Daily Detroit

OMGWTFBBQ what an episode. We literally scrapped it three times and then everything happened. First, Devon O'Reilly joins us to talk about the change in mask policy. In Michigan, as of 9am Saturday, it's masks off for vaccinated individuals. But will you? Will he? And in what situations? And we get into what some of the thinking might be behind the moves. We also talk about Bedrock's purchase of 3...

The whole Line 5 pipeline situation under the straits of Mackinac, as I uncover more and more, seems to be a symptom to a larger, bi-national problem and lack of plan.  Proponents say the pipeline critical to the economy and energy infrastructure. Opponents say a double pipeline under the great lakes - especially one that's not buried - poses a special threat to the unique fresh water resource tha...

Detroit Police Chief James Craig retires, and word is he's eyeing running for Michigan Governor as a Republican. But there's a hard reality that the violent crime rate in the city of Detroit is just about where he found it in 2014, even if we take out the pandemic. We discuss it and the Chief's answer that the November 2020 election result was a "political" question and so he won't address it unti...

Today's show is driven by a listener question we've gotten a lot over the last couple of months. Can employers mandate their employees get vaccines? Should they? And then we talk about what some businesses are actually doing. Our guest for this is Terry Bonnette. He's co-managing partner at Nemeth Law and is an expert on labor and employment counseling and litigation. In his career, he's dealt wit...

On today's show, Fletcher Sharpe joins us to talk about Detroit City FC's win over the Maryland Bobcats and his thoughts on the Detroit Lions draft picks. That starts at 04:47 Also, if you don't know what a nutmeg is: https://twitter.com/SaintFDW/status/1389600381374767118 Also on the show: 00:20 Latest on the pandemic as vaccinations statewide hit 50%, Ford Field wraps up their mass clinic in two...

The global silicon chip shortage has made computers and graphics cards more expensive and harder to find. But so many popular products are driven by chips, including automobiles. There are lots full of pickup trucks and other high-value vehicles sitting missing a few parts, unable to be sold until they get some key parts. And that's not good for our local economy or the workers that rely on it.  G...

It's now spring so it's a great time to catch up on what's happening with Detroit's growing greenway infrastructure. Detroit Greenways Coalition Executive Director Todd Scott says that it's a "milestone year" for new construction projects and shovels in the ground. We talk about the Joe Louis Greenway, the Southwest Greenway, a possible rebuilding of Jefferson Avenue on Detroit's east side to coin...

Today's show features a conversation with Bob Schwartz of the Here to Help Foundation. They've provided or helped with 1,100 cars for working people in Wayne and Oakland counties. More: https://www.heretohelpfoundation.org/activek/home Plus, stories around town: 00:32 - Ford announced a new battery research and development facility called Ford Ion Park. It'll be in Allen Park.  01:41 - If a lawsui...

It's Friday funday at the podcast and we run down stories around town as well as our favorite donuts. 01:11 - Devon and Jer share their drinks and their vaccine side-effect experiences 05:27 - Downtown Detroit bars and restaurants are real slow compared to before the pandemic. Will that increase as more people get vaccinated and go out? 06:33 - Local election season is heating up across the region...

Could we lower the city of Detroit's property tax rates - they are among the highest in the nation - while not gutting services? This would be a benefit for long-time Detroit residents who face very high property tax burdens and might be a longer term fix than the one-time forgiveness provided through a charitable program from Dan Gilbert's foundation. Also, it could stimulate more individual inve...

Today's show is focused on Detroit City FC and the sport in general. First, Fletcher Sharpe runs down a pair of games last week as DCFC kicks off their season. Then we discuss the Super League briefing which leads into another topic - NISA. And how Detroit City FC really needs NISA to work, and what NISA could do to step up their game. 

Triage tents are going up at local hospitals. Beaumont reports that their facilities across the region are 90 to 95% occupied, and rising. The volume of patients there is higher than last fall. There are a number of individual hospitals that are over capacity. They're overwhelmed with unvaccinated adults who are on the verge of dying. Plus, the Johnson and Johnson vaccine was paused for review. So...

For our feature conversation, Potato chip expert, author and journalist Karen Dybis joins us to talk about the passing of the prince of chips. You might know him as Better Made CEO, Salvatore "Sam" Cipriano. But first, some news. 00:29 - Coronavirus update, including stunningly high case positivity rates across the region and in the city of Detroit. 02:25 - Facial recognition technology used to id...

Today, Fletcher Sharpe is in the co-pilot seat. 00:18 - Fan favorite forward Max Todd returns to Detroit City FC. 00:44 - U of M's Mike Smith said he's going pro. What are his prospects? 03:55 - Why isn't Pistons Legend Ben Wallace a Hall Of Famer yet? More: https://theathletic.com/2511074/2021/04/12/ben-wallace-qa-on-hall-of-fame-isaiah-stewart-state-of-the-pistons/ 09:50 - Tigers talk: Akil Badd...

Today's show is in two parts. News in the front, and a feature conversation in the back. Albert Kahn and his brothers left an immense architectural and design legacy for Detroit and the world.  To help connect fans of Albert Kahn's work and tell the Kahn story, the Albert Kahn Legacy Foundation was started. Pfannes joins us to talk about it. Plus: 00:49 - A COVID-19 update as the CDC says the way...