The Metro
"The Metro" covers local and regional news and current affairs, arts and cultural events and topics, with a commitment to airing perspectives and uncovering stories underreported by mainstream media in Detroit.
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Does Michigan need stronger efforts to stop non-U.S. citizens from voting?
Earlier this year, a University of Michigan student from China voted in November’s presidential election. He was part of a group of likely 16 noncitizens in Michigan who voted in that election.
That number accounts for a tiny fraction of the vote, less than .0003 percent. And those votes didn’t impact the 2024 November election results.
But a number of people were upset by noncitizens voting. Last month, Republicans gathered to launch a ballot initiative to strengthen existing laws that ensure non-American citizens can’t vote in Michigan elections. To do that, their initiative would require voters to show photo identification to cast a ballot.
Many liberals, including Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, are against this measure. The voting official says, if passed, the initiative could suppress the vote.
So what’s in this new measure? And, what case is Americans for Citizen Voting making to Michiganders to gather the hundreds of thousands of signatures needed to get on the 2026 ballot?
Producer Sam Corey spoke with Paul Jacob, chair of Americans for Citizen Voting in Michigan.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
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Midtown hazardous waste site seeking license renewal
Detroit is a manufacturing city and with this comes hazardous waste – toxic, reactive, flammable, and corrosive material that’s dangerous to people.
So what happens to all this hazardous waste? Federal and State Laws require facilities to obtain a license to store, dispose or treat it.
That includes EQ Detroit Inc., which operates a hazardous waste site in Midtown near the I-94 and I-75 interchange. The company’s license is up for renewal, and not all residents are in support.
But public sentiment is not the law, said Tracy Kecskemeti at the public informational meeting on Aug. 13. She’s the acting materials management division director for the Department of Environment Great Lakes and Energy. EGLE is the state regulator that oversees these hazardous waste sites.
Producer Jack Filbrandt spoke to Detroit Documenters Colleen Cirrocco and Lynelle Herndon to learn more about what community members had to say. The next meeting on this issue is Sept. 4 at Tech Town.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Postponed I-375 redesign project raised awareness of historic Black Bottom neighborhood
The Michigan Department of Transportation recently announced postponing a planned I-375 reconstruction project citing increasing increased costs and community feedback.
The project was characterized as repartive, a way to correct past injustices that occured when primarily Black neighborhoods were demolished to build highways.
While engaging the commuity, MDOT presented on the history of the notable Black Bottom and Paradise Valley neighoborhoods that thrived in the area 1-375 now sits.
Marcia Black and Lex Draper Garcia Bey from Black Bottom Archives joined Tia Graham on The Metro to share their reaction to the I-375 redesign project being postponed.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.
Detroit City FC's new stadium aims to reflect the community
Starting out as a recreational league at Belle Isle in 2010, Detroit City Football Club has grown its footprint in Detroit and Metro Detroit, quickly amassing a loyal and passionate fanbase.
Now, over a decade later, a new stadium is helping usher in a new era for DCFC. AlumniFi Field is set to open for the 2027 USL Championship season.
Construction is scheduled to begin by the end of this year in the Corktown and Southwest Detroit neighborhoods, pending Detroit City Council’s approval.
Detroit City Football Club Stadium Neighborhood Advisory Council will begin to accept nominations. Any Detroit residents who live within the impact area and are over 18 are eligible to serve.
CEO and Co-founder of DCFC Sean Mann joined Tia Graham on The Metro to talk more about the stadium and the community that AlumniFi will call home.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.
Enthusiasm is high for Detroit’s composting pilot program
The City of Detroit launched a pilot composting program for the first 200 people to sign up last week.
Demand was so high that the first openings are filled and hundreds of others are on a wait list. That enthusiasm is good news for proponents of urban agriculture in Detroit.
The City of Detroit’s Director of Sustainability, Tepfirah Rushdan, and the city’s Deputy Director of Urban Agriculture, Patrice Brown, joined The Metro to discuss the enthusiasm for the program, and the future of urban agriculture and sustainability in Detroit.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.
Street closures in downtown Northville gain community support, spark lawsuits
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.
Lansing native Nicole Melnyk to headline 'What's So Funny About Detroit'
Nicole Melnyk is a comedian known for her energy and sharp wit. The Lansing native has performed at WDET's What's So Funny About Detroit event in the past, and now she's headlining on August 28.
She joined Tia Graham to talk about what inspired her comedy, why she reps Lansing so hard, and her love of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
You can buy tickets for next week's Old Miami performance at wdet.org/events.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Ford charges forward with new EV plans
The race to electric vehicles is happening. That may be surprising for some when considering our political climate.
President Donald Trump has reversed course on the electricity-forward Biden years.
The new federal budget law will phase out tax credits for electric vehicles by the end of September. Congressional Republicans also eliminated penalties for companies that don’t comply with fuel economy standards. Those standards encouraged automakers to produce electric vehicles to offset the sale of gas-powered cars that emitted too much dirty energy.
But despite all this, Ford announced two weeks ago that it was charging ahead with its EV plans. The company announced the creation of a new electric vehicle production system to produce EVs more efficiently. Ford hopes to bring a 30,000 dollar mid-size electric pick-up to market in two years.
How might this plan turn out? And, can Ford and other American automakers outcompete China on EVs?
John McElroy broadcasts three radio segments on WWJ, writes for Auto Blog and has a monthly column for Wards Auto. He spoke with Robyn Vincent.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
With $156 million solar program axed, what’s Michigan’s path forward?
Last week, the lights went dim on a renewable energy program with big promise for the planet and your pocketbook.
Michigan was set to receive $156 million from Solar for All.
The money would have helped low-income households add rooftop or community solar, paid for battery storage and basic upgrades like panels, wiring, or roof work, and funded workforce training and community outreach. Households were projected to save about 20% on electric bills—roughly $400 annually.
The Environmental Protection Agency terminated the $7 billion program after Congress rescinded the funds via President Trump’s new tax-and-spending law. Lawmakers are contesting the move, but for now, projects are paused, and families who expected relief from high energy bills will keep waiting.
Oakland County Commission Chair Dave Woodward has supported local solutions that lower residents' costs and give businesses tools to adopt renewable energy. He joined Robyn Vincent to discuss what a real path forward could look like in the absence of federal support.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10a.m. to noon or streaming on-demand.
Giving expecting mothers money gets bipartisan support in Lansing
If you want to find bipartisanship, Lansing might not be the best place to look. The statehouse has been in gridlock with very few examples of the Democrats and Republicans working together to get bills passed this session.
A new budget still has not been passed, despite the statutorily-required deadline of July 1st. What’s more, only six laws have been passed in the last six months, meaning Michigan’s divided legislature is off to its slowest start in decades.
However, there are some examples of Democrats and Republicans working together. It turns out there's room for negotiation when it comes to spending on kids and families.
Last week, the Michigan Senate Committee on Housing and Human Services held a hearing to discuss the expansion of Rx Kids, which offers women $1,500 during pregnancy and $500 a month during their child’s first year of life.
One of the big supporters of Rx Kids is Republican state Senator John Damoose, who represents northern Michigan and the Eastern U.P. He says the bill making its way through the legislature celebrates kids and appropriately spends public and private funds. State Senator Damoose appreciates the program so much, he’s holding a press conference for the program this morning in Sault Ste Marie.
The program has been operating in the state senator's district for about six months where it’s already distributed almost one million dollars to over 300 families.
Producer Sam Corey spoke with state Senator Damoose to discuss why he supports Rx Kids as a Republican, what the bill could do if it passed, and how he’s trying to overcome the partisanship choking Lansing.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Brightmoor Music Series continues jazz series with 'Puttin on the Ritz'
The Brightmoor community in the city of Detroit has had its battles, from blight to vacant lots, the community has found a way to remain resilient through the years.
The Brightmoor Music Series began in 2019 and wasn’t an instant hit. After a few weeks of word-of-mouth testimonies from community members, there was a demand for another one the next year.
Now, the event continues to thrive at Etheldra Mae Williams Park. Located on Burgess between Lyndon and Acacia Streets in Detroit, the once blighted 11 acre grassland is now renovated and beautiful.
“Puttin on the Ritz” is a celebration of the 100th birthday of the park's namesake, Etheldra Mae Williams. The park transformed into a 1920's speakeasy, along with classic cars and vendors.
Michael Williams is a manager of the William Park Alliance and organizes the Brightmoor Series. Flint native songstress Pia Broden-Williams is headlining the upcoming celebration. They joined The Metro to talk more about the music series and uplifting the Brightmoor community.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.
Expunged on paper, not in court. A Hmong dad’s detention in Michigan
In July, ICE agents arrested and detained around a dozen Hmong refugees in Detroit, some have since been deported to Laos. Several are still in custody, including Lue Yang, a father of six, and president of the Hmong Family Association of Lansing, MI.
Yang's potential deportation could stem from a decades-old conviction that the state expunged.
"He has literally brought our Hmong community out and gave us a voice — that we do exist in the state of Michigan," said Ann Vue, Yang's wife, on the Metro.
Aisa Villarosa, an attorney with the Asian Law Caucus, says she is concerned about the "covert nature" of many of these arrests and deportations — and the people ICE is targeting.
"We are seeing folks who are anchors of their communities, beloved family members, stripped from their families, often after decades of living peacefully in their communities," Villarosa said.
State Rep. Mai Xiong (D-Warren) and State Sen. Stephanie Chang issued an open letter to ICE field director Kevin Raycraft, urging for the release of detained community members.
Guests: Ann Vue, wife of Lue Yang; Aisa Villarosa, attorney with Asian Law Caucus; and Michigan State Sen. Stephanie Chang.
'The Grand Secret' turns Mackinaw Island into the set of a murder mystery
Picture this: you’re on Mackinac Island having a grand old time at the Grand Hotel, and then boom, a mystery is a foot.
Someone has been murdered during the Mackinac Policy Conference and treachery begins—and if you’re familiar with Mackinac Island, you know you're not leaving unless it's by boat or ferry.
That’s the premise of a new book called "The Grand Secret" that depicts schemes, betrayal, and, of course, a high profile murder. It's a murder mystery, but "The Grand Secret" also highlights the beauty of Michigan and its landmarks.
"The Grand Secret" is the work of author Ed McKenna. The Downriver native and Michigan State Graduate has been writing for more than 20 years.
The father of two joined The Metro to talk more about "The Grand Secret" and why writing matters.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.
'Next of kin' bill aims to close medical decision-making gap in Michigan
A new set of bipartisan bills aims to close the medical decision-making gap in Michigan, allowing next of kin to make critical decisions when needed.
State Rep. Jamie Thompson (R-Brownstown) is co-sponsoring the legislation along with Angela Witwer (D-Delta Township) to close the medical decision-making gap in Michigan.
Rep. Thompson joined the Metro to discuss the details of the bill, and her personal experience which highlights Michigan's need for a next-of-kin law in the state.
Wayne County Commission eliminates youth council
Local leaders recently cut a seven-year pipeline from classroom to commission. The Wayne County Youth Council was a bridge that connected young people to the civic process.
At the Wayne County Commission meeting on July 17, the Wayne County Commission voted to eliminate the Youth Council.
The Wayne County Commission is the top legislative branch in the county. Some young people say this decision is silencing their voice and ending a vital way to learn about politics and policy.
Producer Jack Filbrandt spoke with Detroit Documenters Amanda Absher and Lynelle Herndon to learn what the commissioners and community members had to say about this decision.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
The SASHA Center provides holistic healing for sexual assault survivors
When women actors in Hollywood called out other actors and executives who committed some form of sexual violence against them, the whole world took notice. Survivors were finally being heard and it sparked the #MeToo era, in which accusations of sexual misconduct were heard more than ever before.
In Michigan, decades of abuse by sports doctor Larry Nassar came to light around the same time. A few years ago, the University of Michigan agreed to a settlement worth $490 million, with over one thousand people saying they were sexually assaulted by the late physician Robert Anderson.
According to a 2018 survey by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 81% of women and 43% of men reported experiencing some form of sexual harassment and/or assault in their lifetime.
It’s also important to note that many survivors are harmed by someone they know, someone close to them. In the US, 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner, according to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence survey.
So how far have we come when it comes to having conversations about domestic violence and abuse to prevent it from happening? And what kind of support does a survivor need to work through their trauma?
Kalimah Johnson is the Founder, CEO and Executive Director of the Sexual Assault Services for Holistic Healing and Awareness (SASHA) Center, which provides services for sexual assault recovery, prevention, and educational agency. Kalimah is also a consultant on relationship safety and management.
We spoke with Kalimah about the SASHA center and the importance of the language we use when talking about sexual violence, specifically against Black women. We also learned about the upcoming fifth edition of a back-to-school program hosted by the SASHA center.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and stream on-demand.
What our museums offer — and why the White House is clamping down on them
On Tuesday, the White House called for a “comprehensive internal review” of eight Smithsonian museums. They want institutions to celebrate American exceptionalism instead of discussing race and America's racial history, and to avoid negatively discussing the president.
Already, one Smithsonian museum changed its exhibit about President Donald Trump. It omitted that the president made false statements challenging his 2020 election loss, as well as a statement that said Trump delivered a speech encouraging lawless action at the Capitol.
The current administration says it wants our museums to end partisanship and to “restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions.” But many worry that, instead, the president is stoking an already-heated culture war and limiting free speech.
How should these museums respond to political pressure? How should American museums react to criticism and make appropriate changes? And, what is their role in critiquing and celebrating American life?
Devon Akmon is the Director of Michigan State University Museum and is a core faculty member in MSU’s Arts, Cultural Management & Museum Studies program.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
How opioid settlement money will help Michiganders with substance abuse issues
For years, pharmaceutical companies have pushed drugs onto people and doctors, increasing addiction rates and overdose deaths in Michigan and across the country.
Last month, a national settlement with Purdue Pharma created new funds for drug treatment in Michigan. The state is expected to receive $154 million over 15 years. The new funds will go to a larger pot of money from additional national settlements with opioid manufacturers and distributors.
The money comes at a really pivotal time. That’s because Michigan is set to lose over $90 million from cuts to federal grants for substance use disorder programs according to the Michigan Health and Human Services Department.
Where will the state’s new opioid money go? And, what do we need to do to both prevent addiction deaths in the short run, and prevent addiction entirely in the long run?
Founder of The Recovery Collective in West Bloomfield Steve Norris joined Robyn Vincent to discuss.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Hospitality Included Festival returns with new ‘community ticketing’ model
After a two-year break, the Hospitality Included food and drink festival is set to return to Detroit’s North End. The Detroit-based industry group Hospitality Included will host 30 of the city's top bars, restaurants and pop-up chefs as vendors at the one-day outdoor festival. Popular eateries including Freya, Fried Chicken & Caviar, Flowers of Vietnam and Dutch Girl Donuts will have food on offer.
Hospitality Included Fest '25 is August 24 at Detroit Design District in Detroit’s North End neighborhood.
Thor Jones, founder of Hospitality Included, joined the Metro to discuss the festival, what it took to bring it back after two years, and the 'community ticketing' model the festival is using this year for admission.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.
Meet Sounds Like Detroit performer Beth
It's hard to find a more home-grown Detroit artist than Beth. You can tell the second she lays her silky-sultry vocals on the track that the singer-songwriter is a direct descendent of the Motown sound.
From touring around the world as a backup vocalist for legendary artists KEM and Anita Baker, to her time in the music competition show The Voice, it's clear that Beth's sound is widely sought after.
Today, Beth joined The Metro and shed light on her experiences navigating the entertainment industry.
Education scholar Eve Ewing reimagines what intelligence looks like
Eve Ewing is an author, poet and a professor of sociology at the University of Chicago. Before she became a professor, Ewing was a middle school teacher for Chicago public schools. Since then, she's spent several years thinking about how schools work and uncovering the historic wounds that explain how education today has fallen short, particularly for children of color.
In her latest book “Original Sin: The (Mis)education of Black and native Children and Construction of American Racism,” Ewing situates the construction of Americans schools alongside American slavery and the attempted genocide of Native Americans. She argues they are used as a tool to condition Black and native communities.
While schools here in Michigan are struggling to develop student’s reading and math skills, producer Cary Junior II explored why Ewing believes the way we measure and define intelligence is inadequate.
Do the pros outweigh the cons with nuclear energy?
The Palisades nuclear plant in Covert Township got one step closer to reopening after federal regulators allowed the plant’s owners to load fuel into the facility. Some reporting suggests that Holtec International plans to reopen the reactor by October.
That move is part of a larger trend.
In recent years, there’s been a lot more political energy behind opening nuclear reactors. During his time as president, Joe Biden unveiled a plan to ramp up America’s nuclear energy capacity. When he got into office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order with the goal of quadrupling nuclear power in 25 years.
Many climate change defenders are divided on these decisions. That’s because nuclear energy could provide a ton of clean energy for Americans, but it also has the capacity to kill people and contaminate the earth. That’s why environmentalists have generally stood against the nuclear energy comeback.
In order to assess nuclear energy in terms of risk and reward, journalist, editor, producer, and co-founder of Foxtopus Inc Laura Krantz joined the show.
She produced the 2022 podcast, “Wild Thing: Going Nuclear,” where she explored the possibilities and drawbacks of nuclear energy. Krantz spoke with Robyn Vincent about why she thinks nuclear energy is important — and what concerns her about nuclear reactors.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.