When COVID-19 shutdowns were enacted and social distancing became the norm, restaurants and public spaces emptied out. Streets across the country went quiet. But people, cities and businesses adapted. Many set up temporary outdoor seating. It provided a much-needed solution in a public health and economic crisis.

In Northville, as the pandemic crisis waned, outdoor dining remained. The city’s downtown was reminiscent of cafes and public plazas in other, more walkable, less car-dominated cities around the world. 

City residents and elected officials wanted to make the innovation permanent. 

In 2023, the Northville City Council voted to close the two main streets in downtown Northville, Center and Main, during summer months. Residents were drawn to the city center like never before. But not everyone was happy with the changes.

Community groups were formed, for and against. Let’s Open Northville has filed multiple lawsuits to end street dining and seasonal road closures in downtown Northville. Community Over Cars and Northville City Council are in favor of street dining and seasonal road closures.

On July 9, Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Charlene Elder ordered Main street and Center streets opened back up, saying seasonal road closures violated the city’s charter. The City of Northville appealed Judge Elder’s ruling and on October 1, she’ll make a final ruling.

Kristi Wysocki and Peter Hoffman from Community Over Cars joined the Metro to discuss their group’s efforts to preserve seasonal road closures and outdoor dining in downtown Northville.

The Metro contacted the City of Northville and the group Let’s Open Northville. We haven’t heard back.

Guests:

• Kristi Wysocki lives in the city of Northville and is the founder of Community Over Cars. 
• Peter Hoffman lives in Northville Township and is on that group’s board, serving as their government relations liaison.

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Michigan’s skies are blanketed in haze, clouding the outlook for metro Detroiters.

It’s not fog. Wildfires burning hundreds of miles away in Canada are sending plumes of smoke all over the American Midwest, and that smoke makes breathing hard and sometimes affects our health in untold ways. 

Breathing wildfire smoke near the source is harmful, but there is still uncertainty about what happens as the smoke travels. 

Some emerging research suggests wildfire smoke traveling long distances chemically changes and could become even more harmful. 

Pulmonary specialist Dr. Erika Moseson has been closely following the issue of wildfire smoke and lung health. She hosts the podcast “Air Health, Our Health,” where she breaks down how things like wildfire smoke  — and how climate change, which is intensifying those fires — affect our health.

Moseson joined The Metro’s Robyn Vincent to discuss air quality, lung health and more. Use the media player above to listen.

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

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

More stories from The Metro