One of the largest data center projects in the country is happening in Michigan, in the small farming community of Saline Township. Southwest of Ann Arbor, Saline Township is home to roughly 2,300 people.

Many of those residents did not want a data center. Their board voted against it, and their neighbors packed the meeting hall. Then the lawsuit came.

The companies are Oracle and OpenAI. Together, they are worth more than a trillion dollars. The township said it could not justify the fight, so it settled, and construction began.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer calls it the largest single investment in Michigan history.

It will use more electricity than an average nuclear reactor produces.

State lawmaker Morgan Foreman represents the district where it is being built. She says her constituents were not partners in this project; they were bystanders to it. She joined Robyn Vincent on The Metro to discuss how a small community of farmers and small-business owners ended up hosting one of the most consequential pieces of AI infrastructure in the country.

Hear the full conversation using the media player above.

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

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Governor Whitmer signed an executive order allowing higher vapor fuels to be sold in southeast Michigan until July 1. The move allows the cheaper winter gas blend to be sold for the next three months. 

High vapor gas helps cars run smoothly when it’s cold outside. It’s less expensive to make, but worse for the environment. 

Whitmer hopes allowing it will lower prices at the pump amid the ongoing war in Iran. 

But GasBuddy petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan says there’s no guarantee that the higher vapor mix will make it to consumers. 

“Even with a waiver… refineries have generally already made a transition over to cleaner… more expensive blends of gasoline for the summer. So even if Michigan allows it… that doesn’t mean refineries are going to go back to producing something different.” 

If refineries do revert to winter blend, DeHaan says it could lower gas prices by around 5 to 7 cents per gallon. 
 
AAA says Michigan drivers are paying an average of $3.86 for a gallon of regular unleaded gas this morning. That’s about 20 cents cheaper than it was last week. 

Additional headlines for April 3, 2026

DPSCD seeks student influencers

Detroit Public School Community District is now employing Student Influencers in their on going effort to grow enrollment. 23 students will be hired to share positive messages about their schools.

To apply, current students must make a 60 second Reel about themselves and submit it via direct message to DPSCD’s Instagram account. For more information visit the district’s account on Instagram, under the handle detroitk12.

Detroit Music Hall screens ‘Dream Girls’

This weekend Detroit Music Hall will host a special screening of the movie “Dream Girls.” It’s the 20th anniversary of the film releasing and the 45th anniversary of the Broadway show.

The screening will be hosted by actress Raven-Symone and will also feature special live performance from Jennifer Holiday, who played Effie in the Broadway performance.

Tickets are on sale now at the Music Hall Box Office and Ticketmaster. The screenings will be on April 4 at 7:00 p.m. and April 5 at 3:00 p.m. 

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