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The Metro: Detroit Techno history and future on stage at Movement this weekend

20 May 2026 at 02:54

Since it’s founding in 2000, Movement has honored the raw, electrified spirit of the city where Techno was born. It’s a space where sound, struggle, and innovation come together, uniting people through electronic music.

It’s grown into a massive event at Hart Plaza that draws DJ’s and visitors from around the world. Despite it’s growing popularity and international appeal, the festival still puts local talent on stage, from legendary DJ’s like Kevin Saunderson and Stacey “Hotwaxx” Hale to newer artists like Tammy Lakkis and Kesswa.

To hear more about Movement this year, Tia Graham spoke with Sam Fotias, operations manager at Paxahau, the organization that produces the festival.

WDET is a proud media partner of the Movement Electronic Music Festival. We will have live DJ sets on In The Groove this week from 2 to 3 p.m. ET.

On Memorial Day, catch all three performances rebroadcast back to back from noon to 3 p.m.

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.

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The post The Metro: Detroit Techno history and future on stage at Movement this weekend appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

The Metro: First-time campers welcome at Metroparks’ newly renovated Walnut Grove Campground

24 April 2026 at 01:56

One of two public campgrounds in Wayne County is reopening this summer after extensive renovations.

Located in Lower Huron Metropark, the Walnut Grove Campground features 15 ADA-accessible campsites and connects to the Iron Belle TrailHuron River Water Trail and the rest of the 13-park, 25,000 acre Huron-Clinton Metroparks system.

While camping outdoors requires some equipment and knowledge, those resources are within reach, and the new campground is more accessible than ever, says Amy McMillan, CEO of Huron-Clinton Metroparks.

“One of the great things about these improvements is we have barrier-free camping now, if you have mobility issues or have a stroller you need to push around, it’s absolutely perfect for that.”

A number of education and community events are available for camp-curious metro Detroiters, including a Family Campout Night on July 24-25, and weekend programs for first-time campers to try out equipment for the first time.

“You kind of get that up north feeling being right here next to Belleville,” says McMillan.

You can reserve campsites online, with dates open early May through Mid-October.

Guests:

  • Amy McMillan is the CEO of the Huron-Clinton Metroparks.
  • Holly Clegg is the Park Operations Manager at Lower Huron Metropark.

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.

Support local journalism.

WDET strives to cover what’s happening in your community. As a public media institution, we maintain our ability to explore the music and culture of our region through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.

The post The Metro: First-time campers welcome at Metroparks’ newly renovated Walnut Grove Campground appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

The Metro: ‘The most magnificent public utility.’ Libraries are making a comeback

20 April 2026 at 20:16

 Almost 70 years after National Library Week was founded, the amount of time we spend reading something pales in comparison to what we watch. Americans spend about 15 minutes a day reading, but two and a half hours a day watching something on a screen.

National Library Week (April 19-25, 2026) was established in 1958 to encourage library use at a time when TV and radio were taking over as dominant information and entertainment sources.

In the last 5 years, a different story has started to take shape. Since hitting pandemic-era lows, library participation is surging. Visits have doubled since 2021. People are coming back to libraries, and they’re getting more than books out of the experience. 

More than books

Did you know you can check out more than books most libraries? That includes physical media like DVD’s and CD’s, but also tools, or seeds for a vegetable or herb garden.

Community programming is also brining people back to libraries. Story time for children is a regular occurrence at libraries. So are book talks, like one coming up at the Ferndale Area District Library on May 28, 2026 with Lisa Peers, author of “Motor City Love Song.”

Tia Graham spoke with two people who are experiencing the love for libraries first-hand.

Jeff Milo is the head of marketing and communications at Ferndale Area District Library, and host of the podcast “A Little Too Quiet.” He’s also the host of MI Local on WDET, Tuesdays, from 9-10 p.m. EST.

Lisa Peers is the author of the book “Motor City Love Song,” a romance novel set in a fictional version of Detroit’s garage rock scene of the early 2000’s.

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.

Support local journalism.

WDET strives to cover what’s happening in your community. As a public media institution, we maintain our ability to explore the music and culture of our region through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.

The post The Metro: ‘The most magnificent public utility.’ Libraries are making a comeback appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

The Metro: Where to go on Record Store Day in metro Detroit

16 April 2026 at 19:12

This Saturday is Record Store Day, an industry holiday created in 2008 to support independent record stores when the record industry was in shambles. Every year, music fans and collectors flock to their local shop to see what’s going on, enjoy live music and DJ’s, discounts, and exclusive new releases. 

After more than 15 years, we wanted to know how Record Store Day has changed since its inception, and the state of record-collecting today.

To find out The Metro’s David Leins caught up with Dave Lawson, prolific record-collector and host of The Shake Out on WDET, Tuesday nights from 8 to 9 p.m. 

He says there is something to enjoy at most every independent record store in Southeast Michigan. In addition to your local shop, these stores are independently owned and have something special on offer.

Stores marked * are carrying titles from the national Record Store Day list.

Detroit

  • Third Man Records in Cass Corridor Detroit – WDET Broadcasting Live 11am-6pm (Ann Delisi, Rob Reinhart, Jon Moshier). Exclusive WDET/TMR Collaboration RSD Release
  • People’s Records in Eastern Market, Detroit – Live DJs All Day (DJ Dez, DJ Riff, DJ Head, plus staff and friends)
  • Ginkgo Records in Corktown (within 27th Letter Books) – 30% off used records, $1 records are 3/$1, Live DJs 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Haven’t You Heard, Whodat and more)
  • Circle Game Records in Brightmoor, Detroit – Large collection of rare jazz LPs hitting the shelves

Downriver / West Side

  • Hello Records in Lincoln Park – 50% off used stock, 20% new stock, Live DJs all day.
  • Dearborn Music (two locations: Dearborn and Farmington)* – Always one of the largest carriers of RSD titles

Oakland County

  • Street Corner Music in Oak Park* – Live DJs from Passenger Radio 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Adam Stanfel, Josh Lange, Pierce Reynolds, Ewolf, Stashu, Kevin Lang).
  • Found Sound in Ferndale* – Concert Ticket Giveaways. Live music at 5pm from the Custodians and the Idiot Kids. Book signing with Lisa Peers “Motor City Love Song” 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Solo Records in Royal Oak – 15% off all store stock
  • Flipside in Berkley – 20% off used vinyl, games, DVDs, and CDs. Raffle giveaways for concerts and a record player.
  • UHF in Royal Oak* – Large collection of used stock hitting the shelves

East Side

  • Ripe Records in Grosse Pointe Park* – 10% off all records (excludes RSD titles), Live bands 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Ricky Rat, Leonard King Orchestra, Sandbox, Surfing Hemi’s, Ethan Marc Band, The Science Fair, Custard Flux, Hush + Bobby J from Rockaway, Severn Road Stardust Collective, Gee Wally, Penarth, The Walktalkers)
  • Blast from the Past in Roseville* – Open 8 a.m. 30% used vinyl celebrating 30th anniversary
  • Melodies and Memories in Eastpointe* – Open 8 a.m.
  • Village Vinyl in Sterling Heights* – Open 8 a.m. 20% off used, 10% off new (excludes RSD titles)
  • Trax n Wax in St. Clair Shores* – Open 9 a.m. Live DJ Mayume, Coffee from Circa Coffee Co

Ann Arbor

  • Wazoo Records in Ann Arbor* – Store-exclusive RSD releases, mixtapes, contests and snacks.
  • Underground Sounds in Ann Arbor*
  • Your Media Exchange in Ann Arbor*
  • Encore Records in Ann Arbor*
  • Ann Arbor District Library, Record Fair – 11 a.m. to  6 p.m. Multiple independent record dealers, Live DJs (Dave Lawson and Aaron Batz). Free admission.

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

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

Support local journalism.

WDET strives to cover what’s happening in your community. As a public media institution, we maintain our ability to explore the music and culture of our region through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.

The post The Metro: Where to go on Record Store Day in metro Detroit appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

The Metro: On the ballot, under the radar. How to be an informed voter this election season

14 April 2026 at 14:37

It’s a big election year in Michigan, with statewide races for Governor, Secretary of State and U.S. Senate. While consequential and highly publicized, those races are just the tip of the iceberg. 

Local elections and ballot measures, like one on zoning for data centers in Augusta, MI, or a measure that codifies a citizenship requirement for voting in the state constitution, make up over 95% of elected offices in the United States, according to Josh Altic from Ballotpedia.

“There are over 500,000 local offices that get very little attention, and don’t get the information that voters need.”

One step people can take is to look up their sample ballot, and continue their research from there. Oftentimes, it’s hard to know each candidate, and to see their track record or what they stand for.

One place to go for that information is Ballotpedia, a non-partisan organization that calls itself the “digital encyclopedia of American politics.” It compiles comprehensive election information for 32 states, and for 100 major U.S. cities. Curating that information requires savvy digital investigation, says Altic.

“We do a lot of looking in the deep, dark crannies of the internet for anything the candidate has said about their campaign priorities and what their issues are.”

So how does Ballotpedia do it, and what have they learned that can make you a more informed voter this election?

Josh Altic  is the Director of Content at Ballotpedia. He joined The Metro to discuss how Ballotpedia finds information on local elections, and what trends are emerging this election cycle.

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

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

Support local journalism.

WDET strives to cover what’s happening in your community. As a public media institution, we maintain our ability to explore the music and culture of our region through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.

More stories from The Metro

The post The Metro: On the ballot, under the radar. How to be an informed voter this election season appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

The Metro: Michigan’s ‘RFK Jr.’ is re-shaping public health in St. Clair County

13 April 2026 at 19:57

St. Clair County’s medical director, Dr. Remington Nevin, is re-shaping the county’s public health. He has helped lower the barrier for school vaccine waiver applications and fought to eliminate fluoridated drinking water in the county.

His positions on a number of public health issues reflect a growing skepticism of medical doctors, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies. They also reflect many of the views of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Nevin tells Bridge Michigan’s Eli Newman he welcomes the comparison. “To the extent that some residents may be comparing us, I would consider that a great compliment and honor. One underestimates him and the strength of his convictions at their peril.”

Nevin received medical training at Johns Hopkins University and has been the part-time medical director of St. Clair County since 2023.

Eli Newman, health reporter for Bridge Michigan, joined The Metro to share his reporting on Dr. Nevin and how he is changing public health policy and perceptions in St. Clair County.

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

Support local journalism.

WDET strives to cover what’s happening in your community. As a public media institution, we maintain our ability to explore the music and culture of our region through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.

The post The Metro: Michigan’s ‘RFK Jr.’ is re-shaping public health in St. Clair County appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

The Metro: Artemis II is inspiring a new generation of space enthusiasts

9 April 2026 at 19:44

NASA’s Artemis II mission has captured the imaginations of a new generation of space enthusiasts, young and old.

Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen are  due to splash down in the Pacific Ocean around 8 p.m. EST Friday, April 10 near San Diego. 

When they do, they will step foot on Earth with an extraordinary credential: they’ve been further from Earth than any humans in history, traveling over 250,000 miles and back again.

The 4-person crew will have spent a little over one week in space, with a lunar fly by that produced captivating images of the moon, including a solar eclipse and an earth rise.

The crew was in radio communication with mission control when they broke the record. Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, alongside his crew members, took the opportunity to name two craters on the moon’s surfaces that had not been named yet. The first, they called Integrity, the name they had given their shuttle. The second name was deeply personal. The crater “Carroll” was dedicated to the late wife of the mission commander, Reid Wiseman.

In 2028, NASA plans to execute the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17, with the goal of establishing a lunar base on the moon.

Ed Cackett is a professor of astronomy at Wayne State University and the Michigan Science Center’s astronomer in residence. He joined The Metro to discuss the gravity of the moment, and the benefits of space exploration.

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.

Support local journalism.

WDET strives to cover what’s happening in your community. As a public media institution, we maintain our ability to explore the music and culture of our region through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.

The post The Metro: Artemis II is inspiring a new generation of space enthusiasts appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

The Metro: Data centers, coming to a community near you

2 April 2026 at 02:15

In late 2024, Michigan lawmakers voted to provide tax breaks for large data centers. Since then, local officials across Michigan have seen an influx of proposals. 

Last year, there were more than 15 proposals for data centers across the state. Several are still waiting for the green light, including one in Allen Park. The city’s planning commission has delayed a vote twice this year, requesting further information from Solstice Data.

These proposals come with the promise of jobs, but taxpayers are skeptical. They want to know if the electric grid handle the energy demand data centers create, and how much air, water, and noise pollution they will produce.

Steven Gonzalez Monserrate is a post-doctoral researcher at Goethe University in Frankfort and studies data centers and how they affect the people and the environment.

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

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

Support local journalism.

WDET strives to cover what’s happening in your community. As a public media institution, we maintain our ability to explore the music and culture of our region through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.

The post The Metro: Data centers, coming to a community near you appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

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