Police say the heroic actions of church members and staff at the CrossPointe Community Church in Wayne stopped a mass shooting on the property Sunday.

A livestream during services captured gunfire and panic when a man armed with a handgun and rifle and wearing a tactical vest hopped out of his truck and started shooting outside the church.

Wayne Police Chief Ryan Strong says a security guard was shot in the leg by the attacker before a churchgoer and security staff were able to intervene.

“A parishioner struck the gunman with his vehicle as the gunman shot the vehicle repeatedly,” he said. “At least two staff members shot the gunman, causing fatal wounds.”

The suspect — identified as 31-year-old Brian Anthony Browning — never made it inside the church, police say. The guard who was shot was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and is expected to be fine. Nobody else was hurt.

The shooting occurred around 11 a.m. in Wayne, a city of about 17,000 people located about 25 miles west of Detroit.

Strong put to rest racist social media speculation about the shooter.

“His motivations are unknown, but at this point, it appears he was suffering from a mental health crisis,” he said. “We are grateful for the heroic actions of the church’s staff members, who undoubtedly saved many lives and prevented a large-scale mass shooting.”

About 150 people were inside the church at the time.

Police executing a search warrant at Browning’s home in Romulus — about 5 miles south of Wayne — found additional rifles, several more handguns and a large amount of ammunition, according to The Associated Press.

Police say Browning had no prior criminal history, but he had attended services at the church a few times in the last year and his mother is a member.

Associated Press writers Paul Sancya and Holly Ramer contributed to this report. 

We’re past Memorial Day and kids are out of school. The summer tourism season is here.

But this year, Canadians are upset with President Donald Trump’s tariffs — and his talk of annexation. For that reason, many of our travel-happy neighbors to the north are staying out of the U.S.

Speaking with WDET, new U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra called Trump’s 51st state rhetoric “a sign of affection.”

“That may be the first time that America has extended an offer to someone else to become part of the country,” he said. “…why they’re offended by such a generous offer, I’m not sure.”

According to Statistics Canada, car trips by Canadians into the U.S. dropped by 35% in April; flights by Canadians into the U.S. are down by 20%; and border crossings between the two countries are now at their lowest levels since the 2020 pandemic.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says that’s not good for Michigan.

“We know that Canadians are our friends, they’re our extended relatives in many cases, in many families,” she said. “Michigan loves Canada. Our economies are intertwined.”

Whitmer says the president is killing the good vibes between the countries.

“The chaos on the Trump tariff talk is palpable,” Whitmer said. “You can you can feel it just talking to people here. You can feel it at home. We can feel it in our tourism.”

Canadians spend more than $360 million every year in Michigan on average — about 10% of the state’s total tourism revenue.

Michigan is consistently in the top six for Canadian tourist destinations, after bigger ones like Florida, California and Las Vegas.

As the CEO of the Small Business Association of Michigan, Brian Calley knows the importance of the state’s tourism industry.

“We have year-round tourism, but summer is the time in Michigan where a lot of businesses make their opportunity,” Calley said.

The bigger challenge for resort towns is finding enough workers, he said, downplaying concerns about drops in Canadian tourism.

“Early indications are that that bookings are solid, that people are still booking hotels,” Calley said.

Though he acknowledged that a dip in tourism could possibly be felt more in communities near the border.

“[Places] where Canadians live right across the border and experience, in very short periods, shopping and things,” he said. “I think that’s probably more vulnerable than, say, the week-long family vacation.”

Michel Soucisse manages El Moore, a lodge offering overnight stays in Midtown Detroit. He says he agrees with Calley…to a point.

“We’re a border town, and unfortunately, border towns feel this first, and our businesses are the ones who are absorbing the impact first,” Soucisse said. “None of these small businesses asked for this. You know, we’re just sort of rolling with the punches. Everyone’s seeing a slow down. Everyone’s getting the emails saying ‘we’re sorry, but we’re not spending our money here right now.'”

Emails like those mean a hit to the bottom line.

“I would say it looks right now compared to last year and year over year that we’ve experienced something around a 15% drop in their travel,” he said, adding that he doesn’t think it’s going to change anytime soon.

“We already had so many regular guests, that it was really kind of heart wrenching for some folks to cancel plans that they had already made — sometimes a year in advance. But I don’t necessarily blame them,” Soucisse said. “This is a way that they can show us their displeasure with the current situation, and ‘this is the way we can protest.’”

The same is happening in Detroit’s emerging foodie scene.

Sandy Levine is a James Beard semi-finalist and the owner of two of Detroit’s most-heralded restaurants: Freya and Chartreuse. He says lots of Canadians used to make the trek over the border.

“A large amount of people have come to Detroit because they they heard really good things about it, and they just wanted to see for themselves. And you know, for the first time, that steady increase has kind of stopped,” Levine said. “We certainly still see people from Canada and from other countries, but it’s not nearly to the degree that it was maybe like six months ago or a year ago.”

Levine’s theory for the change? Again, bad vibes.

“There’s definitely a sense of just, kind of tension in this country, and I think a lot of the people are looking to just avoid that,” he said.

So if a city like Detroit is seeing an immediate impact, how about places not quite as close to the border?

Robert Chambers helps manage the Windermere Hotel, a bed and breakfast on Mackinac Island.

“We’ve definitely had some regulars who’ve had to cancel their reservation, and they’re from Northern Ontario. They stay with us every year,” Chambers said. “Unfortunately, about two months prior to our opening, though, they contacted us and said they wouldn’t be able to make it to the States this year.”

Chambers told WDET in late May that they didn’t have a single booking from a Canadian. It’s significant, even if Canadians don’t make up a large portion of their guests.

“So not a huge dip as far as numbers go, but we still really look forward to seeing friends and loyal customers at the hotel every year. It’s unfortunate that they can’t make it now,” he said.

And being over an hour away from Sault Ste. Marie, Canada, he figures short term stays to the island will be limited too.

There’s a feeling — from some — that the bad vibes aren’t permanent. Or as Ambassador Hoekstra puts it: “The Canadians are, you know, they’re acting on emotion.”

Back in Detroit at the El Moore, Soucisse says that’s true. He became an American citizen a decade ago, but he’s originally from Montreal.

“I know for a fact that my French Canadian family — or as we call ourselves, Quebecois — do not want to be a 51st state, and will not be a 51st state,” Soucisse said. “I hear the steady drumbeat from my friends and family over there.”

He says Canadian guests have been pretty honest about their motivations for canceling upcoming reservations or choosing not to spend their money in the U.S. right now.

“I thought it was great that they were letting us know,” he said. “Oftentimes they would include messages like, you know, we’ll be back. You know, someday.”

With Trump’s trade war far from settled, a crackdown on immigrants and people from other countries, and ongoing threats to send federal troops into American cities, it’s unclear when that “someday” will be. That could pose a serious risk to a tourism industry that’s still recovering from the pandemic.

In this week’s episode ofRob Reinhart’s Essential Music, upcoming shows and new music from David Byrne, Chris Thile and Jason Isbell… a new tune from Detroit’s own JR JR, a Detroit Cobras classic, acoustic Prince and much more!

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for June 21, 2025

HOUR ONE:

• “Do Your Thing” – Isaac Hayes
  
• “Everybody Laughs” – David Byrne
  
• “Hemingway” – girl in red
• “What Was That” – Lorde
• “Cry On” – The Detroit Cobras
• “People” – Galactic & Irma Thomas
• “Miss You” – Jose James
  
• “Day One” – Bon Iver
  
• “The Kind That Lasts” – The Doobie Brothers
• “Stevie & Sly” – Young Gun Silver Fox
• “Free” – Prince
  
• “Murder By Numbers” – Christian McBride w/Sting, Andy Summers
  

• “Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground” – Chris Thile (Acoustic Cafe performance)
  
• “Spit On A Stranger” – Nickel Creek
• “Robin’s Egg” – Iron & Wine + I’m With Her
• “Shake Shake” – Jon Muq
• “Half As High” – The Devil Makes Three (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Yesterday’s Another Day” – Mobley
  
• “Rock The Bells” – LL Cool J
  
• “Songbird” – Waylon Jennings
  
• “Don’t Stop” – The Mighty Rootsmen
  
• “Kid Fears” – Jason Isbell w/Brandi Carlile and Julien Baker
• “One Fine Morning” – Lighthouse (next week, The Canada Day Show!)
  

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org.

Canadian singer-songwriter and Grammy nominated artist Jessie Reyez has written for and collaborated with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Sam Smith, Dua Lipa and Beyoncé.

She also wrote and published a debut collection of poetry in 2023 titled, “Words of a Goat Princess,” and released her third studio album, “Paid in Memories,” this past March with features from Ari Lennox, Big Sean, Lil Wayne and more.

Now, the JUNO award winner is on a tour across North America, including a stop in Detroit this Sunday. Reyez joined The Metro ahead of her Detroit stop to share her reflections on being an artist and how she’s preparing mentally and physically for her current tour. 

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

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

It’s been more than 50 years since the first Pride march took place in New York City in 1970, commemorating the one-year anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots.

Known as the Stonewall Uprising, a police raid on the New York City gay bar the Stonewall Inn led to a six-day clash between police and the LGBTQ+ community.

Pride celebrations look very different in the U.S. today, says Alejandra Márquez, assistant professor of Spanish and gender and sexuality researcher at Michigan State University. 

She says the commercialization of Pride Month in the ’90s helped to expand LGBTQ visibility and representation in those communities, but it has also caught the attention of corporations and others seeking to monetize the movement. 

Marquez joined The Metro to discuss LGBTQ+ representation in the U.S. and Latin America and how Pride celebrations have changed over the years.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

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

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The United States struck three sites in Iran early Sunday, inserting itself into Israel’s war aimed at destroying the country’s nuclear program in a risky gambit to weaken a longtime foe despite fears of a wider regional conflict.

Addressing the nation from the White House, President Donald Trump asserted that Iran’s key nuclear were “completely and fully obliterated.” There was no independent damage assessment.

It was not clear whether the U.S. would continue attacking Iran alongside its ally Israel, which has been engaged in a nine-day war with Iran. Trump acted without congressional authorization, and he warned that there would be additional strikes if Tehran retaliated against U.S. forces.

“There will either be peace or there will be tragedy for Iran,” he said.

Iran’s top diplomat, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, warned in a post on X that the U.S. attacks “will have everlasting consequences” and that Tehran “reserves all options” to retaliate.

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations called for an emergency Security Council meeting to discuss what he described as the U.S.’s “heinous attacks and illegal use of force” against Iran.

In a letter obtained by The Associated Press, Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said that the U.N.’s most powerful body must “take all necessary measures” to hold the U.S. accountable under international law and the U.N. charter.

The U.N. nuclear watchdog said later that there has been “no increase in off-site radiation levels” at the locations that the U.S. hit. The International Atomic Energy Agency sent the message via the social platform X.

Early Sunday morning Israel alerted the public of an Iranian missile launch and urged people to take shelter. Sirens sounded in Jerusalem a short while later and a series of booms were heard.

Iranian has been firing missile barrages at Israel since the war began but they have decreased in size as Israel targets Tehran’s missile launchers. The Islamic Republic may also be keeping some arms in reserve.

The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran confirmed that attacks took place on its Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz sites, but it insisted that its work will not be stopped. Iran said there were no signs of radioactive contamination at the three locations and no danger to nearby residents.

Iran has maintained that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only, and U.S. intelligence agencies have assessed that Tehran is not actively pursuing a bomb. However, Trump and Israeli leaders have claimed that Iran could quickly assemble a nuclear weapon, making it an imminent threat.

The decision to directly involve the U.S. in the war comes after more than a week of strikes by Israel on Iran that aimed to systematically eradicate the country’s air defenses and offensive missile capabilities, while damaging its nuclear enrichment facilities. But U.S. and Israeli officials have said American stealth bombers and the 30,000-pound (13,500-kilogram) bunker-buster bomb they alone can carry offered the best chance of destroying heavily fortified sites connected to the Iranian nuclear program buried deep underground.

“We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,” Trump said in a post on social media. “All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home.”

Trump added in a later post: “This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR. THANK YOU!”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump’s decision to attack in a video message directed at the American president.

“Your bold decision to target Iran’s nuclear facilities, with the awesome and righteous might of the United States, will change history,” he said. Netanyahu said the U.S. “has done what no other country on earth could do.”

Israel announced Sunday that it would close the country’s airspace to both inbound and outbound flights in the wake of the U.S. attacks. The war has disrupted air travel throughout the Middle East.

The White House and Pentagon did not immediately elaborate on the operation. U.S. military leaders are scheduled to provide a briefing at 8 a.m. Eastern.

The attack used bunker-buster bombs on Iran’s Fordo nuclear fuel enrichment plant that is built deep into a mountain, a U.S. official said. The weapons are designed to penetrate the ground before exploding. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.

In addition, U.S. submarines launched about 30 Tomahawk missiles, according to another U.S. official who also spoke on condition of anonymity.

The strikes are a perilous decision, as Iran has pledged to retaliate if the U.S. joined the Israeli assault, and for Trump personally. He won the White House on the promise of keeping America out of costly foreign conflicts and scoffed at the value of American interventionism.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “gravely alarmed” by the “dangerous escalation” of American strikes.

“There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control — with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world,” he said in a statement.

Trump told reporters Friday that he was not interested in sending ground forces into Iran, saying it’s “the last thing you want to do.” He had previously indicated that he would make a final choice over the course of two weeks.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned the United States on Wednesday that strikes targeting the Islamic Republic will “result in irreparable damage for them.” And Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei declared “any American intervention would be a recipe for an all-out war in the region.”

Trump has vowed that he would not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon, and he had initially hoped that the threat of force would bring the country’s leaders to give up its nuclear program peacefully.

The Israeli military said Saturday it was preparing for the possibility of a lengthy war, while Iran’s foreign minister warned before the U.S. attack that American military involvement “would be very, very dangerous for everyone.”

The prospect of a wider war loomed. Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen said they would resume attacks on U.S. vessels in the Red Sea if the Trump administration joined Israel’s military campaign. The Houthis paused such attacks in May under a deal with the U.S.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday that Trump planned to make his decision on the strikes within two weeks. Instead, he struck just two days later.

Trump appears to have made the calculation — at the prodding of Israeli officials and many Republican lawmakers — that Israel’s operation had softened the ground and presented a perhaps unparalleled opportunity to set back Iran’s nuclear program, perhaps permanently.

The Israelis say their offensive has already crippled Iran’s air defenses, allowing them to significantly degrade multiple Iranian nuclear sites.

But to destroy the Fordo nuclear fuel enrichment plant, Israel appealed to Trump for the bunker-busting American bomb known as the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, which uses its weight and sheer kinetic force to reach deeply buried targets and then explode. The bomb is currently delivered only by the B-2 stealth bomber, which is only found in the American arsenal.

It was the first combat use of the weapon.

The bomb carries a conventional warhead, and is believed to be able to penetrate about 200 feet (61 meters) below the surface before exploding, and the bombs can be dropped one after another, effectively drilling deeper and deeper with each successive blast.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed that Iran is producing highly enriched uranium at Fordo, raising the possibility that nuclear material could be released into the area if the GBU-57 A/B were used to hit the facility.

Previous Israeli strikes at another Iranian nuclear site, Natanz, on a centrifuge site have caused contamination only at the site itself, not the surrounding area, the IAEA has said.

Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 865 people and wounded 3,396 others, according to the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists. The group said of those dead, it identified 363 civilians and 215 security force personnel.

Trump’s decision for direct U.S. military intervention comes after his administration made an unsuccessful two-month push — including with high-level, direct negotiations with the Iranians — aimed at persuading Tehran to curb its nuclear program.

For months, Trump said he was dedicated to a diplomatic push to persuade Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions. And he twice — in April and again in late May — persuaded Netanyahu to hold off on military action against Iran and give diplomacy more time.

All the while, Trump has gone from publicly expressing hope that the moment could be a “second chance” for Iran to make a deal to delivering explicit threats on Khamenei and making calls for Tehran’s unconditional surrender.

The military showdown with Iran comes seven years after Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Obama-administration brokered agreement in 2018, calling it the “worst deal ever.”

The 2015 deal, signed by Iran, U.S. and other world powers, created a long-term, comprehensive nuclear agreement that limited Tehran’s enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.

Trump decried the Obama-era deal for giving Iran too much in return for too little, because the agreement did not cover Iran’s non-nuclear malign behavior.

Trump has bristled at criticism from some of his MAGA faithful who have suggested that further U.S. involvement would be a betrayal to supporters who were drawn to his promise to end U.S. involvement in expensive and endless wars.

Reporting by Sam Mednick, Aamer Madhani and David Rising, Associated Press. AP writers Mehmet Guzel, Josef Federman, Samy Magdy, Matthew Lee, Josh Boak, Farnoush Amiri and Jon Gambrell contributed.

It has been an eventful year in Michigan politics with the Michigan Legislature dynamically evolving. This week on WDET’s MichMash, Gongwer News Services’ Zach Gorchow and Alethia Kasben analyze the major events in a live recording at the Go Comedy! Improv Theater in Ferndale.

They were joined by Detroit Free Press Politics Editor Emily Lawler and
Politics Editor for The Detroit News, Chad Livengood.

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

In this episode:

• Whether the Michigan Legislature will make its July 1 deadline
• Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and her approach to working with President Donald Trump
• How Michigan compares on the national stage in 2025

There has been a major sea change in Michigan politics this year.

With Republicans taking over the state House, President Donald Trump back in the White House, and Democrats maintaining their majority in the state Senate — their is a new dynamic in the state capitol.

“This is the first time that I’ve covered one chamber in Democratic control and one in Republican control,” Lawler said. “…It’s been just an interesting dynamic to watch and sort of see what the chambers are teeing up for each other and what of those things they actually expect to move — which I think is a smaller pool than I initially anticipated.”

Livengood called the current relationship between the chambers a “legislative Red Rover.”

“Getting the actual votes on some of these big issues, like roads, is going to be the real test,” he said.

Kasben pointed out that the Legislature was able to compromise on major legislative efforts like paid sick leave and minimum wage packages in February.

They also talked about the notable shift in how Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has navigated national political dynamics this year, and specifically her relationship with President Trump.

Despite their fraught history, the pair have taken a friendlier tone towards each other in recent months, as they discuss future plans and initiatives for the state of Michigan.

“She’s engaged with him on things that she’s wanted to get done, and I’m not sure that all of those will get done, but certainly Selfridge Air Force Base — the upgrades coming there, the new mission coming there — is significant, that’s something that Michigan has wanted for years,” Lawler said.

But Lawler also noted that Trump isn’t someone Whitmer can rely on politically, pointing to recent discussions about pardoning some of the individuals convicted for conspiring to kidnap her.

–WDET’s Jenny Sherman contributed to this report.

More from WDET:

• MichMash: Live in Lansing!
• Whitmer ‘not happy’ about possible pardons for men involved in her kidnapping plot
• Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall says education budgets could be done by July 1

The city of Detroit announced this week that its free community shuttle service, “The Connect,” will return next month with an expanded route and new features.

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

The pilot program first launched last summer to help address the growing need for efficient, modern transit options in the area, according to the city.

The service will become available to residents beginning July 7, with plans to become fully autonomous after a four-week transition period. Trained safety operators will continue to monitor the operations to ensure passenger safety, the city says.

“Detroit has always been at the forefront of mobility innovation, and The Connect AV shuttle is another step toward making our city more accessible, efficient, and environmentally friendly,” said Mayor Mike Duggan in a statement. “With the transition to full autonomous operation, we are not just embracing the future of transportation, we are leading it.”

The program was brought back this summer thanks to a $1.67 million grant from the Michigan Department of Transportation. The shuttles will have expanded route offerings to loop Michigan Central, Downtown Detroit and East Jefferson Riverfront. They’ll run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday for the first four months and will revert to the regular hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. by November 2025.

Visit detroitmi.gov for more information about the program.

Other headlines for Friday, June 20, 2025:

• June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month and Chase Bank is teaming up with the Detroit Police Department to help seniors learn how to avoid scams through local workshops being held throughout the summer.
  The next workshop will be on July 3. Reach out to your local Chase Bank branch for more details.
• There is a major heat wave set to envelop Michigan and large parts of the U.S. this weekend into early next week, with temperatures expected to near 100 degrees. Many communities will be opening cooling centers to help provide relief for residents.
• Earlier this month, Michigan health officials closed three Oakland County beaches to swimmers due to dangerously high levels of E. Coli contamination, the Detroit Free Press reports. Eagle Lake in Waterford still remains closed, while Sylvan Lake and Elliott Lake have since been reopened. Visit EGLE’s MiEnviro – Beachguard website for the most up-to-date closure information.
• Club NYC and RELEASE Detroit are partnering to host a Choreographer’s Showcase at Big Pink Detroit on Thursday, July 31.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

We are less than two months away from the August primary in the race for Detroit Mayor.

The top two vote getters will move on to the general election in November. The top four candidates, as decided by polling, participated in a debate here at Wayne State University on Monday that led to this spicy moment with former Detroit City Council President Saunteel Jenkins calling out the other people on stage — former police chief James Craig, pastor Solomon Kinloch and current City Council President Mary Sheffield.

“More guns in schools, locking up our kids — Craig is your guy. If you want a part-time mayor who is working two full-time jobs, Kinloch is ready,” Jenkins said. “If you want a mayor who shows up on Instagram but doesn’t show up for meetings, then follow Mary.”

Not on stage and not taking any of those shots was Detroit Councilman and mayoral candidate Fred Durhal III. However, he did take the time to release a comprehensive economic strategy — something that no other candidate has done.

Durhal joined WDET’s All Things Considered – Detroit on Wednesday to talk about the motivation behind his economic platform and his reaction to Monday’s debate.

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Russ McNamara, WDET News: First off, you weren’t at the debate; I want your thoughts on the shots fired there by Saunteel Jenkins.

Fred Durhal, Detroit City Councilmember and mayoral candidate: Well, you know, sometimes shots get fired.If they hit you, they hit you. My grandmother had an old saying that “if you throw a rock in a pack of wolves, the first one that cries is the first one that got hit,’ So, you know, the base tend to get a little bit punchy, but, I think folks want to hear comprehensive plans when it comes to debates.

RM: Moving on to your plan — big bold letters, right at the top: “An equitable tax strategy.” Where is the inequity right now?

FD: Well, the inequity is really what homeowners pay as opposed to folks who speculate on land or folks who are contributors to blight here in the city of Detroit. I’ll give you an example — we have a lot of underdeveloped land here in the city of Detroit; a lot of the land that may be just flat surface parking lots that during the Tigers game or the Lions game, and — per year — generate over $2-$3 million per year, but pay just a little over $10,000 in property taxes, while the average homeowner is paying that or more in property taxes. So the equity is not there.

We want to make sure that we are charging folks more who are not paying their fair share, and put more money back into the pockets of the residents who are paying their property taxes.

RM: Now, what about those properties that exist, but the homes are still a bit run down?

FD: So if there are properties that exist and the homes are run down — if they’re not owner occupied — we are going to focus on creating a blight tax here in the city of Detroit. And again, this is not for owner occupied homes or structures. We’re targeting folks who are speculators, who come into neighborhoods and buy 10 to 15 properties, sit on those properties, don’t provide any upgrades to those properties; They’re contributors to blight here in the city of Detroit, and then neighbors are stuck with blight in their neighborhood. So we’re going to be aggressive. We’re going to introduce a blight tax and charge 25 times with the property tax millage is.

RM: Now the current mayor, Mike Duggan, tried to institute some taxes and kind of raise the property taxes on speculators — people who are leaving the land vacant — by going through the state Legislature. How close does your plan come to the one that Duggan tried and failed to get done?

FD: I think what’s important to realize is, when you talk about property tax reform in any manner, it’s going to take passage from the state Legislature — anything that is of substance. So when we compare our plan to his plan, there are similarities, but again, we’re going to be very aggressive on lowering the operating mills about 19.5 mills. Additionally, you heard about the implementation of that blight tax, which is going to charge 25 times what the property millage rate is, for folks who are contributors to blight. And we’re very confident, due to the relationships that we’ve had in the state Legislature — being a former member of the Michigan Legislature and in leadership — that we’ll be able to get our plan across the finish line.

RM: What makes you think that you can get it done when a completely democratically-controlled state Legislature, with a Democratic governor,  weren’t able to get it done?

FD: They didn’t even take a vote on it. And I think for me, having those relationships are going to be important. And I think at the time from the conversation with some legislators, they did not feel it was aggressive enough, and some folks needed to see the benefit that it would bring to their community — not just the city of Detroit. So we’ve already started to have those discussions with legislators now about how this would affect their communities. But again, the components that we’re adding, such as a blight tax, is something that’ll be beneficial across the entire state when we talk about getting aggressive.

RM: The people who own the parking lots, the people who own the buildings in downtown Detroit, those are some rich folks who wield a considerable amount of power. I’m just wondering how you expected to get that done and have it go over well?

FD: Again, that’s relationships, and that’s coalition building. You have to be able to get into the door to talk to some of the heads of industry, as well as have a great pulse in the community. And I think we have that, and we have the ability to bridge that gap. And what we’re saying is we’re not trying to penalize folks, but we’re trying to incentivize development here in the city of Detroit. We’re trying to incentivize folks not to be contributors to blight here in the city. And as we look at some of that underdeveloped land, and we start to see that land become developed, we solve a couple problems. One, we have the ability to create new streams of revenue that we can generate so we can put back into the neighborhoods and continue to grow our city. But the second thing that you’ll see is creating walkable areas and neighborhoods.

Let’s say we take a flat lot surface and it gets developed into a huge parking structure. We know parking is starting to become a big issue here in the city of Detroit — and I’m just using that as an example of how we can solve some of these problems and find productive uses for the land that we have.

“I’ve said it throughout this entire campaign, I want to cut more red tape so we can cut more red ribbons, and that is going to be my focus.”

–Detroit City Councilmember and mayoral candidate Fred Durhal III

RM: There’s been a push both at the state level and local level to start cutting some red tape. How do you do that effectively in the city?

FD: I’ve said it throughout this entire campaign, I want to cut more red tape so we can cut more red ribbons, and that is going to be my focus. And we’ll do that by focusing on and streamlining processes here in the city of Detroit. We want a one-stop permitting process that develops a level of predictability that when you want to come do business here in the city of Detroit, you don’t have to go through over 80 steps to get your business started here, no matter if it’s a restaurant, whether it’s retail or whatever the case may be. And then after that, even as we talk about development, we want to create a one-stop inspection process so you don’t have to wait two, three months at a time per inspector, which slows down your process, and slows down the progress of your development, making it more expensive.

We want to make it easier to do business here, we want to be more efficient, and we want to foster an environment where everyone wants to come here and do business and develop in the city.

RM: What’s the one thing you want Detroiters to know about
you?

FD: The one thing I want Detroiters to know about us, even if they didn’t get an opportunity to see us in this past debate, is that we are a very serious candidate, and the most experienced candidate in this race. We’re the only candidate that can say that we served on the state level as well as the city level; we have delivered time and time again, and as the mayor of the city of Detroit, we will continue to develop because we’ll utilize that experience to get comprehensive property tax relief across Lansing and bring home the dollars here for residents in the city of Detroit.

As Michiganders in metro Detroit brace themselves for a massive heat wave early next week, many communities are opening cooling centers to help provide relief from the extreme temperatures.

An Extreme Heat Watch will be in effect for all of southeast Michigan, beginning Saturday morning through Tuesday evening, as temperatures are expected to soar into the high 90s — with a heat index of 104 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

View the list of cooling centers opening in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties below. Be sure to check your county website for the most up-to-date information on cooling center hours and closures.

Oakland County

Berkley

• Berkley City Hall – 3338 Coolidge Hwy, Berkley
• Berkley Community Center – 2400 Robina Ave, Berkley

Birmingham 

• Baldwin Public Library – 300 West Merrill St Birmingham

Clawson

• Clawson City Hall – 425 N Main St, Clawson
• Hunter Community Center – 509 Fisher Ct, Clawson

Ferndale

• Affirmations LGBTQ Community Center – 290 W 9 Mile Rd, Ferndale
• Ferndale Area District Library – 222 E 9 Mile Rd, Ferndale

Farmington Hills

• Costick Center – 28600 W 11 Mile Rd. Farmington Hills
• Farmington Hills Fire Station 5 – 31455 W 11 Mile Rd, Farmington Hills

Leonard

• Rowland Hall – 23 E Elmwood, Leonard

Novi

• Novi Civic Center – 45175 10 Mile Rd., Novi
• Novi Public Library – 45255 West 10 Mile Rd., Novi

Oak Park

• Oak Park Community Center – 14300 Oak Park Blvd., Oak Park,

Orion Township

• Orion Center – 1335 Joslyn Rd, Orion Twp.

Pontiac

• First Presbyterian Church – 99 WAYNE ST Pontiac
• Lighthouse – 46156 WOODWARD AVE Pontiac
• New Birth Church – 124 W Columbia Ave, Pontiac
• Pontiac Public Library – 60 E. Pike Street, Pontiac
• Robert Bowens Senior Center – 52 Bagley St, Pontiac
• Ruth Peterson Senior Center – 990 Joslyn Ave,, Pontiac
• Silver Lake Church – 520 W Walton Blvd., Pontiac
• Welcome Missionary Baptist Church – 143 Oneida St., Pontiac
• Woodside Bible Church – Pontiac – 830 Auburn Ave., Pontiac

Royal Oak

• Royal Oak Library – 222 E Eleven Mile Rd, Royal Oak
• Royal Oak Senior Community Center – 3500 Marais Ave., Royal Oak
• Salter Community Center – 1545 E Lincoln Ave., Royal Oak
• Welcome Inn Day Center – 1717 W 13 Mile Rd., Royal Oak

Southfield

• Southfield Pavilion – 26000 Evergreen Rd, Southfield

South Lyon

• Salem-South Lyon Library – 9800 Pontiac Trail, South Lyon

Troy

• Troy Community Center – 3179 Livernois, Troy

Wixom

• Wixom City Hall – 49045 Pontiac Trail, Wixom

Macomb County

Armada

• Armada Senior Center – 75400 North Ave., Armada; open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; 586-784-5200

Bruce Township

• Bruce Municipal Office – 223 E Gates St., Bruce Township; open 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, and 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursdays; 586-752-4585

Center Line

• Center Line City Hall – 7070 Ten Mile, Center Line; open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; (586) 757-6800
• Center Line Parks and Recreation – 25355 Lawrence Ave., Center Line; open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; (586) 757-1610

Chesterfield Township

• Chesterfield Township Library – 50560 Patricia Ave., Chesterfield Twp.; open 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; (586) 598-4900

Clinton Township

• Clinton-Macomb North Library – 54100 Broughton Rd., Clinton Twp.; open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; (586) 226-5082
• Clinton-Macomb South Library – 35679 South Gratiot Ave., Clinton Twp.; open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; (586) 226-5072

Fraser

• Fraser Parks and Recreation Department – 34935 Hidden Pine Dr., Fraser; open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday for residents age 55 and older; (586) 296-8483

Harrison Township

• Harrison Township Public Library – 38255 L’Anse Creuse St., Suite A, Harrison Twp.; open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; (586) 329-1261

Macomb Township

• Clinton-Macomb North Library – 54100 Broughton Rd., Macomb Twp.; open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; (586) 226-5083

Memphis

• Memphis Fire Department – 35095 Potter, Memphis; (810) 392-2385
• Memphis Public Library – 34830 Potter, Memphis; open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; (810) 392-2980

Mount Clemens

• Macomb County Health Department – (586) 469-5235
• Central Health Service Center – 43525 Elizabeth Rd., Mount Clemens; open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; (810) 392-2980
• Macomb County Sheriff’s Office – 43565 Elizabeth Rd., Mount Clemens; open 24/7 Monday through Sunday; (586) 469-5151
• Martha T. Berry Medical Care Facility – 43533 Elizabeth Rd., Mount Clemens; open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Sunday; (586) 469-5265
• Salvation Army – 55 Church St., Mount Clemens; open 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday; (586) 469-6712

Lenox Township

• Lenox Township Public Library – 58976 Main St., Lenox Twp.; open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday; 586) 749-3430

Ray Township

• Ray Township Senior Center – 64255 Wolcott, Ray Township; open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday; (586) 749-5171

Richmond

• Lois Wagner Memorial Library – 35200 Division Rd., Richmond; open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 9 a.m to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday; (586) 727-2665

Roseville

• Recreation Authority Center – 18185 Sycamore, Roseville; open 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday; Saturday and Sunday times vary — call for availability; (586) 445-5480

St. Clair Shores

• Macomb County Health Department – (586) 466-6800
• Southeast Family Resource Center – 25401 Harper Ave., St. Clair Shores; open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; (586) 445-5480

Shelby Township

• Shelby Township Senior Center – 51670 Van Dyke, Shelby Twp.; open 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday; (586) 739-7540

Sterling Heights

• Sterling Heights Public Library – 40255 Dodge Park Rd., Sterling Heights; open 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 1 to 5 p.m. Friday and 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; 586-446-2665
• Sterling Heights Senior Center – 40200 Utica Rd., Sterling Heights; open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday; (586) 446-2750
• Sterling Heights Community Center – 40250 Dodge Park Rd., Sterling Heights; open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday; (586) 446-2700

Warren

• Macomb County Health Department – (586) 465-8090
• Southwest Health Center – 27690 Van Dyke, Warren; open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday

Washington Township

• Washington Township Government Office – 57900 Van Dyke (1/2 Mile north of 26 Mile Road); open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; (586) 786-0010

Wayne County

Allen Park

• Allen Park Community Center – 15800 White Street, Allen Park

Belleville

• Sumpter Township Community Center – 23501 Sumpter Road, Belleville

Canton Township

• Canton Public Library – 1200 S. Canton Center Road, Canton Township
• Summit on the Parkway – 46000 Summit Parkway, Canton Township

Dearborn Heights

• Caroline Kennedy Library – 24590 George Street, Dearborn Heights
• Eton Senior Center – 4900 Pardee, Dearborn Heights
• Richard A. Young Recreation Center – 5400 McKinley Street, Dearborn Heights
• Berwyn Senior Center – 26155 Richardson, Dearborn Heights
• John F. Kennedy Library – 24602 Van Born Road, Dearborn Heights

Detroit

Recreation Centers with extended hours from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday:

• Patton Recreation Center – 2301 Woodmere St., Detroit
• Heilmann Recreation Center – 19601 Brock Ave., Detroit
• Northwest Activities Center – 18100 Meyers Rd., Detroit

Recreation Centers open with normal hours of operation:

• Adams Butzel Complex  – 10500 Lyndon, Detroit; open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
• Butzel Family Center  – 7737 Kercheval, Detroit; open 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday
• Clemente  – 2631 Bagley, Detroit; open 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday
• Coleman A. Young  – 2751 Robert Bradby, Detroit; open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
• Community Center at A.B Ford – 100 Lenox St., Detroit; open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
• Crowell  – 16630 Lahser, Detroit; open noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday
• Farwell  – 2781 E. Outer Drive, Detroit; open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
• Kemeny  – 2260 Fort St., Detroit; open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
• Lasky  – 13200 Fenelon, Detroit; open noon to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday
• Williams – 8431 Rosa Parks, Detroit; open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday

Detroit Public Library locations will also serve as cooling centers during normal business hours for residents seeking relief. Find details at detroitpubliclibrary.org/locations.

Ecorse

• Ethel Stevenson Senior Center – 4072 W. Jefferson, Ecorse

Flat Rock

• Flat Rock Community Center – 1 McGuire Street, Flat Rock

Garden City

• Garden City Police Department – 6000 Middlebelt Road, Garden City
• Garden City Public Library – 31735 Maplewood Street, Garden City
• Radcliff Center – 1751 Radcliff Street, Garden City

Grosse Ile Township

• Grosse Ile Public Safety Building – 24525 Meridian Street, Grosse Ile Twp.

Grosse Pointe Farms

• The Helm – 158 Ridge Road, Grosse Pointe Farms

Hamtramck

• Senior Plaza – 2620 Holbrook Street, Hamtramck

Inkster

• Booker Dozier Recreation Center – 2025 Middlebelt Road, Inkster

Lincoln Park

• Lincoln Park Community Center – 3525 Dix, Lincoln Park
• Kennedy Memorial Building – 3240 Ferris, Lincoln Park

Livonia

• Kirksey Recreation Center – 15100 Hubbard, Livonia
• Robert and Janet Bennett Civic Center Library – 32777 Five Mile Rd., Livonia
• Carl Sandburg Library – 30100 Seven Mile Rd., Livonia

River Rouge

• River Rouge Police Department – 10600 W. Jefferson Avenue, River Rouge

Romulus

• Romulus Public Library – 11121 Wayne Rd., Romulus

Southgate

• Southgate Senior Center – 14700 Reaume Parkway, Southgate
• Southgate Veterans Library – 14680 Dix Toledo Highway, Southgate

Taylor

• William Ford Senior Activities Center – 6750 Troy Street, Taylor
• Taylor Recreation Center – 22805 Goddard Road, Taylor
• Taylor Sportsplex – 13333 Telegraph, Taylor

Trenton

• Westfield Activities Center – 2700 Westfield St., Trenton

Westland

• Jefferson Barns Community Vitality Center – 32150 Dorsey Road, Westland
• Westland Fire Station 3 – 28801 Annapolis Road, Westland
• Westland Fire Station 1 – 35701 Central City Parkway, Westland
• Westland City Hall – 36300 Warren Road, Westland
• Westland Police Department – 36701 Ford Road, Westland

Wyandotte

• Copeland Center – 2306 4th Street, Wyandotte

There’s new legislation in Lansing aimed at preventing universities and other groups from interfering with Michigan college athletes earning money by marketing their name, image, or likeness —also known as NIL.

NIL has become a profitable sideline for many Michigan athletes. Analysts say those deals can be worth millions of dollars, though most are more modest.

But a recent settlement of a national anti-trust lawsuit may change the game.

The House v. NCAA settlement was finalized earlier this month. It resolves multiple antitrust lawsuits against the NCAA and its member schools, awarding $2.8 billion in back pay to athletes who were denied the chance to profit from their name, image, or likeness between 2016 and 2024.

The settlement also creates a framework for future revenue sharing between schools and student-athletes, allowing schools to directly pay athletes for NIL rights, and introduces new roster limits to replace scholarship limits.

However, a clause in the settlement that establishes a special commission to assess deals that student athletes can get is not being welcomed by NIL supporters.

Ramogi Huma, the executive director of the National College Players Association, said he believes such a commission would cost athletes.

“If such violations of Michigan’s NIL law do take place, it could cost Michigan college athletes tens of millions of dollars in NIL compensation each year,” said Huma.

And Thomas Dieters, the board president of Charitable Gift America, a group that negotiates NIL deals, sees the commission as essentially being unfair to student athletes.

“School administrators and coaches are very quick to negotiate their own seven figure contracts without a third party determining their value,” said Dieters, “Students should have those exact same rights.”

Former State House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit) is a former standout athlete at Michigan State University, as well as a player in the National Football League. He’s currently running for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat in 2026.

Tate’s bill would block schools, conferences, governing bodies and other groups from interfering with athletes cutting their own NIL deals.

“One of the things that this legislation looks to do were not only protecting student athletes in their ability to take advantage of their name, image, and likeness — also empowering them,” said Tate.

A University of Michigan Athletics spokesperson declined to comment on the legislation.

The July 1 deadline for the Legislature and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to have a budget deal wrapped up arrives in just over a week and the House and Senate don’t appear to be close.

The House has yet to adopt its version of a budget package. But Republican House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) has proposed a stop-gap budget and called Democrats “not serious” about getting a budget done. Hall said this week he has hopes of getting education budgets out of the House soon, although earlier he suggested the House isn’t bound by hard budget deadlines.

In his weekly press conference Wednesday, Hall accused Democrats of not being serious about the budget.

“I’ve never had confidence that the Democrats, because of the people we’re working with, and you look at the quotes, that we’re going to get something done by July 1,” he said. “But I’ve always told people I’ll work in good faith to do it on some of them.”

The House did adopt a higher education budget last week with big reductions to state funding for the University of Michigan and Michigan State University while other public universities would get boosts. The House also adopted a school aid budget this past week. Both are a month behind the Senate’s actions on budgets. The House has yet to approve its versions of budget bills for state departments and agencies. That spending does interact with school, community college and university budgets in some areas.

Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) said Thursday that Hall is single-handedly driving the state toward a budget crisis. She said it’s not reasonable to expect the Senate to rubber stamp House-adopted budgets on arrival.

“By its very nature, it must be negotiated by the House and the Senate and the governor, so it’s incredibly irresponsible to wait until the last minute,” she told the Michigan Public Radio Network. ” At the end of the day, this is very Trump-like behavior to cause a crisis and then to come in at the last second and pretend that they’re being heroic and pretend that it’s somebody else’s fault that it doesn’t get done.”

Local governments, community colleges, public universities and K-12 schools all have fiscal years that begin July 1. There is a state law that requires the Legislature to have their budgets wrapped up by then, but there are no specific consequences for missing that deadline.

The state’s fiscal year begins October 1. 

Metro Detroit’s efforts to create a rapid mass transit system on par with other major regions has often gone off the rails. 

WDET explores some of that history in the latest episode of CuriosiD.

But one small slice of the transit puzzle is in place — the QLINE streetcars running along Detroit’s Woodard Avenue.

Former Washington, D.C.-based attorney Jared Fleisher was there at the advent of the QLINE. He’s now the vice president of government affairs for Rock, billionaire Dan Gilbert’s family of companies. 

In the interview below, Fleisher told WDET the QLINE is a marker for what Detroit could do with transit and how the region could roll into the future. 

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Jared Fleisher: What we did with the QLINE had never been done before. Most major public infrastructure projects are led by public agencies like a transportation agency. Take yourself back to 2009, and in this case it was a ragtag nonprofit group saying, “Detroit is really struggling, economically and from a transit perspective. We want to do something to create a spark. And we, this ragtag nonprofit, wants to tear up Woodward Avenue and put in a streetcar — tear up the main avenue in a major American city.” As you can imagine, the U.S. Department of Transportation had never encountered this circumstance before. Washington had watched metro Detroit, going back to the Carter administration, never really be able to get its act together around transit. And therefore they did not take us very seriously or send money our way. They said, “You don’t even have a regional transit authority (RTA) in Metro Detroit. If you want us to approve the QLINE, which you’re saying is going to be the spark for a regional system, let’s actually create a RTA that could administer it.” 

So in 2012, before the QLINE broke ground, we worked together with the governor — and the Feds were big champions of this — to create the RTA. There were literally dozens and dozens of failed attempts over decades to create a regional authority, because of divisions between the different jurisdictions. Fast forward to 2016, and the backers of the QLINE led an effort, with community input, to develop a regional transit plan that would finally fund a regional system. It would have had rapid transit to Pontiac, rapid transit on Michigan Avenue out to Detroit Metro Airport. With support from the Kresge Foundation, Roger Penske, Dan Gilbert and others, it went on the ballot in 2016 and it lost by half-a-percent. And here we are, nine years later, and we still have not solved the issue of regional rapid transit. 

Quinn Klinefelter, WDET News: What is the reason these ballot proposals failed? Why has there been opposition to it? 

JF: I’ll be very candid with you. One of the realities of our region is that it’s diverse. The closer you are to the urban core, the more supportive of transit you are. But as you get into more rural areas, north Oakland County, north Macomb County, northwest Wayne County, they’re less oriented to transit. When Donald Trump won the election in 2016, he won by turning out a lot of the voters in those communities. And on the Democratic side, Hillary underperformed in the more urbanized areas. So the God’s honest true story about what happened in 2016 is that it was less about transit specifically and more about how the top of the ticket influenced everything on the ballot, including the transit referendum. And when there were attempts to go through the legislature to get it on the ballot in a different form, a narrower, more Coalition of the Willing kind of thing, the legislative majority at that time didn’t want to stick their necks out.

QK: You mentioned the diversity of the region. I’ve heard people bring up racism as an issue in transit. Do you think racism plays any part in all of this?  

JF: I don’t think that is the fundamental issue. For example, all of Macomb County votes for SMART, the suburban bus system. And that runs lines in and out of Detroit through Macomb. One of the biggest recent wins for transit, in 2022, was when Oakland County got rid of this “Swiss cheese” thing they had forever, where some communities were part of SMART and others said no to transit. Oakland County voted overwhelmingly for the whole county to be part of SMART. So I don’t think, if you’re trying to look at it analytically, they would say, “We don’t want those people coming here,” as what’s going on. I think the issue with regional transit is whether certain rural voters feel it’s worth it. Do I support investing my tax dollars in this? By the way, for the record, a lot of specialized transit has been developed over the last eight years to meet the needs of rural communities in a more tailored way. 

QK: So here we are now, in 2025. What’s your view of where regional transit is in the metro Detroit area? And where do you see the likelihood of it going in the future? 

JF: Recently, Wayne County Executive Warren Evans said he was going to try to end the Swiss cheese there, where certain communities opted-out and busses aren’t allowed to travel. They don’t participate in funding the Wayne County part of the network. Warren Evans has said they’re going to go to the ballot, in hopes that Wayne County voters pass it just like Oakland County voters did. So that’s progress. But what it’s not is the kind of modern rapid transit you see in your dynamic cities, your big cities, your great cities.

So, what’s the next step? Should we work together to really focus on one major rapid transit investment? For example, doing rapid transit up Woodward all the way to Pontiac, where Oakland County is investing so much into a new county campus and there’s other investment happening. Should we do one thing that is really, really significant? That comes full circle, right back to the QLINE. It’s successful, exceeding expectations as it carries one million or more people a year. It did its part. And now the question is, if resources become available, do we try to do a newer version of this movie, where we make a significant regional investment with the strategy that we can then use that to try to catalyze something even broader. 

Happy Juneteenth! This week, we’ve got even more ways to celebrate in Detroit, from parades and parties to genealogy workshops.

Plus, outdoor activities for the official start of summer, and a “y’all-inclusive” hoedown. Read on to learn more.

Juneteenth celebrations

The 15th Annual Juneteenth Community Festival in Detroit is on Thursday, June 19. The celebration starts with sunrise yoga at 6 a.m., followed by a community 5k at 9 a.m., a parade and car show down Woodward at 11 a.m., and a family festival in Avalon Village from 3–8 p.m. The festival will feature live entertainment, keynote speakers, a hair show and fun for all ages. For more information, visit juneteenthindetroit.com.

The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History is also celebrating Juneteenth on Thursday, June 19 with a wide range of activities. There will be a Juneteenth treasure hunt throughout the museum, art healing and unity workshops, a screening of “Clotilda: Last American Slave Ship,” cooking demonstrations, live music and dancing, and more. Festivities go from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and registration is required for some activities. To see the full lineup of events and learn more, visit thewright.org.

The Detroit Historical Museum is celebrating Juneteenth on Thursday, June 19 with a special educational program called, “The Moral and Social Scope of Juneteenth.” Starting at noon, this presentation features original poems, music and essays written by Detroit students, offering personal insights into the significance of Juneteenth. The museum will also be open for personal exploration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. so visitors can engage with the rich stories that shape our city’s past and present. Admission is free with registration. For more information, visit detroithistorical.org.

Detroit house DJs Father Dukes and Kindle are celebrating Juneteenth at UFO Bar on Thursday, June 19. “Who All Gone Be There” features DJ sets by André Moore b2b John Adams, Chuk Ezeanya, Sawn, Kesswa, Gulley, Ameera, John FM and Father Dukes b2b Kindle. Doors open at 4 p.m. and the event goes until 2 a.m. This event is 21+. For more information, visit ra.co.

On Wednesday, June 25, Wayne State University is hosting a Juneteenth genealogy discovery event called “Building Forward with Wisdom.” Led by historian, professional genealogist and Detroit native Carolyn Carter, Ph.D., participants will use digital tools and access historical records to explore their family roots and uncover the stories that shaped their lineage. The workshop takes place at Bernath Auditorium from 5:30–7:30 p.m. Admission is free with registration. For more information, visit events.wayne.edu.

Pride parties

On Saturday, June 21, head to the Old Miami for “Howdy Fest 4.” This “y’all-inclusive” event features queer line dancing led by Stud Country, live country music, a mechanical bull, BBQ and drag performances. The event goes from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. and is 21+. Tickets are $20 online or $25 at the door. For more information, visit their Eventbrite.

Outdoor activities

On Saturday, June 21, the Greektown Neighborhood Partnership is hosting its first-ever Summer Wine Stroll, a celebration of local food, wine and community. Guests will stroll through Greektown, enjoying curated wine samples and small bites from nearly a dozen participating restaurants and bars. Check-in starts at 11:30 p.m. and the event goes until 4 p.m. This event is 21+ and tickets are $39. For more information, visit their Eventbrite page.

Also on Saturday, June 21, the Farmington Hills Nature Center is hosting a family-friendly Summer Solstice Celebration with hayrides, a campfire, and seasonal games and crafts in Heritage Park. The event runs from 6:30–8:30 p.m. and admission is $8. For more information, visit their website.

The annual Ford Fireworks return to Detroit on Monday, June 23. The show will take place over the Detroit River beginning at 10 p.m. Tickets for the Parade Company’s official Rooftop Party are sold out, but the show will be visible from plenty of other vantage points along the riverfront. For more information, visit theparade.org.

WDET’s second “What’s So Funny About Detroit?” comedy showcase of the summer is on Thursday, June 26. Hosted by In The Groove’s Ryan Patrick Hooper in the beautiful backyard of The Old Miami, this month’s comedians are Melanie Hearn, Tanya Vora, Andy Peters, Joey Aasim and Lee Ledbetter. There will be music by DJ Thornstryker in between sets and food and drinks will be available for purchase. Doors open at 6 p.m., the show starts at 7 p.m. and the event is 21+. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. For more information, visit our events page.

Our friends from the 4th annual Howdy Fest stop by to talk about the importance of carving out queer space in the country world and the awesome bands (and mechanical bull!) they’ll have this Saturday at the Old Miami. Plus, new music from Foxwarren, Ezra Furman, Four Tet, David Byrne, Madison McFerrin and more.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for June 18, 2025

• “Strange” – Foxwarren
• “Alone (Four Tet Remix)” – The Cure
• “Into Dust (Still Falling)” – Four Tet
• “Power of the Moon” – Ezra Furman
• “Rock & Roll” – The Velvet Underground
• “Needles in the Camel’s Eye” – Brian Eno
• “Everybody Laughs” – David Byrne & Ghost Train Orchestra
• “Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)” – Talking Heads
• “Transmuted Matter” – Stereolab
• “One Pillow” – Theo Croker, Estelle & Kassa Overall
• “Ain’t It Nice” – Madison McFerrin
• “Mr. Man” – Air
• “Lovin’ You” – Johnny “Guitar” Watson
• “Save Their Souls” – Bohannon
• “Nobody New” – The Marias
• “Mi Swing Es Tropical” – Quantic, Nickodemus, Tempo & The Candela Allstars
• “Cumbia Espacial (feat. N. Hardem)” – El León Pardo
• “Una Mañana” – Caramelo Haze
• “Be Thankful For What You’ve Got (Live)” – Orgone
• “Peaceful Place” – Leon Bridges
• “Don’t Get Me Started” – The Smile
• “False Start Dub” – Kings Of High Speed & JKriv
• “Right Back to It (feat. MJ Lenderman)” – Waxahatchee
• “Elderberry Wine” – Wednesday
• “Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other (Alternate Version)” – Willie Nelson
• “Sugar Man” – Rodriguez
• “Parade” – Kevin Morby
• “Dream Baby Dream” – Suicide
• “Everything Is Simple” – Widowspeak
• “Everybody’s Stalking” – Badly Drawn Boy
• “Thirty One” – Butcher Brown

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

On Friday, Israel launched attacks on Iran, intending to hit Iran’s uranium enrichment site, where it is building nuclear arms, as well as the country’s military sites.

Iran has since retaliated with aerial attacks on Israel. Over the course of a week, the Israeli military has killed at least 224 people in Iran, and Iran has killed 24 people in Israel. This past weekend, Israel asked the U.S. to join its side in the war, since Israel lacks the capacity to destroy the space where Iran is developing nuclear weapons. 

Although, CNN reports that U.S. intelligence officials are saying Tehran was up to three years away from fully developing a weapon, and that it’s not actively pursuing a bomb. Still, the U.S. continues to provide weapons and warplanes to Israel, including a recent shipment. But it has yet to directly engage militarily in the war, and Trump, thus far, has called for Iran’s “Unconditional surrender.”

Saeed Khan, an associate professor of teaching in near eastern studies at Wayne State University, joined The Metro on Wednesday to discuss what this says about Israel’s role in the Middle East, and how America will respond.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

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

Wayne State University is opening the city’s first standalone School of Public Health. The school is designed to train health care professionals who will embed in Detroit’s neighborhoods. Construction is set to begin this fall on a $200 million dollar health sciences research building, with community input central to the operation.

Dr. Bernard Costello, Wayne State’s senior vice president for health affairs, is utilizing this opportunity as a tool to lead an effort to reignite public trust in Detroit health institutions via real and equitable change. Knowing Detroiters struggle with chronic illnesses and limited access to care, he joined The Metro to talk about what opening this school means for our community.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

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

The Motown Museum announced this week that it will pause tours of the Detroit institution for one year so that it can finish a multi-million dollar expansion project. 

The museum will temporarily stop public tours on Oct. 1. Other operations at the site — such as the retail store — will remain open, and Rocket Plaza will continue to hold performances and other activities. 

The final stage of the $75 million dollar project includes the construction of a new building and installation of exhibits. 

The museum — located at the site of the original Motown studios — opened in 1985. 

Other headlines for Wednesday, June 18, 2025:

• Detroit’s Greater Grace Temple is holding an event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday to prepare residents for jobs using artificial intelligence. The Juneteenth National Digital Opportunity Bible Study is part of an effort to train Black communities for the emerging uses of AI in the workforce.  The event will provide workshops on digital literacy and workforce tool kits, which include info on data privacy and cybersecurity.
• Another Republican has jumped into the race to become the next governor of Michigan. Former state legislator Tom Leonard announced his candidacy on Tuesday.  He served as Michigan’s Speaker of the House in 2017 and 2018.
• Gas prices in metro Detroit are expected to rise in the coming days, according to AAA Michigan. Right now, the average price of gas in the area is $3.26 per gallon — up from $3.15 last week. Prices are expected to rise because of the conflict in the Middle East.
• Detroiters face a risk of possible severe storms this afternoon and tonight.  The National Weather Service says a front moving into the area will mix with hot, humid air, creating the conditions for strong storms.  Forecasters have given Metro Detroit a slight risk of severe weather.
• The Detroit Tigers continue to set the pace for the rest of MLB with the best record in baseball, 47 wins and 27 losses, with a month to go until the All-Star Break. The Tigers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park Tuesday night 7 to 3.  The two teams are scheduled to play again Wednesday night. First pitch is at 6:40 p.m.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

The National Weather Service briefly issued a Tornado Warning just after 1 p.m. on Wednesday for parts of Macomb and Oakland counties.

The warning was canceled shortly after it was issued, but a Flash Flood Warning was issued shortly after for central Macomb County that will remain in effect until 4:45 p.m.

A severe thunderstorms capable of producing a tornado was spotted over Royal Oak near Troy around 1:12 p.m., according to NWS. The storm moved northeast toward Macomb County, impacting the cities of Warren, Sterling Heights, Clinton Township, Fraser and Roseville. A line of thunderstorms is expected to move through portions of southeast Michigan throughout the evening resulting is possible flooding and power outages in the region.

The NWS urges residents to avoid driving on flooded roads and taking necessary precautions to avoid dangerous conditions.

Check back for more updates to this story.

Michigan is facing a health care provider shortage, especially for underserved communities in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.

The Detroit Tri-County Social Work Health Career Opportunity Academy, called “The Academy,” trains students with disadvantaged backgrounds to increase the number of people going into health care fields.

Bridget Weller, a professor of Social Work at Wayne State University, says the shortage was exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“When we think about the state of Michigan, 72 of the 83 counties do not have enough providers to meet the needs of people residing there, including the three counties that with around Detroit,” she said.

In Michigan, about 3.5 million people do not have a provider or services. She says the lack of services disproportionately impacts rural and urban settings. 

Weller says by 2032, 20% of jobs needed are in health care settings, including nurses, social workers, dental hygienists, physical therapists and others. 

Weller says the health care provider shortage affects underserved communities — people who are often experiencing poverty, with higher rates of disease burden and less access to medical care. 

“Almost anybody you talk to about trying to see a provider — either mental health or physical health — how often have you gone to see a provider and they weren’t available, or they left because of burnout and burden, followed by issues around [whether] they understand your culture or your language?” she said.

Weller says that also leads to higher mortality rates, higher likelihood of getting chronic conditions, and lower likelihood of getting diagnosed properly.

“These high-need areas in these underserved communities are disproportionately impacted when we don’t have health care providers to meet those needs,” she said.

Workforce development with a purpose 

The Academy was created nearly two years ago to work with universities and community colleges to provide supplemental educational instruction for people seeking careers in health care. 

“One of the things that my team and I are doing is we’ve been implementing workforce development programs where we receive funding that provides enhanced training for people who are pursuing degrees, particularly at community colleges and at university settings,” she said.

The program provides enhanced training, 180 hours of training with a $2,100 scholarship and a $2,100 stipend. 

Weller says student graduates, or ambassadors, are from educationally or economically disadvantaged backgrounds. 

“We have a number of tremendous needs, including homelessness. I think we had about 16% of the people in our program experiencing homelessness, as well as selling plasma and things like that.” 

Addressing the health care provider shortage 

The Academy says there is a 92% graduation rate. 

“Moreover, 89% of our students have gone on to the next level of their education, so either going from an associate’s degree to a bachelor’s degree, or bachelor’s degree to a master’s degree,” Weller said.

About 30% of those individuals are a part of the health care workforce. 

Weller says the program shows students need educational and financial support to pursue health care fields, which in turn may help reduce the health care provider shortage in Michigan. 

“I think if we do that, then we’ve got a chance at addressing a lot of the needs that are available,” she said.

Weller says students from underserved communities tend to go back and work in their communities. 

“And so the more efforts that we can do to supporting students with those experiences, I think long term, we will be in a much better position to help underserved communities, because we try to get students from the communities with the hopes, because we know data shows people go back to their communities.” 

The mother of the Oxford High School shooter has asked to be released from prison while she appeals her involuntary manslaughter convictions. The attorney for Jennifer Crumbley filed the request this week with the Michigan Court of Appeals.

Her attorney argues that Crumbley should not be forced to remain prison while the legalities of the first-of-its-kind case are sorted out.

“At present, Mrs. Crumbley has been incarcerated for over three-and-a-half years,” says the filing dated Tuesday. “She should not be forced to serve additional years of incarceration before the appellate courts can decide, with finality, her dispositive and substantial legal questions of first impression which may result in her convictions being vacated.”  

Michael Dezsi, Crumbley’s attorney, told the Michigan Public Radio Network that Crumbley does not pose a threat if she is released on bond.

“The other thing that she has to prove in order to get a bond on appeal is that she has a substantial issue of law or fact and I don’t think anybody can deny that Mrs. Crumbley has a substantial question of law that she is presenting on appeal, namely which is did she even commit a crime in the first place,” he said.

Dezsi said the state’s manslaughter statute has never been used in this way to level charges against the parent of a murderer.

“They were different from anything we’ve ever seen before and it is our position that there certainly is no law in Michigan that allows for the prosecution to charge her for the intentional criminal acts of a third person, whether that be her son or somebody else,” he said.

Last week, an Oakland County judge denied the requests of Jennifer Crumbley and her husband, James, for new trials. Judge Cheryl Matthews held the Crumbleys received fair trials, although the prosecution should have shared details of some witness agreements.

Crumbley’s son is serving a life-without-parole sentence for the 2021 school shooting that killed four students and injured seven people. A jury convicted Jennifer and James Crumbley of involuntary manslaughter after prosecutors argued they failed to address clear signs their son was spiraling toward violence.

A spokesperson for Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said her office opposes releasing Jennifer Crumbley in part because she would be a flight risk.

“A jury convicted Jennifer Crumbley for her actions that led to the deaths of Hana St. Juliana, Tate Myre, Madisyn Baldwin, and Justin Shilling. That verdict was upheld after careful review by the Circuit Court,” said spokesperson Jeff Wattrick in an email. “Bond has been denied multiple times previously because Mrs. Crumbley was, and remains, a flight risk with no known ties to the community and a past attempt to conceal her whereabouts. The interests of justice are served by again denying bond so she can continue serving her sentence.”

Deszi said he expects the Court of Appeals to rule quickly on his motion. The court will also have to rule on whether to hear the appeal. He said whichever side loses will almost certainly take the case to the Michigan Supreme Court.

Come November, Detroit residents will decide who will lead the city into its next chapter. Nine candidates and a write-in say they have a path forward.

Former Detroit Police Chief James Craig is among them. Serving as chief from 2013 to 2021, he helped speed up police response times and implemented “Project Green Light” for businesses to get police attention more quickly, among other accomplishments. Craig also served as police chief in both Cincinnati and Portland, Maine.

After retiring from law enforcement, Craig ran for governor in 2022 on the Republican ticket, but was removed from the ballot due to alleged fraudulent signatures on his nominating petitions. He also ran for a Michigan U.S. Senate seat last year, but suspended his campaign after it failed to gain momentum.

Now, Craig is the only Republican candidate running for mayor of Detroit, and he says he’d use his experience rooting out waste in government to increase efficiency and utilize city resources better. 

He joined The Metro on Tuesday to talk about his mayoral bid and what sets him apart. Only two candidates will move forward to November’s general election following the Aug. 5 primary.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

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

What a busy night on MI Local! We premiered so much new music by metro area artists; we had exciting in-studio guests talking about an expansive emo-centric music festival happening next weekend, AND I announced that voting is now open for Sounds Like Detroit, 2025!

This is the chance for WDET listeners to cast their vote for the next Tiny Desk stars! Over 150 local musicians entered the 2025 NPR Tiny Desk Contest this year, and while none claimed the national title, Detroit’s talent is truly one of a kind! Now, we want your help to bring four standout Detroit Tiny Desk performers to the Sounds Like Detroit stage on Aug. 14 at Batch Brewing Company.

Find more info, and a link to the Sounds Like Detroit ballot, here. Voting ends July 3!

Meanwhile, on this week’s MI Local...

I opened the show with some gritty new rock ‘n’ roll from Cherry Drop, who have an album release party next Friday night at the Ghost Light in Hamtramck. We also hear new punk-rock sounds from Gusher, and a sneak-preview of a new EP by singer-songwriter Nadine Chronopoulos, who fronts the band known as DENO. MI Local gives you the chance to hear bands from all over Michigan, of course, so we also heard new alt-country/Americana sounds coming from Ypsilanti, from the project known as Cowgirl!

Joining me in-studio were Kyle Minch of The Pleasant Underground, and Spencer Roger from NOXP, both of whom have substantial experience in booking and promoting a wide range of live music events that showcase local talent. The Pleasant Underground began as a series of DIY House Shows, first hosted in the basement of a house in Pleasant Ridge (hence the name), focusing on groups that fit into the genres of indie rock, punk, Midwest emo, or post-hardcore. Next weekend, June 27-30, their third annual PUG Fest takes over downtown Ferndale, filling six venues with full lineups of high-energy bands.

Along with an interview with Minch and Rogers, we listened to a handful of bands that you can catch at PUG Fest, including the hard-rock quintet known as Former Critics, who just released the new single, “Clover.”

See the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

MI Local Playlist for June 17, 2025

• “Feel It” – Cherry Drop
• “Bat Night” – Gusher
• “Redhead Queen” – DENO
• “Get A Load of My Love” – Emily Seward
• “Invisible Fist” – Na Bonsai
• “With Doubt” – Cowgirl
• “Caroline” – Isaac Burgess
• “A Hard Day’s Night”– The Last War
• “Graveyard Girl” – TOED
• “Clover” – Former Critics
• “Motions” – Lester.
• “Winter Clothes” – Low Phase

A belated birthday party for the legendary Motown songwriter Lamont Dozier, who I had the chance to interview back in 2020 when his memoir “How Sweet It Is: A Songwriter’s Reflections on Music, Motown and the Mystery of the Muse” was released. I re-aired that interview and played one of my favorite solo tracks of his… plus new music from Nilufer Yanya, Resavoir & Matt Gold, Mansur Brown, Leon Thomas and more.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for June 17, 2025

• “Cold Heart” – Nilufer Yanya
• “Diversey Beach (feat. Mei Semones)” – Resavoir & Matt Gold
• “Weather Report (Live At Shinjuku Riquid Room / 1997)” – Fishmans
• “Alone” – Mansur Brown
• “HOW FAST” – Leon Thomas
• “All I Ever Am (Mura Masa Remix)” – The Cure
• “Crossbow” – Tamar Aphek
• “Only In Dreams (Weezer cover)” – Mock Orange
• “Room At The Top” – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
• “Love Is A Painting” – Bug Club
• “Breaking Point” – Brandee Younger
• “Found A Light (Beale Street)” – BADBADNOTGOOD & V.C.R
• “Moon Eyes” – Obongjayar
• “Red Moon” – Tom Misch
• “Red Room” – Hiatus Kaiyote
• “Free (Acoustic Version)” – Prince
• “Goin’ to See My Baby” – The Fatback Band
• “South of the River (Detroit Swindle Remix)” – Tom Misch
• “Wednesday Night People” – Moodymann
• “Tea Leaf Dancers” – Flying Lotus
• “I Wanna Stay” – The Love Unlimited Orchestra
• “Lovely Day (Tall Black Guy Remix)” – Jill Scott
• “Why Am I Alive Now?” – ANOHNI
• “You’ve Been In Love Too Long (Single Version)” – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
• “ELEVATOR” – Gavin Turek
• “Klapp Klapp” – Little Dragon
• “Going Back To My Roots (12” Version)” – Lamont Dozier
• “Maria No Mas” – Fantastique
• “Mirando” – Ratatat

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

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

Christian Vincent joins us on The Metro to talk about Noah’s Arc, the 2005 TV drama centered on a group of queer Black men, and the impact it’s had on media.

Christian, who plays Ricky in the series, is also a dancer and choreographer who grew up just across the river in Windsor, Ontario. He joins us to discuss the Noah’s Arc universe—and how his time living, training, and working in Detroit helped shape his journey.

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

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

Located in the Cass Corridor, Roar Brewery is gearing up for its grand opening. Detroit is known for its many exports, and beer happens to be one of those significant Detroit staples, playing an important role in our city.

Roar Brewery plans to add to the legacy that is Detroit beer as a Black-owned brewery, opening its doors next month. Founder and US veteran Evan Fay wants to make sure Roar is a space the community can feel at home, and he joins us on The Metro today to welcome us in.

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

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

On Saturday, as millions of people protested what they see as President Trump’s federal overreach, an assassin allegedly killed a former Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband. The victims were on a manifesto with about 70 names connected to abortion rights advocates and Democratic officials.

Historian Jeremi Suri says this tension and violence is nothing new, reminiscent of the assassination of Lincoln, the social upheaval of the 1960s, even the January 6th Insurrection and its aftershocks. He joins us on The Metro today to give us more on how history repeats itself, and what this violence means for our democracy.

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

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

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Davis Aerospace High School returns to airport campus with expanded aviation training

Davis Aerospace Technical High School is returning to its original home at the Coleman A. Young International Airport—a move that will once again give students access to the runway and hands-on aviation training.

The school, which offers free aviation courses including drone certification and pilot licensing, was relocated in 2013 while the city was under state management. Since then, students have been unable to obtain federal certification in aviation mechanics due to lack of airport access.

Detroit Public Schools Community District Superintendent Nikolai Vitti says the move is meant to correct a decision made under emergency management.

“We’ve gone about reforming the school district,” Vitti says. “Sometimes everyone’s quick to get rid of everything and say nothing worked in the past, and this was the complete opposite of that. This was about bringing something back that absolutely made sense and should have never been taken away from the district and the city.”

The airport’s three-level terminal will be converted into the school’s new campus, which is scheduled to open in fall 2026. The relocation is expected to allow the high school to expand its enrollment to 200 students.

Principal Michelle Davis says this year, nine students passed their FAA drone certification course, and four passed the written portion of the private pilot’s license test. With the move, those students will be able to fly next year—something the school hasn’t been able to offer since 2013.

The relocation will cost nearly $15 million, with funding split between the school district and the state.

Detroit mayoral candidates clash over jobs, housing at debate

Affordable housing and job creation were at the forefront of a spirited Detroit mayoral debate held Monday night at Wayne State University. About half of the candidates running for the city’s top office took part in the event.

City Council President Mary Sheffield said Detroit must find ways to use downtown investment to lift up neighborhoods across the city.

Reverend Solomon Kinloch Jr. pledged to lead both his congregation and the city if elected mayor, while former Detroit Police Chief James Craig described himself as a “proven leader.”

But the most pointed moment of the evening came during closing remarks from former City Council President Saunteel Jenkins, who targeted each of her rivals with sharp criticism:

“More guns in schools… locking up our kids… Craig is your guy. If you want a part-time mayor who’s working two full-time jobs… Kinloch is ready. If you want a mayor who shows up on Instagram but doesn’t show up for meetings… follow Mary. Thank you.”

The crowd responded audibly before Craig replied:

“Gloves are off now!”

Kinloch pushed back in his final statement, saying:

“Detroit cannot build up by tearing others down.”

District 5 voters invited to meet City Council candidates at Eastern Market

BridgeDetroit is hosting a Meet the Candidates event this Wednesday at Eastern Market for residents of Detroit’s District 5. All seven candidates running to replace City Council President Mary Sheffield are expected to attend.

The event offers voters a chance to ask questions, hear directly from the candidates, and enjoy a meal—Greek food will be served.

District 5 residents are encouraged to bring their curiosity and their appetite. Attendees are asked to RSVP in advance.

Event Details
What: Meet the Candidates – Detroit City Council District 5
When: Wednesday, June 19, 2025
Where: Eastern Market
RSVP: Reserve your spot on Eventbrite

Detroit Public Library celebrates Juneteenth with family events across the city

The Detroit Public Library is celebrating Juneteenth all week long with family-friendly events at branches across the city.

At the Main Library on Woodward Avenue, the annual Juneteenth Celebration takes place Wednesday and will feature special guests from the Midwest Invitational Rodeo. Visitors can enjoy pony rides, a petting zoo, lawn games, arts and crafts, face painting, line dancing, and more. The event also marks the kickoff of the library’s Summer Reading Program.

Other highlights this week include:

• Movie night at the Campbell Branch
• A Juneteenth Jamboree at the Edison and Elmwood Park branches
• Storytimes, storytelling, and history programs for all ages throughout the city

To explore the full schedule of events, visit detroitlibrary.org.

There are a few candidates running as outsiders in Detroit’s mayoral election. They say they aren’t typical politicians and that they plan to prioritize the needs of residents in neighborhoods first. Joel Haashiim is one of those outsiders.

He’s a businessman who first opened a store on Seven Mile and Hartwell Street at the age of 20. Now, the 73-year-old is running on a platform to stop billionaires like Dan Gilbert and the Ilitch family from controlling local politics. Haashim says he wants to put power into people’s hands. To do this, he says he wants to bring back “Citizens’ District Councils,” and start a public bank. 

Haashiim joined The Metro to share more about his platform and priorities for the city if elected Detroit’s next mayor.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

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

Smashing into the work week with an upbeat musical punch to the face featuring fresh songs from Yazmin Lacey, Original Koffee, Brandee Younger, Sessa and more, plus David Byrne readies a new album and tour stop in Detroit. A special artist spotlight on Brooklyn trio Nation of Language, who are getting ready to release their 4th album on Sub Pop and have a tour date at the Majestic this September! You heard about it here on In The Groove…

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for June 16, 2025

• “Ain’t I Good For You” – Yazmin Lacey
• “KOFFEE” – Original Koffee
• “Royalty” – Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
• “Get Free (feat. Amber Coffman)” – Major Lazer
• “New Pinnacle” – Brandee Younger
• “Seasons (Waiting on You) [BADBADNOTGOOD Reinterpretation]” – Future Islands
• “Looking For You” – Nino Ferrer
• “Get It Up For Live” – Ned Doheny
• “Peg (DJ Snatch Edit)” – Steely Dan
• “I Wish (The Reflex Edit)” – Stevie Wonder
• “Vento a Favor” – Sessa
• “Zombie” – Goat
• “Don’t Believe the Dancers” – Tony Allen & Adrian Younge
• “Castles Made of Sand” – Jimi Hendrix
• “Revolution (Esher Demo)” – Beatles
• “Frosted” – Scrimshire
• “Immortal Hands” – Stereolab
• “Lltb (feat. Wet)” – Jam City
• “You got time and I got money” – Smerz
• “Bitter Sweet Symphony” – The Verve
• “A Forest (Tree Mix)” – The Cure
• “A1” – Darkside
• “Waiting For The Punchline (Swallertrip)” – Franc Moody
• “Everybody Laughs” – David Byrne & Ghost Train Orchestra
• “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) [Live]” – Talking Heads
• “Gold Lion” – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• “Say My Name” – Belair Lip Bombs
• “Across That Fine Line” – Nation of Language
• “Inept Apollo” – Nation of Language
• “I’m Not Ready For The Change” – Nation of Language
• “Papa Don’t Take No Mess” – James Brown

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

Exploring music from Thandii, Chicano Batman, Cousin Kula, DJ Koze, Young Marble Giants, Bug Club and more.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for June 13, 2025

• “It Only Takes 2” – Thandii
• “Burn” – Afriqua
• “Color My Life” – Chicano Batman
• “Dirty Money” – Antibalas
• “Clothes Off” – Cousin Kula
• “Stay High” – Brittany Howard
• “I Feel for You (Acoustic Demo)” – Prince & the Revolution
• “Harlem” – Bill Withers
• “Slip Away (feat. Menahan Street Band)” – Charles Bradley
• “Aruna” – DJ Koze
• “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do) [Kon Rework]” – Daryl Hall & John Oates
• “Consulate Case” – Surprise Chef
• “Bangoro (Gitkin Remix)” – Bab L’ Bluz
• “Since I’ve Been Loving You” – Led Zeppelin
• “All My Love (Ween Cover)” – Led Zeppelin
• “Brand – New – Life” – Young Marble Giants
• “I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar” – Jonathan Richman
• “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” – The Slits
• “Jealous Boy” – The Bug Club
• “Love Is A Painting” – The Bug Club
• “Marriage” – The Bug Club

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

We look back at the life of Brian Wilson, plus fresh releases from Detroit including the excellent new single “Another Day” from Los Hermanos & Soul Saver, and producer Tall Black Guy, plus around the rest of the world from Black Country, New Road, The Marias, Foxwarren and more.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for June 12, 2025

• • “Besties” – Black Country, New Road

• • “Too Many People” – Paul & Linda McCartney

• • “Dear Prudence” – Gabor Szabo

• • “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” – Beach Boys

• • “God Only Knows” – Beach Boys

• • “Supernatural (Extended Mix)” – We Are KING

• • “Just The Two Of Us” – Bill Withers & Grover Washington, Jr.

• • “Hello Detroit” – Tall Black Guy

• • “Flutes” – Hot Chip

• • “Baby (How Much I LFO You)” – DJ Koze

• • “Listen2me” – Foxwarren

• • “Josh Tillman and the Accidental Dose” – Father John Misty

• • “The Magician” – Andy Shauf

• • “Things I Do” – Andy Shauf

• • “Typical (feat. Jordan Rakei) [Little Dragon’s Rick Ride Remix]” – Nightmares On Wax

• • “Day Dreaming” – Aretha Franklin

• • “The Other Lover” – Little Dragon & Moses Sumney

• • “Retold” – Nate Smith

• • “O Sapo” – João Gilberto

• • “If You Rescue Me (Chanson des chats) [feat. Gael García Bernal, Sacha Bourdo, Alain Chabat & Aurélia Petit]” – Jean-Michel Bernard

• • “Waters Of March” – John Roseboro & Mei Semones

• • “Mushaboom” – Feist

• • “Say you love me” – Astrid Sonne

• • “Back To Me” – The Marias

• • “Another Day” – Los Hermanos & Soul Saver

• • “Honey” – Moby

• • “Hand Clapping Song” – The Meters

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

Following the loss of musical genius Sly Stone, I asked for your voicemails to remember him and to share your favorite songs from his catalog. You did not disappoint! There’s quite a few of your picks in the show today, so hopefully you can hear your voice reflected on Detroit public radio — just the way it should be! There’s also new music from Stereolab, Smerz and more.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for June 11, 2025

• “Looking For You” – Nino Ferrer
• “Roll Your Daddy Right” – John Lee Hooker 
• “Nimerudi (Malcolm Catto / The Heliocentrics Remix)” – Goat, Mc Yallah, Malcolm Catto & The Heliocentrics
• “Conocerla (Amantes Del Futuro Edit)” – Reyna Tropical & AMANTES DEL FUTURO
• “Mescalero” – Cochemea
• “Vento a Favor (Instrumental)” – Sessa
• “Dance to the Music (John Luongo Dance Remix)” – Sly & The Family Stone
• “Shadrach” – Beastie Boys
• “People Everyday (Metamorphosis Mix)” – Arrested Development
• “Rhythm Nation” – Janet Jackson
• “Because I Got It Like That” – Jungle Brothers
• “The Devil & Mister Jones (Adrian Sherwood Reconstruction)” – Spoon
• “Bam Bam” – Sister Nancy
• “Police and Thieves” – Lee “Scratch” Perry, Bob Riddim & Xana Romeo
• “Whirlpool Dub (Adrian Sherwood Reset in Dub Version)” – Panda Bear, Sonic Boom & Adrian Sherwood
• “Caroline, No” – Beach Boys
• “Parabéns” – Marcos Valle
• “You Can Do It (Baby) [feat. George Benson]” – Nuyorican Soul
• “Everybody Is a Star (Single Version)” – Sly & The Family Stone
• “Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)” –  Sly & The Family Stone
• “Melodie Is a Wound” – Stereolab
• “Can’t Keep Checking My Phone” – Unknown Mortal Orchestra
• “Bloodlines” – Franc Moody
• “Love and Hate in a Different Time (Kerri Chandler Remix)” – Gabriels
• “Roll the dice” – Smerz
• “Lost Without (feat. Seinabo Sey)” – Kindness
• “Feels So Good” – Marcos Valle & Leon Ware
• “Lost Without You (feat. Dames Brown)” – Will Sessions & Amp Fiddler
• “Can’t Run But” – Paul Simon
• “Phoenix” – Rhye

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

“DDOT Now,” Detroit Paratransit’s Same-Day Service

DDOT launches same-day paratransit service for Detroiters with disabilities

The Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) launched a new same-day paratransit program called DDOT Now on Monday. The service allows residents with disabilities to schedule rides the day before or up to an hour in advance.

Robert Cramer, executive director of Transit, says the new program gives riders more flexibility. “The new service allows people to schedule transportation on short notice,” he said.

Paratransit services are guaranteed under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in accessing public accommodations — including transportation.

DDOT Now operates between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Riders can schedule a trip by calling 313-570-6845 between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. The fare is $2.50 per ride, and the program is supported by federal and local funding.

The city has recently made improvements to DDOT’s paratransit services, including better on-time performance and the hiring of additional staff

Download the PDF to learn more. 

Thousands rally in Metro Detroit as part of nationwide ‘No Kings’ protests

Tens of thousands of people rallied across Metro Detroit on Saturday as part of the national “No Kings” protests against authoritarianism.

Many demonstrators carried signs criticizing President Donald Trump’s immigration policies and his decision to deploy Marines and National Guard troops to protests in Los Angeles.

At a rally in Southwest Detroit, high school student Julio Henry gave an impassioned speech in support of immigrants.

“We are here in the United States to come together,” Henry said. “Our diversity is what makes the United States the United States.”

Henry added that young people are paying attention to national politics and they’re not pleased with what they see.

“We call him so many things, the fascist, the dictator, the white supremacist, but what we all agree on is he should not be our president,” Henry said.

The event in Detroit remained largely peaceful. However, a brief altercation broke out when members of a local biker gang arrived and began harassing protesters. Detroit police quickly intervened to defuse the situation.

Reporting by Russ McNamara, WDET

MDOT to extend life of I-75 Rouge River bridge with surface treatment

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is planning a two-year project to coat the surface of the I-75 Rouge River bridge in Detroit.

Crews previously rebuilt the bridge deck in 2017 and 2018. Project engineer Bill Erben says the structure is in good shape, but additional work will help preserve it.

“Sandblasting and smoothing the concrete will make it last longer,” Erben said.

MDOT plans to close the Rouge River bridge eight times this year and eight more times in 2026, each time affecting one direction of traffic at a time.

The first closure was scheduled to begin last Friday on northbound I-75 between Schaefer Road and I-96, but the threat of rain delayed the start.

Reported by Pat Batcheller, WDET

Republican-backed budget would slash funding for U-M and MSU, expand support for other public universities

The University of Michigan could lose a significant portion of its state funding under a higher education budget passed by the Michigan House of Representatives late last week.

The plan would also reduce funding for Michigan State University, while increasing support for most of the state’s other public universities.

Republican House Appropriations Committee Chair Ann Bollin said U-M and MSU rely less on state support than other schools. She and other GOP lawmakers say they hope the proposed cuts will reduce the number of out-of-state and international students at those institutions.

The education budget bill would also eliminate funding for free K-12 school meals across the state.

Reported by Collin Jackson, Michigan Public Radio Network

Taste of Dearborn returns with food tour of 20 local restaurants

The Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting its annual Taste of Dearborn event this week, offering visitors a chance to sample dishes from local restaurants.

The event takes place Wednesday, June 18, from 6 to 9 p.m. Check-in begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Bryant Branch Library.

About 1,000 attendees are expected to tour 20 restaurants in Downtown West Dearborn.

General admission is $35, and a VIP experience is $50. Tickets are available at www.dearbornareachamber.org

Protesters across Michigan and the nation rally against Trump’s policies

Tens of thousands of protesters rallied in Michigan against what they see as acts of authoritarianism by President Donald Trump and his administration.

Last week, the president ordered National Guard troops into Los Angeles, California, against the wishes of the governor. He also deployed several hundred Marines. While the protests in L.A. have been largely peaceful, local police have repeatedly used tear gas and rubber bullets on demonstrators.

Protesters in Michigan were part of a nationwide outpouring of opposition to President Donald Trump. As reported by the Associated Press, “Masses of demonstrators packed into streets, parks and plazas across the United States on Saturday to protest President Donald Trump, marching through downtowns and small towns, blaring anti-authoritarian chants mixed with support for protecting democracy and immigrant rights.”

Detroit officials and residents speak out

At a rally Saturday at Clark Park in Southwest Detroit, Michigan Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) said protests are effective.

“We did not get the Civil Rights Act because somebody in Congress woke up one day and said, ‘Geez, that’s a really good idea.'”

Tlaib said the city has a long history of fighting for civil rights.

“I mean, we’ve birthed movements. If there’s any city that’s going to end fascism, it’s Detroit.”

Detroiter Roger Paz was brought to the U.S. from Peru by his parents in the late 1960s. He said he’s baffled by the hate directed toward immigrants.

“I have always been proud of the immigrant tradition of this country. And to be anti-immigrant, I think it is like the most anti-American thing you can be.”

With a smile, Paz said targeting Latinos in the U.S. is pretty silly given this country’s history.

“I wish these Spanish speaking people would get out of our country, like, get out of California, Florida, Nevada, San Francisco, San Diego, Los Alamos, San Antonio, Las Vegas, Florida,” Paz said. “What are these Spanish speaking people doing in Sacramento?”

Calls for community solidarity

Immigration and Customs Enforcement have been conducting raids in Southwest Detroit. The area is home to a large immigrant community.

Detroit City Councilwoman Gabriela Santiago-Romero said now is the time to take care of the community.

“Get to know your neighbors, jot down their numbers, call to see how they’re doing. Do you have an undocumented family on your block with young children? Offer to take them to school. Do you have elders that are scared to pick up their medication and go to the doctors? Give them a ride. Find translation services. Be of help.”

Warren resident Leigh Benigni protested in Roseville. She criticized what she called Trump’s hypocrisy for supporting law and order while ignoring the courts.

“We also happen to have a queer daughter and the thought of someone wanting to jail her or prosecute her just for who she loves… it’s just mind-blowing,” Benigni said. “I just feel stirred within my being to fight for what I know is good about this country.”

Christian Pierce of Harsens Island said he hopes to change the minds of conservatives backing Trump.

“If that’s my countrymen, I don’t really identify with them. And you know when you’re old you’re looking at limited time,” Pierce said. “So if you believe in it, you’ve gotta try.”

Emphasis on mutual care and long-term activism

In the crowd in Ferndale, Tiffany Perkins of Royal Oak said now is the best time to take care of others.

“Look out for your neighbors, look out for your friends, look out for your family, and if we come together, we’ll be stronger,” Perkins said. “Don’t let fear keep you from doing the right thing and having empathy.”

Perkins also worries that unexpected, swift deportations will leave pets and other dependent animals behind without needed food and shelter.

In immigration court in Detroit last week, several immigrants seeking asylum had their cases dismissed and were arrested by ICE agents — fast-tracking them for forcible removal.

In Lansing, Michigan State medical student Elizabeth Shokoya protested in 2020 during Black Lives Matter demonstrations. But she said this moment feels different.

“This one feels more impending doom. Like it’s not only impacting people who are minorities. It’s impacting women. It’s impacting disabled people. It’s impacting everyone. And it feels like you need to be out here to say something because if you don’t say something, then they’re just going to take everything away from us and we’ll regret it,” Shokoya said.

Liz Kelley demonstrated in Elk Rapids, in northern Michigan’s Antrim County. She’s a substitute teacher and a single mother of three. Her family relies on food assistance and Medicaid. Kelley worries that Trump’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” will continue to slash safety nets for low-income families.

“Great societies shouldn’t be judged by the top tier of their wealth but by how they care for their most vulnerable,” Kelley said. “So how are we seeking the needs of those who aren’t meeting them on their own? I think that’s a virtuous thing. And we shouldn’t have the stigma that we’ve failed — but that we’re looking out for each other.”

Also at the rally in Lansing, organizer Megan Ropeta said more major rallies will come if President Trump doesn’t change his policies.

“This is not a sprint. This is a long game so we’re in it, we’re buckling in and we’re going to be planning stuff like this for as long as it takes,” Ropeta said.

In a statement shared with the Associated Press, the No Kings Coalition said, “Today, across red states and blue, rural towns and major cities, Americans stood in peaceful unity and made it clear: we don’t do kings.”

Demonstrations widespread and largely peaceful

Large protests also took place in Grand Rapids, Petoskey, Marquette, Troy and Wyandotte.

John DeSpelder leads Traverse Indivisible, the left-leaning civics group that organized the No Kings protest in Traverse City. He says thousands attended, making it the group’s largest demonstration to date.

“I think a lot of people are watching the news and feeling real anguish,” DeSpelder said. “Especially in more conservative areas, folks sometimes feel like they’re the only ones who think this way. But when people show up in large numbers, it opens the door to conversation and reminds them they’re not alone.”

The demonstrations were peaceful. In Clark Park, members of the notorious Highwaymen Motorcycle Club showed up to instigate fights with protesters. There was a brief scuffle, but Detroit Police quickly broke it up.

AP journalists also reported, “Confrontations were isolated. But police in Los Angeles, where protests over federal immigration enforcement raids erupted a week earlier and sparked demonstrations across the country, used tear gas and crowd-control munitions to clear out protesters after the formal event ended.”

Associated Press material contributed to this report.

Photos from around Metro Detroit

Come November, Detroit residents will decide who among them will lead the city into its next chapter by taking Mike Duggan’s place as mayor.

Today’s episode of The Metro features Todd Perkins, one of the ten mayoral candidates, as well as an Attorney, Founder and owner of The Perkins Law Group. He speaks with our host Tia Graham about what he thinks makes him the one for the job.

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

We’re coming off a powerful weekend of action. Millions of people in hundreds of cities were united in “No Kings” protests that swept the country. 

Americans were out to condemn what many see as President Donald Trump’s federal overreach, aggressive anti‑immigrant enforcement, and a military parade that celebrated him and the U.S. Army. 

In Los Angeles, protesters have been out for days and Trump responded with a page from the authoritarian playbook. He deployed thousands of National Guard troops and hundreds of active-duty Marines onto the streets of L.A. On Friday, for the first time in recent history, military personnel temporarily detained a civilian.

Here in Detroit, thousands raised their voices at Clark Park, shouting “down with deportations.” Local advocates say ICE agents recently arrested a Venezuelan family in Southwest Detroit moments after their asylum hearing was dismissed. At the McNamara federal courthouse, asylum seekers were detained just as judges ended their proceedings. 

That tactic — attend your immigration hearing and risk arrest — is becoming common.

An almost-graduated Detroit high school student was also detained during a traffic stop on his way to a school field trip. He was deported last week despite many calls from the community urging officials to let him temporarily stay. 

To help us think about this moment, we’re joined by attorney and professor Sabrina Balgamwalla. She’s the director of the Asylum and Immigration Law Clinic at Wayne State University. 

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

BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. (AP) — Police have recovered writings that mentioned the names of multiple lawmakers and other officials in the fake police car they believe a suspect used in the shooting of two Democratic legislators in Minnesota.

Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said that the writings that were recovered identified many lawmakers and other officials. The writings were discovered when officers searched a phony police car they believe the suspect used.

Melissa Hortman, a former Minnesota House Speaker, and her spouse were shot and killed early Saturday in their Brooklyn Park home. A second state lawmaker, Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, were shot multiple times in Champlin. Officials say both Hortman and Hoffman were mentioned in the suspect’s writings.

“When we did a search of the vehicle, there was a manifesto that identified many lawmakers and other officials. We immediately made alerts to the state. We took action on alerting them and providing security where necessary,” said Bruley.

Authorities were actively searching for a suspect in the hours following the shootings. Hundreds of police and sheriff deputies from departments in the region, some in tactical gear with assault style weapons are scattered through the town. Occasional police roadblocks where cars are stopped and checked.

Gov. Tim Walz said Hortman and Hoffman were deliberately targeted.

“We must all, in Minnesota and across the country, stand against all forms of political violence,” Walz said at a press conference Saturday. “Those responsible for this will be held accountable.”

Hoffman, a Democrat, was first elected in 2012. He previously served as vice chair of the Anoka Hennepin School Board, which manages the largest school district in Minnesota. Hoffman and his wife have one daughter. He represents a district north of Minneapolis.

At the time of her death, Hortman was the top Democratic leader in the state Legislature. She was also a former House speaker. She was first elected in 2004. She and her husband had two children.

Drew Evans, superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said that authorities were actively searching for a suspect.

Autopsies will be done to determine extent of injuries, but Hortman and her spouse died from gunshot wounds, Evans said. A “shelter in place” order was in effect early Saturday.

Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson said the suspect was posing as a law enforcement officer.

“Suspect exploited the trust of our uniforms, what our uniforms are meant to represent. That betrayal is deeply disturbing to those of us who wear the badge with honor and responsibility,” he said.

Police Chief Mark Bruley said the suspect fled out of the back of Hortman’s house after an exchange of gunfire with police.

The suspect was dressed like a uniformed officer and operating a vehicle that “looked exactly like an SUV squad car. It was equipped with lights, emergency lights and looked exactly like a police vehicle,” Bruley said.

President Donald Trump said in a White House statement that the FBI would join in the investigation.

“Our Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and the FBI, are investigating the situation, and they will be prosecuting anyone involved to the fullest extent of the law. Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!”

Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, a Republican from Cold Spring, called the attack “evil” and said she was “heartbroken beyond words” by the killings of Hortman and her husband, Mark.

“With the law enforcement response ongoing and details still emerging, I will simply ask all Minnesotans to please lift up in prayer the victims of this horrific attack, as well as the law enforcement personnel still working to apprehend the perpetrator,” Demuth said in a statement.

The shootings happened at a time when political leaders nationwide have been attacked, harassed and intimidated during a time of deep political divisions.

GIFFORDS, the national gun violence prevention organization led by former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, released the following statement.

“My family and I know the horror of a targeted shooting all too well,” Giffords said. “An attack against lawmakers is an attack on American democracy itself. Leaders must speak out and condemn the fomenting violent extremism that threatens everything this country stands for.”

Giffords was shot in the head in 2011 by a gunman who killed six people and injured 12 others. She stepped down from Congress in January 2012 to focus on her recovery.

—AP’s Tim Sullivan contributed to this report