studio performance)
• “Angel In The House” – Jonatha Brooke (Acoustic Cafe in-studio performance)
• “Riding With The King” – John Hiatt (Acoustic Cafe in-studio performance)
• “Purple Rain Drops” – Jalen Ngonda (Acoustic Cafe in-studio performance)
• “Ancient Light” – I’m With Her (Acoustic Cafe in-studio performance)
• “The Flood” – Ye Vanagbonds (Acoustic Cafe in-studio performance)
• “This Girl” – Punch Brothers (Acoustic Cafe in-studio performance)
• “Goodnight New York” – Vienna Teng (Acoustic Cafe in-studio performance)
• “What You Won’t Do For Love” – Tre. Charles (Acoustic Cafe in-studio performance)

Listen to Acoustic Café with host Rob Reinhart every Sunday from 1-3 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org