President-elect Donald Trump is filling key posts in his second administration, and it’s shaping up much differently than his first. He’s prioritizing loyalists for top jobs.

Trump was bruised and hampered by internal squabbles during his initial term in office. Now he appears focused on remaking the federal government in his own image. Some of his choices could face difficult confirmation battles even with Republicans in control of the U.S. Senate.

Here’s a look at whom he has selected so far.

Cabinet nominees:

SECRETARY OF STATE: Marco Rubio

Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making the critic-turned-ally his choice for top diplomat.

Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump’s running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

“He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement.

The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator once called a “con man” during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.

Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump’s plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations.

ATTORNEY GENERAL: Matt Gaetz

Trump said Wednesday he will nominate Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz to serve as his attorney general, naming a loyalist in the role of the nation’s top prosecutor.

In selecting Gaetz, 42, Trump passed over some of the more established lawyers whose names had been mentioned as being contenders for the job.

“Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and Restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department,” Trump said in a statement.

Gaetz resigned from Congress Wednesday night. The House Ethics Committee has been investigating an allegation that Gaetz paid for sex with a 17-year-old, though that probe effectively ended when he resigned. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing.

DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: Tulsi Gabbard

Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, another example of Trump prizing loyalty over experience.

Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party’s 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall, and she’s been accused of echoing Russian propaganda.

“I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement.

Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions.

DEFENSE SECRETARY: Pete Hegseth

Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014. He developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show.

Hegseth served in the Army National Guard from 2002 to 2021, deploying to Iraq in 2005 and Afghanistan in 2011. He has two Bronze Stars. However, Hegseth lacks senior military and national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea.

Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year.

HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: Kristi Noem

Noem is a well-known conservative who used her two terms leading South Dakota to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic.

More recently, Noem faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting and killing her dog.

She is set to lead a department crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda as well as other missions. Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports.

CIA DIRECTOR: John Ratcliffe

Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump’s first term, leading the U.S. government’s spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic.

“I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation’s highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.”

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Kennedy ran for president as a Democrat, then as an independent, and then endorsed Trump. He’s the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign.

The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines. For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism.

TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: Sean Duffy

Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump’s most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business.

Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children.

VETERANS AFFAIRS SECRETARY: Doug Collins

Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate.

Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command.

“We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need,” Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs.

INTERIOR SECRETARY: Doug Burgum

The governor of North Dakota, once little-known outside his state, is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump and then spent months traveling to drum up support for Trump after dropping out of the race.

Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs.

Trump initially announced his choice of Burgum while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida on Thursday night. The president-elect’s formal announcement on Friday said he wanted Burgum to be Interior secretary and chairman of a new National Energy Council “that will oversee the path to U.S. ENERGY DOMINANCE.” As chairman of the council, Trump said Burgum will also have a seat on the National Security Council, which would be a first for the Interior secretary.

ENERGY SECRETARY: Chris Wright

A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market.

Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States.

Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ADMINISTRATOR: Lee Zeldin

Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X, “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.”

“We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added.

During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration’s promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referred to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign that his administration would “drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration.

In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.”

White House staff:

CHIEF OF STAFF: Susie Wiles

Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager.

She has a background in Florida politics, helping Ron DeSantis win his first race for Florida governor. Six years later, she was key to Trump’s defeat of him in the 2024 Republican primary.

Wiles’ hire was Trump’s first major decision as president-elect and one that could be a defining test of his incoming administration considering her close relationship with him. Wiles is said to have earned Trump’s trust in part by guiding what was the most disciplined of Trump’s three presidential campaigns.

Wiles was able to help keep Trump on track as few others have, not by criticizing his impulses, but by winning his respect by demonstrating his success after taking her advice.

NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Mike Waltz

Waltz is a three-term Republican congressman from east-central Florida. A former Army Green Beret, he served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs.

He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population.

BORDER CZAR: Tom Homan

Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history.

He served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and he was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border once Trump won the election. Homan said at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to “run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.”

Democrats have criticized Homan for defending Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border.

DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF FOR POLICY: Stephen Miller

Miller, an immigration hardliner, was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump’s priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump’s first administration.

Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump’s policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation’s economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally.

Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security.

DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF: Dan Scavino

Scavino was an adviser to all three of the president-elect’s campaigns, and the transition team referred to him as one of “Trump’s longest serving and most trusted aides.” He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president.

He previously ran Trump’s social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF: James Blair

Blair was political director for Trump’s 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president.

Blair was key to Trump’s economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate’s “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago.

DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF: Taylor Budowich

Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump’s 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president.

Budowich had also served as a spokesman for Trump after his first presidency.

WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Karoline Leavitt

Leavitt, 27, was Trump’s campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history.

The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps.

Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas.

Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump’s first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump’s choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL: William McGinley

McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump’s first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee’s election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign.

In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.”

Ambassadors and envoys

SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE MIDDLE EAST: Steven Witkoff

The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect’s golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump’s club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination.

Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud.”

Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee.

AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL: Mike Huckabee

Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel’s interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah.

“He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.”

Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland.

Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Huckabee has rejected a Palestinian homeland in territory occupied by Israel, calling for a so-called “one-state solution.”

AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS: Elise Stefanik

Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump’s staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment.

Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership.

Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile.

If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine that began in 2022.

Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri, Lolita C. Baldor, Jill Colvin, Matthew Daly, Edith M. Lederer, Adriana Gomez Licon, Lisa Mascaro, Chris Megerian, Zeke Miller, Michelle L. Price and Will Weissert contributed to this report.

Tonight on The Detroit Evening Report, we cover a new “bootcamp” for women entrepreneurs in Dearborn; the death of Michigan State University’s first Black president; local halal food drives for Thanksgiving and more.

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

Dearborn launches ‘Business Bootcamp’ for women 

Applications are now open for a new eight-week boot camp for female
entrepreneurs in Dearborn. The City of Dearborn’s Dearborn WORKS
and the Arab American Women’s Business Council (AAWBC) created the program, which offers professional development, financial literacy courses, and networking opportunities. Participants will also receive $3,500 in seed funding upon completion. The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Labor. People can register and find out more at Dearborn.gov/BusinessResources by Dec. 1.

MSU’s first Black president dies

Former Michigan State University President Clifton Wharton Jr. has died. Wharton Jr., the university’s first Black president, led MSU for most of the 1970s. As president, he oversaw the creation of the MSU Foundation and established an anti-discrimination judicial board. He was also the first Black CEO of a Fortune 500 company, leading the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association-College Retirement Equities Fund from 1986 to 1993. Wharton was 98.

Dearborn adding full-time therapist to police department

The Dearborn Police Department and the Arab Community Center for
Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) are teaming up to add a
full-time therapist to the police department for mental health calls.
The therapist will provide psychological evaluations during crisis
interventions and connect people with resources. More information about the position can be found on ACCESS’ website.

Detroit awarded $1.3M to expand lead hazard control

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services awarded $7
million in community grants to communities around the state for lead control services for Medicaid recipients. The city of Detroit received nearly $1.3 million as part of the funding, which will go toward lead inspections, risk assessment, and permanent removal of lead from eligible homes. The money can also be used to remove soil lead hazards, abatement work and pre-2014 faucets and fixtures that contribute to lead hazard 

DDOT hiring drivers and mechanics

The Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) is hiring drivers and
mechanics. Pay begins at $15/hour with transportation equipment operators making over $18/hour after 12 months on the job. General auto mechanics will make $24.92 an hour. To apply, visit detroitmi.gov/ddot.  

Islamic Center hosting turkey drive

The Islamic Center of Detroit is hosting a Food & Turkey
Distribution event offering halal turkeys from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23. ID is required, and it will be based on a first come first serve policy. ICD is located at 14350 Tireman St., Detroit.

Detroit Friendship House offering Thanksgiving meal kit

The Detroit Friendship House in Hamtramck is also offering halal turkeys in its Thanksgiving Meal Kit food drive from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Nov. 26, until supplies last. The in-person event takes place at 9450 Conant St., Hamtramck.

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

Last month, Jeremy Hobson — host of NPR’s The Middle — joined Created Equal to discuss the geographic, economic and political characteristics of the “American middle” and its impact on national politics.

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

This week, Hobson returned to Created Equal  — post-election — to continue his discussion with host Stephen Henderson about the American middle and to reflect on how middle-class concerns helped drive the results of the 2024 presidential election.

Hobson believes that many voters were hesitant to vote for the incumbent party because of their economic struggles under the Biden administration. He explained that although states throughout the country moved towards Donald Trump in this election, this shift was most visible in swing states, leading to a heightened sense of political polarization between the middle of America and the coasts. 

Hobson also discussed how the Democratic Party’s focus on abortion rights may have been misplaced, when many states had referendums about abortion rights on their ballots this election or in the past. 

Use the media player above to listen to the full conversation.

Guests:  

• Jeremy Hobson is the host of the NPR call-in show The Middle and the former host of Here and Now and the Marketplace Morning Report.

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

President-elect Donald Trump won both the electoral college and the popular vote in the presidential election by gaining support from a broad swath of Americans.

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

One notable area of support came from union members. Generally when the leadership of an organization supports a candidate — as United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain did Vice President Kamala Harris — many rank and file members tend to support that candidate as well. Recent polling of UAW members and member households across key battleground states showed strong support for Harris over Trump by 22 points. But for some UAW members, Trump’s messaging resonated more than Harris’.

Brian Pannebecker, a retired auto worker and 25-year UAW member from Macomb County, was one of them. He spoke with The Metro Producer Sam Corey about what drew him to Trump and the difference in views that exist between union members on opposing sides of the presidential race.

Pannebeckers says he left the UAW when “Right to Work” laws came about in Michigan in 2017. He organized the Facebook group “Auto Workers for Trump,” which amassed thousands of followers — including auto workers and auto suppliers. He also spoke at several of Trump’s rallies in Michigan.  

“Trump appeals to the average working man and woman. I mean, that’s who he speaks to. And I know a lot of people find that, you know, sort of unusual to consider,” said Pannebecker. 

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

More headlines from The Metro Nov 7: 

• The 21^st annual Detroit Tree Lighting is set to take place on Friday, Nov. 22 at Campus Martius in Downtown Detroit. Laura Dean, director of parks and public spaces for the Downtown Detroit Partnership, joined The Metro to talk more about this year’s event.
• When President-elect Donald Trump took office in 2016, we started hearing the word “unprecedented” a lot. Trump has obliterated all kinds of norms and fundamentally changed the office of president. To discuss this drastic shift in American politics, professor and historian Jeremi Suri joined the show.
• This election season left some voters feeling seen and heard while others are at a loss and maybe even grieving. No matter who you voted for, anxious feelings leading up to this election were felt from many directions. Now that the election has been called, those feelings have been amplified for some. Dr. Rheeda Walker, a clinical psychologist and co-author of  “Calm in Chaos: A Quick-Relief Guide for Managing Anxiety and Overwhelm in Loud and Uncertain Times,” joined the show to share some advice.

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

Union members are still off the job at the Marathon Petroleum refinery in Southwest Detroit. More than 250 members of Teamsters Local 283 have been on the picket line for seven weeks as they seek a fair contract.

With the strike ongoing, the Marathon refinery is using out-of-state workers to operate. Despite that, Michigan regulators just approved the facility to increase production. 

Gina Jones is a lab technician at the refinery. She says temp workers might not fully understand how to operate the plant.

“Yeah, you can bring scabs in,” says Jones, “but each refinery has its own little quirks. Unless you’ve been around for a while – and you know how to work with those quirks – somebody who comes in fresh, they’re not going to know.”

As a result, nearby residents and striking workers, like Jones, have safety concerns.

“(Refinery) startup is one of the most dangerous times,” Jones said. “Whenever you shut down or start up a refinery, that’s when accidents can happen.”

Workers are looking for stronger union protections, such as requiring new hires to join the Teamsters. They’re also asking for pay increases that outpace inflation.

However, union members say there have been no negotiations in weeks. That’s despite the presence of a federal mediator.

“They came to us saying, ‘we’ll give you a 2% increase,’” says Jones of prior negotiations. “And that’s laughable.”

Marathon Petroleum is set put out it’s third-quarter earnings in early November.

In the second quarter of this year, the oil giant made $1.52 billion.

**Editors Note**

After this story published, a Marathon Petroleum spokesperson wanted to reiterate:

• All employees in operations roles at the refinery have demonstrated competency specific to their assigned job tasks, including passing all required tests.
• The Marathon employees currently running the refinery and supporting the turnaround have a combined average of more than 15 years of experience each, which is more than the average experience of the employees currently on strike.

Teachers in classrooms are dealing with an especially tough set of circumstances. Many are dealing with the after effects of the pandemic on student mental health and taking responsibility for keeping kids safe from violence.

A panel of educational professionals joined Created Equal on Wednesday to discuss the teacher shortage in Michigan, its effect on students, and some possible solutions.

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

Amber Arellano, the executive director of Education Trust-Midwest, explained that many Michigan K-12 schools, especially in rural, urban, and working-class districts, are reporting difficulty in filling teaching vacancies as well as teaching staff leaving and retiring early.

Madeline Mavrogordato, an associate professor of K-12 educational administration, explained that Michigan is on the extreme low end of starting teacher salaries. This results in new teachers having to pay a wage penalty to pursue a teaching career.

In addition to legislation to increase teacher salaries, the panel emphasized the importance of guaranteeing teachers’ access to appropriate resources to support the populations represented in their classrooms and offering professional development opportunities to early-career teachers.

Armen Hratchian, the executive director at Teach for America Detroit, discussed how the shortage could be mitigated by investing in school and district leadership.

“It’s not just about the educator, it’s those leaders who are creating conditions for educators to thrive,” Hratchian said.

Guests:  

• Madeline Mavrogordato is an associate professor of K-12 educational administration at Michigan State University.
• Armen Hratchian is the executive director at Teach for America Detroit.
• Amber Arellano is the executive director of the Education Trust-Midwest, a nonpartisan education research and policy nonprofit.

Michigan’s marijuana industry has grown significantly since adult recreational use was legalized by voters in 2018. But the direction it goes in the future may depend on what happens next at the federal level. Michiganders are talking about what kind of presidential leadership they would like to see when it comes to federal marijuana regulation.

One way of assessing how much marijuana has become mainstream in Michigan is the fact that a dispensary grand opening in Saginaw back in August included not only the local Chamber of Commerce, but also U.S. Senator Gary Peters.

These are pretty high times for Michigan’s cannabis business. Sales topped three billion dollars in 2023.

But there are headwinds.

In September, more than 1,500 people attended a marijuana industry showcase at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids.

Brett Thompson is a cultivator and processer in southwest Michigan. He was at the conference looking to expand his cannabis business to other parts of the state.

He’d like to see the next president lead on loosening federal banking regulations and de-schedule marijuana as an illegal drug on the federal level. Though Thompson is concerned about what that may mean.

“It’s one of those things, “be careful what you ask for,” said Thompson. “We’re trying to pay our taxes, and more than willing to pay our taxes; just give us a break.”

Michigan law enforcement also wants to see presidential leadership on marijuana.

Robert Stevenson is the executive director of the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police. He said marijuana, medical and recreational, has been a challenge for Michigan law enforcement.

Stevenson said marijuana being illegal federally and legal on the state level has put police officers in something of a legal limbo.

“What we need is some clear direction out of Washington. If it’s going to be legalized, let’s legalize it. If it’s going to stay illegal, then let’s enforce it,” said Stevenson. “But having laws on the books that aren’t enforced or that are ignored, generally is not good for public safety. Doesn’t matter whether it’s marijuana law, or any type of law, if you have a law it should be enforced.”

Banking and scheduling are not the marijuana industry’s only challenges at the federal level.

Dave Morrow is the CEO of Lume, Michigan’s largest cannabis company. He wants to see presidential leadership on dealing with a loophole that allows hemp producers to sell THC products in states where marijuana products are illegal.

“People of like our general age don’t really understand the Delta-8 Delta-9 business, simply because we’re adults and can afford to go into a store to buy regulated product. When you go to Florida, people walking into these vape shops buying this stuff aren’t people like you, they’re 16-year-old kids,” he said.

Gordon MacDougall is also concerned about teenagers getting access to THC products. The Ludington man’s 16-year-old son Henry died in a car crash, after consuming an intoxicating level of marijuana.

MacDougall wants the next president to reassert federal controls on marijuana over state regulation.

“It’s like you have 50 children running around and some making poor decisions,” said MacDougall. “I believe the federal government should play parent in this and be the responsible adult.”

Both Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump favor rescheduling marijuana to reduce federal penalties.

Click on this link to learn more about how all the presidential candidates on the Michigan ballot stand on this and other issues.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The candidates were also asked about their stances on abortion.

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

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

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

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

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

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

There have been some longstanding issues with staffing at the Michigan Department of Corrections that have been boiling over the last few months — with some calling on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to bring in the National Guard to help serve as a stopgap. MichMash host Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Alethia Kasben sit down with State Sen. Sylvia Santana (D-Detroit) to discuss the state of the department and what needs to be done to make things better. They also discuss voter turnout as we head into the general election.

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

In this episode:

• Staffing issues at the Michigan Department of Corrections
• Criminal justice reform in Michigan
• Voter outreach this election cycle

Earlier this year, Michigan’s corrections officers’ union asked Gov. Whitmer to enlist the National Guard to help staff prisons. Sen. Santana disagreed with the notion that the National Guard is necessary, adding that what the state really needs is “innovation.”

“When you think about corrections officers across the country, this career isn’t as attractive as it once was before,” Santana said. “So we have to become innovative with the way we structure our corrections facility in the state.”

The Michigan Department of Corrections acknowledged it has faced staffing challenges in some of its communities, requiring staff to work high levels of both voluntary and mandated overtime.

The Department said it has responded to the situation with an increased focus on advertising positions, holding hiring events, improving working environments, and negotiating raises totaling 18% since October 2020.

Regarding the Nov. 5 general election, Santana said that elections are also not the same as they were before and that both Democrats and Republicans need to do more in order to reach out to voters.

“Nowadays each voter is unique — even to the household itself. You may have someone who’s more conservative leaning in a household, and maybe you have a younger person who’s a new voter who is more liberal leaning,” she said. “I think that each individual voter has to have that attentiveness as we continue to move forward.”

More from WDET:

• State corrections officers union calls for National Guard deployment amid prison staffing shortages
• Metro Detroiters lay out the issues and candidates shaping their vote
• Does Michigan’s new budget unfairly tip the criminal justice scale?

U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell is running for reelection in Michigan’s 6th Congressional District.

The Democratic incumbent currently serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and House Committee on Natural Resources, and formerly served as a U.S. Representative for Michigan’s 12th Congressional District from 2015-2023. Prior to that, she worked in the auto industry for three decades, and served on the Wayne State University Board of Governors from 2007-2014.

Dingell says as someone who’s been in politics for nearly a decade, she wants to continue bringing diverse perspectives to the table to get things done.

“I want to be out there and listening and hearing what’s on your mind and making sure that your voices are heard,” she said. “I believe in the importance of building coalitions and trying to find the common ground at that table, and I also believe in solving problems.”

Listen: U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell on the economy, gun control and election security

Her Republican challenger, retired Ford employee Heather Smiley, says she hopes to bring a fresh perspective to Congress by curbing government spending, protecting voter integrity and preserving the borders.

“I’m not happy with the direction that the country is heading in,” Smiley said. “Our civil rights have been infringed upon. The economy is not doing well, and our national sovereignty is really at risk.”

Smiley says she is a first-generation American from a legal immigrant who was the first to attend college in her family. She says she worked multiple jobs and took out loans to pay for college, including working as a press operator and an automotive parts supplier.

“I can enable the government to function more efficiently, to improve and reduce costs, and I can restore the opportunities that we’ve historically had so that people can truly live the American dream, rather than worry about how they’re going to pay their bills or put food on the table for their family,” she said.

Listen: Republican Heather Smiley on bringing jobs to Michigan, voter integrity

Jobs and the economy

Dingell says the No. 1 issue on people’s minds is the economy, adding that she’s working with Congress to bring down everyday costs for working families.

“People are struggling to make ends meet,” she said. “I’m always at Kroger on Sunday mornings, and people come to meet me there now and they say, ‘Look at my grocery cart. I used to be able to buy a lot more.'”

Smiley says lots of people are losing their jobs, and she wants to prioritize bringing jobs back to Michigan.

“The companies are not willing to invest in their businesses, quite frankly, because a lot of the work is going overseas,” she said. “Mexico now looks like what Michigan used to look like. It’s a mecca for industry, both in terms of the automotive industry [and] all of the suppliers.”

However, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday that U.S. employers added an estimated 254,000 jobs in September, and after rising for most of 2024, the unemployment rate dropped for a second straight month from 4.2% in August to 4.1% in September.

She also noted that government spending is on the rise, saying that she’d like to reduce spending using her skills as a Ford employee who managed budgets.

“At Ford Motor Company where I worked, just one example of a project that I initiated and led, I saved the company over $290 million, and year-over-year, I saved the company $10 million just by working smarter,” she said.

Smiley says her experience as someone who has worked her way from the bottom up makes her a better candidate for her district.

“I have a lifetime of experiences working in the proverbial trenches, and I can leverage and apply my common sense and direct knowledge of how things work, both domestically and using my international business experience,” she said.

Gun safety

While school shootings are on the rise in the U.S., Dingell says she believes in gun control laws that protect people.

“I think we need to support and make sure [gun legislation] is being implemented that has comprehensive background checks. People who shouldn’t have guns shouldn’t have access to them,” said Dingell.

Dingell says assault weapons should also be banned, and safe storage of firearms should be mandated.

“Our children need to be able to go to school and not worry if someone is going to shoot them, what would happen to them. We need to be addressing the mental health issues associated with that,” she said.

Dingell says along with the economy, child care and senior care are pressing issues.

Voter integrity

During her campaign, Smiley has alleged that voter integrity in the U.S. is being jeopardized by illegal immigrants who are being encouraged to sign up to vote.

CNN fact-checked this claim, saying that it is unlikely non-citizens are registering to vote.

“The penalties are high, and the payoff is low,” Rick Hasen, an election law expert at the UCLA School of Law, told CNN. “If you aren’t a citizen and you vote, and you’re caught, you can face deportation and criminal penalties. And your chances of affecting an election outcome are small. It’s very unlikely someone would purposely choose to vote as a noncitizen.”

While Dingell says comprehensive immigration is needed, she says numerous studies have debunked the claim that non-citizens are voting.

“We have very strong systems in this country, in each state, to keep non-American citizens from voting, and no one has found [evidence of that],” she said. “[There have been] independent studies on both sides [that show no] problem related to that,” she said.

Dingell also suggested that measures to address border security have been blocked by Republicans.

“Democrats have been pushing for a lot more investment in Homeland Security for hiring additional border patrol agents to investigate and disrupt the transnational criminal organizations and the drug traffickers and Republicans keep blocking it,” she said.

The general election is taking place on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. For the latest election information, visit WDET’s Voter Guide at wdet.org/voterguide.

Michigan growers are on track for a big apple harvest this year for the third year in a row. But tons of apples aren’t always a good thing.

Advances in horticulture research and technology have helped produce mind-boggling amounts of apples year after year.

Last year saw record-breaking apple harvests across the country, according to the U.S. Apple Association.

In Michigan, the banner year drove down prices of certain varieties and created backlogs at packing facilities.

Emma Grant, orchard manager at Cherry Bay Orchards in Suttons Bay, is hoping to get ahead of some of those issues this season.

“We’ve never used this before,” she says, opening up a pail of thick white liquid. “But as there’s more apples in Michigan and the packers are running into longer times to pack, this is something we thought we should try.”

Related: Michigan should have plenty of apples this fall

The liquid is a plant growth regulator; she and her colleagues will mix the concentrate with water, then spray it on a small block of Premier Honeycrisp apple trees as a test.

“Right now, we are spraying this in hopes that we can delay the maturity of the Premier Honeycrisp [apples],” Grant said. “They can get redder on the tree, and then by the time we get through our other apples and pick them, they’re still at a ripeness level that’s ideal for storage.”

The hope is to get these early season apples as red as possible without the fruit over-ripening. That’ll give them a better chance of being picked, stored, packed and eventually sold to consumers.

Why so many apples?

This year’s crop is expected to be big, but lower than last year. Still, researchers say it’s unusual to have three big years in a row like this.

There are a few reasons why.

Researchers in northwest Michigan say growers have benefited from good weather the past few years.

But other top apple states, like Washington and New York, are also pulling big yields.

Chris Gerlach says that’s partially because we’ve planted a lot more apple trees across the country.

“We’ve added about 30, 35,000 apple acres over the last five years,” said Gerlach, who tracks analytics for the U.S. Apple Association, a trade association for the apple industry.

But there’s more to it than that: The way we grow apples has changed.

“You wouldn’t be putting in your grandfather’s apple tree,” Gerlach said. “You wouldn’t be putting in 400 trees per acre that have a huge canopy, that take you a lot of time and effort to get into the tree to prune or to harvest.”

Most growers are transitioning to high density systems. These trellised trees almost look like walls of fruit.

They grow more apples in less space, and they’re much easier to harvest – which needs to be done by hand for apples that are sold fresh. Plus, that fruit is higher quality than ever before, Gerlach said.

So this mind-boggling amount of apples?

“This, indeed, does appear to be the new normal,” he said.

But that new normal isn’t without wrinkles — more apples means lower prices.

Gerlach says some growers lost money because 2023’s record-breaking harvest drove the values of certain varieties so low.

“So, typically, at the end of the season, these apple growers will get a check in the mail. This year, lots of growers were getting bills in the mail because the value of their apples was less than the cost of services.”

-Chris Gerlach, U.S. Apple Association

Alongside high labor costs and other inputs like fuel, growers also have to pay for storing their apples, packing them and subsidize commission for industry salespeople.

“So typically, at the end of the season, these apple growers will take the prices their apples were sold for, minus these costs of services, and they’ll get a check in the mail,” Gerlach said. “Well, this year, lots of growers were getting bills in the mail because the value of their apples was less than the cost of services.”

That’s not sustainable, especially for small- to medium-sized growers — which account for many of northern Michigan’s orchards.

Gerlach said U.S. apple growers are consolidating and seeing more investment from private equity and foreign sovereign wealth funds. He said that trend will only continue as labor costs go up and it becomes more difficult to make money on fruit alone.

Plus, to top it off, he said U.S. consumers are buying fewer apples at the grocery store.

“There’s a lot of competition in the produce aisle these days with grapes, and clementines, and avocados, and other things,” he said. “Some people are talking about what we need to be doing to promote apples as a category, and not just Honeycrisp versus Red Delicious, but apples versus something else.”

Despite that, Gerlach said growers should get a little relief this growing season. It’s shaping up to be a big apple year, but still far fewer apples than last year.

Back at the farm

In Suttons Bay, the plant growth regulator Emma Grant sprayed over a month ago worked as intended: It bought a little more time for some of the apples to turn redder without over-maturing. And the redder the apple, the more appealing it is to packers.

Now, she says she’ll have to wait and see if the same regulator will help the apples keep better in storage before being packed and sold.

It could be close to the start of next apple season by the time that happens.

Both Baker’s Keyboard Lounge and Simmons & Clark Jewelers have kept their doors open for 90-plus years — largely due to their care for customers and the city. 

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

Baker’s Keyboard Lounge

Baker’s Keyboard Lounge, located not too far from the famous Livernois Avenue of Fashion, first opened its doors in 1934. A who’s who of Jazz names played there, including Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, John Coltrane and many more. 

While the music is important at Baker’s, so is the flavor. It originally started as a beer and sandwich restaurant, but they now serve some of the best soul food in the city.  

Baker’s Owner Bill Smith joined The Metro on Friday to discuss what keeps people and musicians coming to the space. The venue is being honored at the Smooth Jazz Fall Fest at the Fox Theater on Saturday. 

Simmons & Clark Jewelers

Roughly one in four U.S. businesses fail within their first year of operation, according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. And for small businesses, the challenge of staying afloat can be monumental.

But that’s not the case with Simmons & Clark Jewelers, a family-run business that began in Detroit 99 years ago. Since 1925, the business has been handed down three generations — from fathers to sons — with the current owner Michael Simmons now carrying on the family legacy.

Simmons joined The Metro to talk about how the business got up and running and what’s kept it going these past 99 years.

Use the media player above to hear the conversation with Smith and Simmons.

More headlines from The Metro on Oct. 4, 2024:

• The second annual Preservation of Jazz Appreciation Ceremony is happening next week at Aretha’s Jazz Cafe. The ceremony will highlight individuals dedicated to celebrating and preserving Jazz music in Detroit. Creator of the event and local performer Sky Covington joined the show to discuss who’s being honored this year. 
• It’s also Detroit Documenter Friday on The Metro. The Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network (DWIHN) is in the hiring process for a new CEO. They’re down to two candidates, Detroit Police Chief James White and President of Team Wellness Michael Hunter. To discuss the role of DWIHN and the interview process, Detroit Documenter Clarissa Williams and Documenters Coordinator Lynelle Herndon joined the show.

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

Detroit is another step closer to passing an ordinance that would put some limits on protesters outside health care facilities.

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

The proposed ordinance would create a 100-foot zone where protesters could not come within eight feet of a patient entering the facility without their consent. It would also restrict people from gathering or picketing within 15 feet of the entrance.

While the ordinance would apply to any health care facility in the city, supporters say it’s most needed at clinics providing abortion services. Abortion rights opponents call it a violation of their First Amendment rights.

Monica Miller is a self-identified “pro-life sidewalk counselor” who said she’s been doing that in Detroit “for literally decades.” She told council members during a hearing Monday that a buffer zone would restrict them from engaging in “real human interaction.”

“We approach the moms. We accompany them. We talk to them,” Miller said. “We show them love and compassion and give them real material help so that they will turn away from their decision to abort their children.”

But ordinance supporters say that’s exactly the point. They say patients at clinics are routinely harassed and intimidated by protesters, often by people who come from outside the city or state to do so.

Council member Gabriela Santiago-Romero, who’s sponsoring the proposed ordinance, said she witnessed such tactics during a recent clinic visit. She said one man who mistook her for a patient approached her directly, using inflammatory language meant to inflict “psychological pain.”

“So we do have people from outside of the city coming and telling our residents what to do with their bodies,” Santiago-Romero said. “And quite frankly, it is not all peaceful.”

A person found guilty of violating the ordinance would be subject to a misdemeanor penalty and fine. The council is expected to hold a final vote on the issue next week.

-Reporting by Sarah Cwiek, Michigan Public

Other headlines for Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024:

• A new report on Michigan’s economy from the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics shows more residents have jobs now than at any time in the past 20 years. 
• The Dorothy and Peter Brown Jewish Community Adult Day Program will be offering a dementia-friendly Kol Nidre/Yom Kippur service at 11 a.m. this Sunday for the Jewish High Holidays. 
• This Wednesday is Student Count Day in Michigan — one of two days during the school year when school attendance is used to determine school funding. 
• The city of Detroit is offering free flu vaccinations from noon-3 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9 at the Coleman A Young Municipal Center. Those interested are asked to register at flu.vna.org and enter the Clinic ID 2654 and the Clinic Passcode xtuca8m. Complete and bring the Assessment and Consent Form from the registration site along with a valid ID and medical card.  

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

The latest polling continues to show a statistical dead-heat in the presidential race across political battleground states like Michigan.

Surveys also reveal the chief concern for most voters remains the state of the economy and the high cost of living.

Both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have each touted their vision for the economy during recent campaign stops in Michigan.

At a town hall in Warren last Friday, former Trump claimed he would use a combination of tariffs and corporate tax breaks to protect U.S. jobs.

“You have to elect a person with business talent and common sense, and this whole thing is going to turn around very quickly,” Trump said.

Trump also made a stop at FALK, a manufacturing company in West Michigan, to promote his economic recovery plan. Harris counters that Trump’s tax plan could push the economy towards a recession.

At a recent town hall in Oakland County with Oprah Winfrey, Harris said she will work to stop what she calls “price gouging” by companies, and provide loans for small business start-ups and first-time home buyers.

One of the signature accomplishments of Trump’s term was the U.S. Mexico-Canada trade agreement that replaced NAFTA — a deal United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain says is bad for autoworkers.

“Donald Trump wants to spin this that he fixed NAFTA. He didn’t fix anything. He made it worse,” Fain said. “The deficits and the trade imbalance grew worse under Trump’s NAFTA.”

A report by the U.S. Department of Commerce showed that the yearly trade deficit increased by about $200 billion from 2016 to 2020.

In a statement released last Thursday, Harris said she wanted a full review of the deal when it comes up in 2026.

Drumming up union support

Winning over auto workers — and union members — has been a top priority for both Harris and Trump during the 2024 election cycle.

Many unions — including the United Auto Workers — have endorsed Harris, though strong support for Trump by the Teamsters’ rank-and-file likely led to the leadership deciding not to make an endorsement. The inaction has been celebrated as a win for the Trump campaign.

Trump — and other Republicans — have referred to federal environmental rules surrounding fuel economy standards as an “electric vehicle mandate”.

That’s something that rankles Michigan U.S. Senator Gary Peters.

“Well, let’s be clear, there’s not a mandate on electric vehicles. People will be free to choose the vehicles that they would like, but we also have to make electric vehicles because we are in global competition for the next generation of vehicles and the future of the auto industry, which is electric,” Peters said.

A study from J.D. Power and Associates found EV sales make up about 9% of all new cars and trucks sold in the U.S.

And a recent report from NPR showed that the Americans who are most skeptical about the environmental benefits of EVs, also tend to be the people who worry the least about the climate.

Trump has stated that EVs will kill the American auto industry — though he did soften his stance a bit after being supported by Tesla CEO Elon Musk. During Friday’s town hall event, Trump vowed to increase the use of oil and gas reserves and levy heavy tariffs on foreign products to help drive energy costs down.

Calling former President Donald Trump “one of the biggest losers” in the history of American manufacturing, Vice President Kamala Harris is focusing her campaign on a key difference between the two presidential candidates — their relationship to workers.

Trump is scheduled to appear at a town hall in Warren, Michigan on Friday. Automaker Stellantis is planning to layoff hundreds of temporary workers at assembly plants in Sterling Heights, Detroit, and Toledo early next week.

In a statement shared to WDET, Vice President Harris highlighted her opposition to the United State-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) — something Trump has dubbed “the new NAFTA.”

“It was Trump’s trade deal that made it far too easy for a major auto company like Stellantis to break their word to workers by outsourcing American jobs,” Harris says in the statement.

Stellantis has denied it is planning to move any jobs out of the country — despite accusations by the United Auto Workers that the company wants to move production of the Dodge Durango to Windsor, Ontario.

Harris has received the support of most of the major labor unions — including the UAW.

United Autoworkers President Shawn Fain has called Trump a “scab” after the former president crossed picket lines and hosted a rally at a non-union auto parts manufacturer in Macomb County during last year’s UAW strike.

The union has even gone so far to file unfair labor practice charges against Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk after the pair discussed firing striking workers. 

Trump has been confident he’ll get the backing of autoworkers telling rallygoers in Michigan earlier this year “most of the autoworkers are going to vote for me.”  

Manufacturing jobs in the US were trending downward in the year before the pandemic started. Harris says the Trump Administration lost “nearly 200,000 manufacturing jobs.” 

She’s pledged to continue post-pandemic job gains made during the Biden Administration. 

“I will always stand with the UAW. Trusting Donald Trump again is a risk America’s autoworkers cannot afford,” says Harris.

• The full statement from Vice President Harris is below.

“Donald Trump is one of the biggest losers of manufacturing in American history. He makes empty promise after empty promise to American workers, but never delivers. As President, he cut taxes for corporations, encouraged outsourcing, and lost nearly 200,000 manufacturing jobs, including auto jobs. He has joked about firing workers, supported state anti-union laws, and suggested companies move jobs out of Michigan. 

“We’ve seen this movie before. Once again, he is repeating the same playbook and telling the same old lies about how he’ll fight for working people, including those in Michigan. Yet it was Trump’s trade deal that made it far too easy for a major auto company like Stellantis to break their word to workers by outsourcing American jobs. As one of only 10 senators to vote against USMCA, I knew it was not sufficient to protect our country and its workers. Many who voted for this deal conditioned their support on a review process, which as President I will use.

“Enough is enough. American workers deserve a leader who keeps their promises and stands with workers when it matters, and as President, I will bring autoworker jobs back to this country and create an opportunity economy that strengthens manufacturing, unions, and builds prosperity and security for America’s future. I will always stand with the UAW. Trusting Donald Trump again is a risk America’s autoworkers cannot afford.”

Across the U.S., drinking water and wastewater utilities are losing experienced workers at an escalating rate. It’s part of the “silver tsunami” of baby boomer retirements.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that “silver tsunami” is just beginning to sweep across the nation.

“We’re seeing between 30 and 50% of our water workforce being eligible to retire within the next 5 to 10 years,” said Bruno Pigott, the EPA’s acting assistant administrator of water.

He was quoting from a report released six years ago by the Brookings Institution. While the data are hard to confirm, it appears the country is heading toward that projection.

An analysis by Michigan Public finds automation will replace some workers, but retirements will exceed that and lead to shortages.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects a drop in water operator jobs nationwide over the next decade as automated systems take over more tasks. Despite that, an estimated 10,000 positions will need to be filled each year to make up for people who leave these jobs to go to another industry, return to school or retire.

Michigan’s jobless rate ticked up to 4.5% in August, the third month in a row the state unemployment rate has registered a slight increase.

Non-farm payroll jobs dropped by roughly 2,000 in August — a small number compared to a total job count of 4,488,000. Payroll jobs declined by 19,000 over the past three months.

Michigan Bureau of Labor Information Director Wayne Rourke said the state’s job market appears to be settling into more normal patterns after steep losses during the COVID-19 pandemic followed by big job gains and a strong recovery.                

”Everything we’re seeing is pretty incremental,” he told the Michigan Public Radio Network. “There’s not any massive movement in any particular industry that would tell a big story, but we are seeing a general softening in the last few months.”                

Rourke also said a look at the year-to-year data shows the overall state and national job trends are similar even though the U.S. as a whole showed a small boost last month.

“Over the year, Michigan’s unemployment rate is up half a percentage point while the U.S. is up four-tenths of a percentage point,” he said. “So, the trends are really similar and what we’re seeing here is what’s happening nationwide as well.”