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The Metro: How government inefficiency hampers population growth in Michigan

By: Sam Corey
22 June 2026 at 20:48

In Michigan, we have many needs: higher-paying jobs, better educational outcomes, and more public transit. Above all, we need more people. 

A lot is at stake. Even if your neighborhood feels bustling, when Michigan’s population stops growing, the state actually shrinks in all the ways that matter. Since 1970, we’ve lost a seat in Congress after every census, and those same population counts decide how hundreds of billions in federal funding are divided. That means less money for roads, water systems, housing, and more. As baby boomers retire, our workforce is shrinking, and Michigan has lost 93,000 workers just since last spring. Fewer people here means less political power, fewer resources, and a smaller tax base to pay the bills.

Michigan’s leaders agree — we need to attract more people to our state. Yet one central question remains: how do we make it happen, and who is responsible for leading the way? Some are trying to answer that question. The state of Michigan has a growth office. The City of Detroit has an initiative to grow its population. 

Jeff Donofrio is a leader in the population growth space. He’s the president and chief executive officer of Business Leaders For Michigan. He’s written about this topic in several reports, and he’s worked for the City of Detroit and the State of Michigan to resolve the problem.

He believes we need to reform teaching.“It’s about making sure that [students are] engaged and can do stuff besides passing a standardized test,” says Donofrio.

He joined host Robyn Vincent on The Metro to explore how government culture needs to change to build more housing, create better regional transit, and to ultimately attract more people to the state.

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. Never miss an episode — subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or NPR or wherever you get your podcasts.

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More stories from The Metro

The post The Metro: How government inefficiency hampers population growth in Michigan appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

WDET seeks a current affairs producer

10 June 2026 at 15:32

Wayne State University is searching for an experienced Producer – Current Affairs (WDET) at its Detroit campus location.

Wayne State is a premier, public, urban research university located in the heart of Detroit, Michigan where students from all backgrounds are offered a rich, high-quality education. Our deep-rooted commitment to excellence, collaboration, integrity, diversity and inclusion creates exceptional educational opportunities which prepare students for success in a global society.

Essential functions (job duties):

The Producer, Current Affairs coordinates live, interactive, and original daily programming. Provides direct support of the program hosts, as well as daily content production, including breaking news, multi-platform, and special broadcasts. The Producer under the supervision of the Senior Producer, works with program hosts and other production staff to develop program topics; undertakes subject research and books guests, conducts pre-interviews to support hosts; conducts and records interviews with guests as required; assists live show production as required; coordinates with technical and digital production team to post-produce and publish content. This position may also require supporting program and hosts in an on-mic, broadcast capacity. Occasional WDET events attendance may be required, sometimes including limited travel. Reports to Senior Producer, WDET.

Content development:

– Research and develop compelling and relevant story ideas for radio broadcasts, ensuring alignment with the station’s editorial guidelines.

– Collaborate with the editorial team to brainstorm, pitch, and refine story concepts that resonate with the target audience.

Scriptwriting and editing:

– Write engaging and informative scripts for radio segments, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and adherence to the station’s editorial standards.

– Edit and proofread scripts to maintain high-quality content, while also incorporating feedback from team members and stakeholders.

Interview coordination:

– Identify and reach out to potential guests for interviews, conducting pre-interview research to prepare hosts for insightful and thought-provoking conversations.

– Coordinate interview logistics, including scheduling, preparing interviewees, and ensuring a smooth on-air experience.

Show production:

– Oversee the production process, from initial concept to final broadcast, ensuring seamless execution of radio programs.

– Work closely with hosts, sound engineers, and other production team members to create polished and engaging shows.

Collaboration:

– Collaborate with other departments, such as marketing and social media, to promote radio shows and engage with the audience.

– Participate in editorial meetings, contributing ideas and insights to shape the overall content strategy of the station.

Research and fact-checking:

– Conduct thorough research to gather accurate and up-to-date information for use in radio segments.

– Perform fact-checking to verify the authenticity of information and maintain the station’s commitment to journalistic integrity.

Quality assurance:

– Ensure the highest standards of audio quality, storytelling, and journalism in all produced content.

– Implement and adhere to the station’s editorial policies and guidelines, maintaining consistency and credibility in the programming.

Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Education Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Communications, Media Studies, or a related field from an accredited college or university. Candidates with an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

Post-Secondary degree or diploma in Journalism, Media, Communications, or other related fields preferred.
Experience Experienced (minimum 2 years of job-related experience)

Demonstrated experience producing public media programming, preferably with direct experience in radio broadcasting.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Ability to prioritizes work activities and adapt to rapidly changing conditions; complete tasks correctly; plan for discussion/coverage of pre-planned major news events within the show; possess solid news judgement, demonstrated knowledge of NPR code of ethics for journalism.

Ability to communicate clearly, concisely, and professionally, both orally and in writing.
Ability to work collaboratively and cooperatively with multiple WDET teams. Must have ability to work in a live program environment and remain poised under pressure.
Demonstrated capacity for multi-tasking, flexibility in face of changing priorities, and the ability to work independently, as well as part of a team.

Demonstrated knowledge of current events, thought leaders, and issues of importance to Metro Detroiters.

Demonstrated knowledge of multiple media production (radio, web), editorial standards/management, and journalism practices. Ability to utilize social and digital media to engage audiences.

Understanding of objectives and mission of assigned program duties. Monitors own work to ensure quality. Performs work with concentration, focus and accuracy. Works effectively and completes quality work in a timely manner to meet deadlines.

Demonstrates a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in editorial and journalistic practices, modeling inclusive behaviors and proactively managing implicit bias.

Additional information:

School/College/Division:
H72 – WDET

Primary department:
H8703 – WDET (H8703)

Employment type:
Regular Employee
Job type: Full Time
Job category: Staff/Administrative
Funding/salary information:
Compensation type: Annual Salary

Hourly rate:
Salary minimum: $51,274.00
Salary hire maximum: $61,531.00
Working conditions:
Normal office environment and some limited travel.

Job openings:
Number of openings: 2
Reposted position: No
Reposted reason: None (New Requisition)
Prior posting/requisition number:

Background check requirements:
University policy requires certain persons who are offered employment to undergo a background check, including a criminal history check, before starting work. If you are offered employment, the university will inform you if a background check is required.

The post WDET seeks a current affairs producer appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

Detroit Evening Report: Temporary Protected Status for Yemenis ends next week

6 April 2026 at 19:42

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.

Support the podcasts you love.

One-of-a-kind podcasts from WDET bring you engaging conversations, news you need to know and stories you love to hear. Keep the conversations coming. Please make a gift today.

The post Detroit Evening Report: Temporary Protected Status for Yemenis ends next week appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

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