Shiver on the River is back at Belle Isle, giving you the opportunity to learn more at the nature center and attend the Great Lakes Museum for free so long as you have a recreation pass.

Plus, live puppet performances where you get to help tell the story, a dog show with vendors, an exhilarating day of local music and art, and a loving way to gather and remember beloved community leader Ismael Ahmed.

Upcoming events (Feb. 5 to Feb. 12)

Motor City Winter Dog Classic

  Vibe Credit Union in Novi

Thursday Feb. 5-8

  $10

See over 200 breeds of American Kennel Club dogs in a family friendly atmosphere with plenty of vendors. Every day of the four day event goes from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  

Sled Season

Tangent Gallery

Saturday, Feb. 7

$25

Sled Season is back, packing a full season of festivities into one evening. Rock out to live music, attend a workshop, peruse local artisanal goods, hop in a photo booth and more. Some noted performers include Rose St. Germaine, Checker, Toboggan man and more from the local music scene. Get your tickets in advance!

Shiver on the River

Belle Isle Nature Center, Dossin Great Lakes Museum

Saturday, Feb. 7

Free

Explore the Belle Isle Nature Center and the Dossin Great Lakes History Museum with a range of educational and entertaining activities and attractions, such as ice carvings, a magic show and more. Entry is free, with concessions available for purchase. You do need a Michigan Recreation pass to enter Belle Isle. This eco fair goes from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Choose Your Own Adventures of Turtle Boy and Owl Loves Angeline

Detroit Institute of Arts

Saturday, Feb. 7

Free

Haitian-American puppeteer Emmanuel Elpenord brings a charming, heartfelt double feature to the DIA. “Choose Your Own Adventures of Turtle Boy” blends action and plenty of audience participation, while “Owl Loves Angeline” incorporates Haitian folklore and human themes that connect across all cultures. This show takes place in the Rivera Court and is free with general admission. Take a look at the DIA’s exhbit “African Diaspora in the Americas” in the reinstalled Reimagine African American Art gallery on the second floor while you’re there!

Celebration of Life Honoring Ismael “Ish” Ahmed

Ford Performing Arts Center in Dearborn

  Sunday, Feb. 8

Free

Join together in a celebration of a life lived as beloved community leader and WDET This Island Earth music host Ismael Ahmed would want you to. In his honor, the Ford Performing Arts center welcomes all those who want to share in grief and reflect on his life from 1-3 p.m. in the Guido Theater. Ish’s family asks that donations be made to the Concert of Colors in lieu of flowers or other gifts.

In this episode:

• How much money did the Michigan gubernatorial candidates raise for their campaigns?
• What do the campaign finance reports say about each gubernatorial candidates?
• A bipartisan approach to medical debt.

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

The Michigan gubernatorial candidates are ramping up their campaigns, but how are they doing financially?

This week on MichMash, WDET’s Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow go over the latest campaign finance reports for the upcoming election. 

These are the last reports we will see until we get closer to the primaries. Roth said the reports can be a forecast for the race ahead. “Money does not equal victory, but it does help you get there. It’s crucial for name recognition and getting your message out through things like mailers and television ads.”

The Michigan primary is on Aug. 4, 2026. 

Later in the episode, Sen. Jonathan Lindsey stopped by to champion his bipartisan legislation that addresses medical debt in Michigan. The bill would make violations of these changes eligible for action by the attorney general under the Michigan Consumer Protection Act. Lindsey said he believes the bill is close to being passed.

“I think we showed in the Senate that the most productive way to get it done was running together a couple of these health care-related bills that would bring enough votes from both sides to have a strong consensus on them.”

The bill is currently sitting in the Senate.  

• More from WDET
  Detroit Evening Report: Wayne County eliminates $27M in medical debt for 46,000 residents

  MichMash: Michigan campaign finance reform shows no progress

  How expensive are Michigan’s political campaigns?

One more sleep until Ryan Patrick Hooper returns! Adam Fox filling in today, with new music from Snocaps and Otto Benson, a spotlight on Weval who play this weekend at El Club, and a nod to David Bowie’s final master stroke, “Black Star” which turned 10 in January.

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

In The Groove with temporary host Adam Fox playlist for February 5, 2026

• “Nothing Simple” – Shigeto, Tammy Lakkis & Cleveland Thrasher
• “Waterfalls” – Oneohtrix Point Never
• “Perpetual Adoration” – Julianna Barwick & Mary Lattimore
• “Brand New City” – Snocaps
• “Secret Meeting” – The National
• “Dirty Dream Number Two” – Belle and Sebastian
• “Chips – Chicken – Banana Split” – Jo-Jo and The Fugitives
• “Chicken Payback” – The Bees
• “Roots of Dub” – King Tubby
• “Groovin’” – Willie Mitchell
  “O My Soul (Remastered 2024)” – Big Star
• “Gloria” – Patti Smith
• “Changed for the Better” – Weval
• “MOVING ON” – Weval
• “Let England Shake” – PJ Harvey
• “I Can’t Give Everything Away” – David Bowie
• “Burial Dub” – Sly & Robbie
• “Future Shock” – Herbie Hancock
• “Dream In Blue” – Los Lobos
• “Wicked Game” – Chris Isaak
• “Accidentally Like a Martyr” – Warren Zevon
• “Cortez the Killer” – Neil Young & Crazy Horse
• “Theme” – Kelan Phil Cohran & Legacy
• “Delfeayo’s Dilemma (2023 Remaster)” – Wynton Marsalis
• “Lonely Road” – Natalie Bergman
• “Upside Down (feat. Natalie Bergman & Wild Belle)” – Nomo & Shawn Lee
• “Moussolou (Mixed)” – Oumou Sangaré
• “Chifundo” – WITCH
• “Caring Is Creepy” – The Shins
• “Carry the Zero” – Built to Spill
• “Soy Beans” – Otto Benson
• “Revival” – Deerhunter
• “Linear Motion” – Rebecca Goldberg

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.

President Trump is continuing to push lies about the 2020 presidential election in Detroit, and using his unsupported claims of fraud to push for federal oversight of midterms.

During an executive order signing to end the government shutdown, Trump told reporters he thinks Republicans should take election rights away from some states that the president did not win in 2020. He used three prominent swing states as examples. 

“Take a look at Detroit… take a look at Pennsylvania… take a look at Philadelphia. You go take a look at Atlanta. Look at some of the places that… horrible corruption on elections.” 

Prominent Republican strategist and Trump-ally Steve Bannon has said ICE agents would be sent to polling places in this year’s midterm elections. 

Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey says any attempt to take over voting would be partisan politics at its worst. Winfrey says the results were fair and transparent then and subsequent elections have been, too. The U.S. Constitution says states decide how to conduct elections. Congress can enact some regulations, but the president has no control over elections. 

Additional headlines for Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026

Critique on Sheffield’s order on assessments

The Coalition of Property Tax Justice says Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield’s recent executive order is too vague and does not do enough to stop over assessments in the city.  

Sheffield signed an order last week aimed at improving transparency in the city’s assessment process and requiring the office to meet national standards.   

Professor Bernadette Athutahene says the order does not specify how to conduct an assessment ratio study, which is required by the property tax reform ordinance.  

“We thought that the executive order would say, you know, to do a mass appraisal report, and those two things are different. The mass appraisal report, you can’t apply Iao standards to a mass appraisal report.”

The coalition did praise Sheffield for requiring the office follow the ratio standards of the International Association of Assessing Officers.  The coalition published a revised version of the executive order with more parameter specifics for a property assessment.  

ICE detention facility proposed in Romulus

A 500 bed ICE detention facility has been proposed for Romulus, but officials say it’s not set in stone. Romulus was among 23 locations nationwide identified in a recent Bloomberg report detailing the Trump administration’s plan to buy warehouses and convert them into ICE detention centers. 

The Washington Post reported in December that a warehouse in Highland Park was being looked at as a potential location. The Mayor of Highland Park has recently said the city was not interested at all and the city lacks the space for such a plan.  

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Most everyone wants students to have good teachers. But how do we adequately prepare educators, and keep them in the profession?

That’s a pressing question as teacher retention drops in Michigan. And it’s the most pressing in school districts with more poverty. 

Ten years ago, only a handful of Michigan school districts reported permanent teaching vacancies. Today, that number has exploded: more than 150 districts now have jobs they can’t fill.

Some in the state are trying to fix this. 

Jack Elsey leads the Michigan Educator Workforce Initiative. His nonprofit is launching a collaboration with some public universities in the state to change the way teachers are trained, and to keep them in the field. He spoke with Robyn Vincent.

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

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

More stories from The Metro

The Dearborn Department of Public Health says there’s been a decrease in overdose deaths in the past two years. 

Chief Public Health Officer Ali Abazeed says launching the public health department played a role in the decline.  

“We’re seeing a nearly 60% decline in overdoses in the city of Dearborn that’s directly correlated with a lot of our public health efforts,” he says. Last year, there was a 36% decline in overdose deaths. 

Abazeed says the department supplies free Narcan overdose reversal medicine at several locations and works to raise awareness about substance abuse disorder in the city.  

“Those place-based specific interventions, like the ones that we have in Dearborn again, whether it’s our very visible Narcan distribution sites, or whether it’s their community trainings, we’re seeing trends in Dearborn that are outpacing the national average,” he shares.

Narcan reverses an opioid overdose, potentially saving people’s lives.    

Abazeed says the department also distributed about 500 fentanyl test strips, close to 300 xylazine test strips and more than 7,000 units of Narcan last year.

He says the department is seeing sustained declines across the state, while the city’s declines in overdose deaths are far outpacing the statewide and national averages. 

Abazeed says the Dearborn Department of Public Health will continue to spread the word about utilizing life-saving measures to prevent overdose deaths. 

Free Narcan can be picked up from vending machines at the John D. Dingell Transit Center, the East Parking Deck at West Village Drive, the Wagner Parking Deck, and the Islamic Center of Detroit.   

In 2024 presidential candidate Donald Trump promised mass deportations. Since his election, the president has largely delivered.

In 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security deported more than 620,000 people, with another 70,000 currently in custody.

Millions have taken to the streets in protest. But for places that have seen the greatest influx of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, protests and observation of ICE tactics is a new way of life.

Los Angeles, Chicago, and the Twin Cities have been inundated with federal agents. Residents are putting themselves between immigration officers and the people ICE is attempting to deport.

Protesters have been aggressive in letting agents know they’re not welcome. They’re following them around town, honking horns and blowing whistles. There has been no shortage of profanity.

Protests get bloody

White House Border Czar Tom Homan says those words are violence. “I begged for the last two months on TV for the rhetoric to stop,” says Homan. “I said in March, if the rhetoric didn’t stop, there’s going to be bloodshed, and there has been.”

In Minnesota, the blood that has been shed has come from U.S. citizens. Last month, federal agents killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti. In justifying Good’s killing, Trump Administration officials said she was armed with a car. In the moments leading up to his death, Pretti was exercising both his First and Second Amendment rights with a gun on his hip and a phone in his hand.

Steve Dulan is a professor at Cooley Law School in Lansing.  He’s also on the Board of Directors of the Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners. Dulan says Pretti’s actions that day were Constitutionally protected.

“Being a protester? That’s not justification to kill somebody,” Dulan said. “Filming the police? Not justification to kill somebody. Being armed? Certainly not justification to kill somebody.”

At Second Amendment rights demonstrations at the Michigan State Capitol Dulan has been armed – but also while doing business inside. After a series of armed protests during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Michigan Capitol Commission largely banned the possession of guns inside the Capitol building – something Dulan believes is likely unconstitutional.

Exercising two amendments at once

Dulan says he would defend the rights of people to carry firearms while protesting, though he wouldn’t put himself in a similar situation.

“Personally, I don’t think it’s responsible gun ownership, particularly when there’s a high likelihood that there could be some kind of a physical confrontation,” Dulan said. “You know, we’ve been teaching classes to gun owners for a long time at MCRGO. We teach that situational awareness is incredibly important, and the best way to solve most problems is by avoidance.”

Carrying a gun can also influence how other protesters see you.

Loren Khogali is the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan. She says demonstrating 2^nd Amendment rights may make others hesitant to exercise their right to peaceably assemble.

 “What we need right now in this country is as many people as possible to feel as comfortable possible exercising their 1st Amendment right to speech,” Khogali said.

Acting with impunity

The bigger issue to Khogali is the Trump Administration – and the armed agents enforcing his demands – attacking people with seeming impunity.

 “Right now we are watching the government engage suppressing people’s right to speech, suppressing people’s right to protest in the most violent of ways,” Khogali said. “We have watched the federal government murder two people in Minnesota, and so it is extremely important that when you go to a protest, you understand exactly what your rights are based on those state laws.”

 “Law enforcement should be adhering to the Constitution and should be protecting the right of protesters to protest within the law,”Khogali said.

In Minnesota, federal law enforcement has been largely unconcerned with the rights of protesters. Numerous judges have cited ICE and the Department of Homeland Security for violating court orders.

What is qualified immunity?

Steven Winter is the Walter S. Gibbs, Distinguished Professor of Constitutional Law at Wayne State University. He’s litigated cases on qualified immunity – the rule that shields police and other governmental entities from civil liability. 

He says those who violate constitutional rights should face consequences, but that’s not the reality.

 “Well as a practical matter, very little,” Winter said. “In a theoretical matter, they should both be open to potential civil and criminal liability.”

But asked if he thinks the agents who killed Good and Pretti will face justice… “I think it’d be very unlikely,” Winter said.

Winter says U.S. Supreme Court has narrowed the scope of what can negate qualified immunity. “It’s only a violation–it’s only actionable–if it was clearly illegal, clearly unconstitutional. So that’s easy to muddy up, right?”

Knowing your rights regardless

Even if it’s unlikely you will receive justice if your rights are violated, it’s still best to know your rights and have a plan.

“You always have the right to remain silent and to ask to speak to an attorney. You also have the right to walk away from the police calmly,” Khogali said. “If an officer demands that you should turn over your phone, you should refuse and you should tell them that you would like to speak with an attorney.”

However, witnesses to the killing of Alex Pretti say their phones were confiscated anyway. Other witnesses were taken into custody.

Khogali recommends having emergency contact numbers memorized and to let loved ones know when you’re headed to a protest.

Steve Dulan says the on-going protests can serve as a teaching tool. “I am hopeful that people will take this opportunity to learn about their rights and I’m hoping that the rhetoric cools.”

This week, Homan announced that 700 ICE agents were being taken out of Minnesota. The protests and deportations continue.

The ACLU of Michigan has this handy pocket guide for your rights at protests, and what you should know before, during, and after ICE raids.

Today we go on a journey from grooves that make you want to dance, to songs that make you want to sit back and listen. You’ve got LCD Soundsystem, Raúl Monsalve y los Forajidos, Khruangbin, and Michael Jackson kicking things off, with fresh sounds from Clairo, Jordan Rakei, corto.alto, Theo Croker, and Nana Adjoa keeping it interesting. 

Later on, we drift into folk, indie, and singer-songwriter territory with Neko Case, Vashti Bunyan, Feist, Mitski, Elliott Smith, Fiona Apple, and Robert Johnson—a mix that’s easy to get lost in. 

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 January 28, 2026 

• “Home (Tom Sharkett Edit)” – LCD Soundsystem 

• “Como el Sol” – Raúl Monsalve y los Forajidos 

• “Sunshower” – Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band 

• “Am I Your Girl (Dance Version)” – Peach Pit 

• “Speechless (feat. Magdalena Bay)” – TV Girl & George Clanton 

• “high vibrations” – Theo Croker, Malaya & D’LEAU 

• “Eye To Eye (Live From The Royal Albert Hall)” – Jordan Rakei 

• “National Song (Live at Ekko, 2021)” – Nana Adjoa 

• “Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf)” – Pixies 

• “Juna” – Clairo 

• “Time” – Ni Maxine 

• “APRIL (feat. anaiis)” – corto.alto 

• “End of Time” – Olive Jones 

• “Rock With You (Rare Strings Only Version)” – Michael Jackson 

• “People Everywhere ii” – Khruangbin 

• “Tu Amor (Your Love Spanish Version) [Mixed]” – Persona RS & Mamacita 

• “Wreck” – Neko Case 

• “I Wish I Was the Moon” – Neko Case 

• “Train Song (Columbia Single, 1966)” – Vashti Bunyan 

• “Mushaboom” – Feist 

• “My Love Mine All Mine” – Mitski 

• “Take Me To the Pilot (UK-Release Mix)” – Elton John 

• “Candy’s Room (Live at The Roxy, West Hollywood, CA – July 7, 1978)” – Bruce Springsteen 

• “Me and the Devil Blues” – Robert Johnson 

• “Across the Universe” – Fiona Apple 

• “War Isn’t Murder” – Jesse Welles 

• “A Fond Farewell” – Elliot Smith 

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.

Detroiters who use I-94 to get to and from Metro Airport are about to experience some delays. The Michigan Department of Transportation is starting a three-year construction project this week.

Thirteen miles of the freeway from Dearborn to Romulus will undergo major renovations, including concrete work, bridge work, and the rebuilding of the Ecorse Road interchange. I-94 will be reduced to two lanes in each direction during construction. Officials say drivers will continue to have access to Metro Airport from I-94.

Airport security increased

The next time you go to Metro Airport, you might notice some differences. The Detroit Free Press reports the airport has installed 9,000-pound concrete barriers in front of the McNamara terminal entrance.

The change was prompted by an incident last month in which a man drove his car through the front door at the departure level of the McNamara terminal and into a ticket counter. No one was hurt. Officials say the crash was not an accident.

Additional headlines for February 4, 2026

Candidate forum on education

Several of Michigan’s candidates for governor will gather in Detroit on Friday to discuss education. The Michigan Education Association is hosting a forum on the subject, saying it gives state residents a chance to hear from candidates on the issue.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, former Attorney General Mike Cox, former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson are scheduled to appear. The forum runs from 10:30 a.m. until noon on Friday at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center.

Ish celebration of life Sunday

The American Arab Chamber of Commerce will hold a tribute to Ismael Ahmed on Sunday. The community activist and civil rights leader died last weekend.

Ahmed had a major impact on metro Detroit, co-founding the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services. He also played a crucial role in the creation of the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn.

The Celebration of Life in Honor of Ismael Ahmed takes place Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Ford Performing and Community Arts Center in Dearborn. The event is free and open to the public.

Pistons trade Ivey

The Detroit Pistons have traded guard Jaden Ivey in a three-team deal with the Chicago Bulls and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Ivey goes to Chicago. The Pistons receive Kevin Huerter, Dario Šarić, and a first-round pick swap with the Timberwolves. Minnesota receives luxury tax relief.

Gaming Control Board issues warning

The Michigan Gaming Control Board is warning gamblers to protect themselves in the days leading up to Super Bowl Sunday. The agency says residents should only place bets with state-authorized sportsbook operators and online platforms.

Officials warn that unlicensed gaming can lead to identity theft or the loss of wagering money. The Gaming Control Board is also urging Michiganders to bet responsibly.

The American Gaming Association estimates more than $1.7 billion will be wagered on the Super Bowl. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

A Michigan lawmaker says he will continue calling for higher fees and tougher regulation of landfills in the state.

Michigan state Senator Darrin Camilleri pressed for the legislation last year as environmental officials weighed whether to renew the license of the Wayne Disposal site in Van Buren Township. Ownership also wanted to increase the size of the landfill by 24%.

The landfill became embroiled in controversy after its owners initially planned to accept toxic material left over from the first atomic bomb project.

Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) recently approved the site’s vertical expansion. But Camilleri says that result is not sitting well with those who live near the site.

The following interview has been edited for clarity.

Michigan state Sen. Darrin Camilleri: Just like my constituents, I am deeply disappointed and frustrated that EGLE decided to expand this toxic waste facility that sits in the middle of our communities. It’s something we’ve been fighting against for many years now. I’m trying my best to regulate it at the state level. But we have not been able to push these regulatory bills through the entire process. Renewing its license is just another slap in the face to my communities. They have said that they do not want to have these types of facilities in their backyard.

The toxic waste that we are getting from all over the country should not be dumped right here in Michigan. That’s been our number one calling point. Michigan is not your dumping ground and we should be doing more to push back against these types of facilities. So of course, when we heard about the permit getting approved, my residents and I were just devastated.

Quinn Klinefelter, WDET News: Michigan regulators said they had to address issues raised by the public. But they added that those issues could not be the basis for denying the landfill a license. Regulators say the facility doesn’t present any hazard to public health or the environment based on their monitoring of air, groundwater, etc. in and near the site. With all that being the case, do you see any other options for those who would be concerned about this expansion? Or is it just a done deal and live with it now?

DC: We have won in court when it came to the nuclear waste that came out of the Manhattan Project in New York and keeping it out of Michigan. Our local community leadership, including our mayors and supervisors, led the charge against those shipments and won in court. So there are options on the table to halt this type of material from coming into Michigan, but we do need to do more.

That’s why I  introduced bills further regulating landfills. We passed them out of the state senate and they’re currently sitting in the state house with no opportunities that we know of, so far, for movement. House Republicans have basically indicated that they are not interested in regulating these facilities. Which is really frustrating, because this is not a Democratic or Republican issue.

When I have town halls on these topics in Van Buren Township or in Wayne County, Republicans as well as Democrats come asking for change. We delivered that promise out of the state senate. And I’m going to keep trying this term and, if not this term, we’re going to try again next term as well.

QK: Some people blame the so-called “tipping” fees that Michigan charges for waste disposal, which are very low compared to other states or countries, for making Michigan a magnet for trash. You have talked about raising those tipping fees. A few months ago, I spoke with Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall about it. He told me that raising the fees would be “a kind of tax on people” for their trash. What’s your reaction to Hall’s argument?

DC: When we look at the reasons why we have so much out-of-state waste coming into Michigan, whether it’s regular trash or toxic trash, it’s because we have had so many low fees for far too long. Michigan has the lowest tipping fees in the nation. And that is a problem for us if you want to rein-in these large corporations that are sending their trash and their waste to Michigan. I believe that it’s time to raise the tipping fees.

And even in the proposal that we passed out of the senate, Michigan would still charge one of the lowest fees of any state in the country. But it would add more revenue back to the environmental cleanup fund and also, critically, put some of that money generated from out-of-state companies trying to send trash here and return the funding back to local communities in Michigan.

So this actually is something that would benefit our local community leadership. And it’s something that I think would be a long-term deterrent to some of these out-of-state companies continuing to use Michigan as a dumping ground.

QK: When someone like Speaker Hall argues that higher tipping fees equal another tax on people for their trash, what’s your response to that?

DC: That’s just not accurate. The fees that we’re talking about are put onto large companies. We need to hold large companies accountable for dumping their trash and their toxic waste in our communities. And then the fees that are generated from that sector go directly back into our communities to help our local governments, as well as EGLE, clean up other toxic and hazardous waste sites all over the state of Michigan. So, it’s a win-win. And there really is no reason for us to not engage in this debate. We can have a back and forth on the number and the price of the potential tipping fee. But to simply say no without a conversation is not serious policymaking.

QK: I’ve gotten different narratives from different state regulators about just how much room Michigan actually has for more landfills. Some say the state won’t have any more space for them after the next decade or two. Others say the state will always be able to build new landfills if it’s necessary. Do you have any view about that situation?

DC: One of the things that we would require in our legislation is a statewide hazardous waste management plan. We’ve not had one done since the 1980’s. And as part of that plan, I would require state regulators to map out and examine this exact question. How much waste can we take in? How much room is there for additional types of facilities? Or have we already met our cap, which is what I hope is the case. And how do we ensure that we can prioritize Michigan waste first before accepting all this out-of-state and out-of-country material? Our regulators have not really done enough to plan-out the future. This is one thing that our legislation would address.

It’s critical that we continue this conversation. Because communities like mine in Downriver and western Wayne County do have a significant amount of hazardous waste and regular landfills across our region. And we want to make sure that we are protecting our environment, taking care of our communities and investing back into them so they are the types of places where people want to move to.

Having one of these facilities in a densely populated area is just not the right move. My goal is to ensure that if they are going to exist, that they are regulated to a higher standard and that it does cost more money to send waste to Michigan. Because right now, we are way too cheap and it’s way too attractive for these out-of-state companies to dump their waste here. We’re saying enough is enough.

Detroit has a lot of needs, including things like bus transit, policing and security, and trash pickup. Those things cost money — money that can be difficult to come up with in a city of relative poverty. 

But with more people spending time in Detroit, and even moving to the city, it also has more opportunity to raise revenue. 

The Citizens Research Council investigated whether a sales tax could benefit residents by generating $72 million a year. Madhu Anderson is the council’s senior research associate for local government affairs. She believes a sales tax isn’t a great idea, but offered other possible ways Detroit could raise revenue. Anderson spoke with The Metro‘s Sam Corey.

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

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

More stories from The Metro

When the Detroit Tigers won the 1968 World Series, starting pitcher Mickey Lolich jumped into the arms of his catcher, Bill Freehan, to celebrate an improbable comeback. The St. Louis Cardinals, who won the fall classic the year before, led the Tigers three games to one. But Detroit rallied to win the next three games. Lolich pitched two of those games from start to finish.

The left-hander from Portland, Oregon was named the most valuable player of the ’68 series, and went on to become the Tigers’ all-time leader in strikeouts (2,679), shutouts (39), and games started (459).

50 years later, Lolich put his baseball stories on paper in “Joy in Tigertown” in 2018 with help from Baseball Hall of Fame writer Tom Gage. WDET’s Pat Batcheller talked to Lolich about the book.

Pat Batcheller: Why did you write the book?

Mickey Lolich: I sit around with people all the time, and tell baseball stories about the Tigers and my life and that type of stuff. And people are always saying ‘you should write a book.’ I sort of always put it off. And then I came to realize one day that I had three daughters. And those daughters were quite young during my baseball career and really didn’t know too much about the game or what I did in my lifetime. Then I have grandsons that don’t really know anything about what I did. So I figured I’d tell my life story of how I grew up, what I did in those days that led to me being a baseball player. I also mix in the World Series games 1 through 7 and what happened in those games. I put the book together and we got it on the market and are getting a lot of compliments about it.

Pat Batcheller

Pat Batcheller: What will readers learn about you that they might not have known before?

Mickey Lolich: Well, maybe one thing—that they saw me pitch left-handed, but I’m right-handed. It sort of shocks people when they learn about that.

Pat Batcheller: How did you become a lefty?

Mickey Lolich: One day I was out riding in Portland, Oregon. That’s where I’m from. I was 2 years old. I was riding my hot-rod tricycle down the sidewalk. And I lost control of it, I went off the curb. And parked there was an Indian motorcycle. And I hit the kickstand and the bike came down on top of me and broke my left collarbone in two places. Well, back in 1942, they just sort of strapped your arm across your chest and wait for it to heal. When they took the bindings off, I had total atrophy in my left arm. It wasn’t working at all. So my parents had an exercise program, moving my arm in front of my chest, and back-and-forth. Then they took to putting it up and over my head like a throwing action.

Now, at that age, I was fascinated with picking up little trucks and cars and throwing them with my right arm. And when they saw me throwing things, they’d go, “wait a minute, we’ve got to strengthen his left arm.” So the next move would put my folks in jail now. They tied my right arm behind my back and made me use my left hand. Well, I still wanted to throw those little cars and trucks, so I threw them left-handed. And when I built up good strength in my arm, they untied my arm in the back and let me use whatever hand I wanted to. But I continued to eat, write, or whatever I did right-handed. But when it came to a throwing action, I always threw left-handed. And that’s how I became a left-handed pitcher.

The career that almost ended before greatness

Pat Batcheller: Your career as a Tiger almost ended before it began when you briefly quit baseball at age 21. What led to that decision?

Mickey Lolich: I was playing down in Knoxville, Tennessee. I had a bad outing and things didn’t go real well for me at all. And when the game was over, the manager of the team held a clubhouse meeting, called me up to stand alongside him and, in my opinion, ridiculed me far and above what he should have done. And I said, “OK,” and then they sent me off to Durham, North Carolina to play. Well, the next year, I was pitching AAA for Denver. And I was having a few problems at the beginning of the season. And the general manager in charge of the minors decided to send me to go to Knoxville. I said, “I refuse to go to Knoxville, I will not play for that manager again.” He [General Manager Jim Campbell] says “I’m in charge, and you’ll go where you’re going!” So I got an airplane ticket for Knoxville, I went to the airport, and cashed it in for a ticket to Portland, where I lived. When I got there, I called Campbell and said “I refuse to report to Knoxville and I am retiring from baseball.” And that’s what happened.

Pat Batcheller: Why did you come back?

Mickey Lolich: I got involved in pitching in an amateur game for a local team, my neighborhood team. I pitched relief one night for them. I struck out 16 guys in five innings—the catcher missed a pitch and I had to get the next guy. The headlines hit the paper, and went back east to Jim Campbell. He said, “Are you ready to go to Knoxville?” I said, “I told you I’m not going.” He said, “Well, I made a deal with the Portland team,” which happened to be a Kansas City Athletics affiliate at the time. Campbell said, “they would like to buy you, and I refused to sell you. But I will loan you out to Portland, your hometown team, and you can pitch there if you’ll agree to that.” And I said, “OK, I’ll play there.”

And that year I ran into a pitching coach for the Portland team by the name of Jerry Staley, a guy that happened to pitch once for Detroit. And he taught me how to throw the sinking fastball. I never had a sinker, I was just a hard thrower. And it changed my whole life. The next year, I went to spring training with the Detroit Tigers, the big club. I pitched 18 scoreless innings in spring training, but I didn’t make the club. Jim Campbell had to show me he was still the boss. He sent me to Syracuse, where I was for about a month. Frank Lary got hurt on Opening Day and they sent him to Knoxville—I felt sorry for the guy. They told me I was coming up for 30 days to fill in for Frank Lary, and then I’d go back to the minors. Well, that didn’t quite work out. 16 years later, I officially retired from baseball.

Looking back at the ’68 World Series, baseball today

Pat Batcheller: In your research for the book, you had a chance to watch replays of the 1968 World Series on YouTube. What do you notice now when you watch games that you pitched that you didn’t notice or didn’t remember before?

Mickey Lolich: Well, first off, it’s the first time I’ve seen replays of the World Series. I’d never seen it. We watched all seven games. The thing I noticed, referring to me, is that I was taught the first three pitches you throw, two have to be strikes. You go right after the hitters. Today, they nibble at the corners way too much. And another thing I noticed was I used to finish games and today, they don’t. They’re geared to pitch six innings and that’s it. Baseball has changed a lot.

Pat Batcheller: Do you watch baseball now?

Mickey Lolich: Yeah, I watch it. I follow the Tigers, you know, to see what’s going on, win or lose. This year’s been a losing season, but don’t worry, they’re rebuilding. We’ll see how long that takes. 

Pat Batcheller: Those who talk about the 1968 World Series often talk about how badly Detroit needed something to feel good about after the riots the year before and how the Tigers gave them that. Many of the problems that existed 50 years ago are still here today. Detroit has not yet fully healed. But you had no way of knowing back in 1968 what 2018 would be like. Do you still feel as if you and your teammates did something good for Detroit?

Mickey Lolich: Yeah, we all believe we did something good. I remember there were some police officers who worked at Tiger Stadium. One of them told me that in 1967, you’d see three fellas standing on a street corner, and they were looking for trouble. How they knew, I don’t know, I guess police officers can sense things like that. And then they said in 1968, you’d see the same three guys standing on the street corner and they had a transistor radio up to their ears and were listening to Tiger ballgames. And they’d say, “We think you guys prevented anything from happening again in the summer of ’68.” Now that’s what I was told, and I’m glad I can believe them.

Pat Batcheller: And you were there, of course…

Returning to Detroit

Mickey Lolich: The city of Detroit has come back a lot. The downtown area, you can see all the buildings that have gone up and the jobs that are down there. I’m glad Detroit’s coming back.

Pat Batcheller: You were at the 50th anniversary celebration at Comerica Park. How did it feel to be back with your teammates and in uniform?

Mickey Lolich: Well, I’m glad I didn’t have to pitch. It was a wonderful weekend for us. I have to congratulate the Tigers on doing it first-class. It was wonderful to see the players that I played with. We were all wearing baseball hats, and on those hats, were the numbers and initials of all the Tigers that were on the ’68 team who have passed away. So in our own little way, we’re paying tribute to our former teammates who couldn’t be there on that Saturday. It was done right, and I really enjoyed it.

The Detroit Transportation Corporation (DTC) is working on its $800,000 study on ways to improve the People Mover. The group plans to share its list of short-term improvements and long-term recommendations this spring.

Melia Howard is the general manager of DTC. She took over the role in January after previously serving as Detroit’s deputy mayor under Mike Duggan.

Howard says public meetings about the elevate rail’s future have been productive.

“People were coming in,” says Howard, “slowly, surely going through the design charrettes. Really taking their time and being thoughtful about how they want to see us grow and expand or remodel.”

Howard says expanding the People Mover to add new lines is not out of the question, but that would likely require outside funding from business leaders or the federal government.

“It’s all about the people,” says Howard. “So if the will of the people desire for us to move forward, then the onus is on to try to fill that need and move forward with it.”

The DTC plans to share its list of short-term improvements and long-term recommendations this spring.

Celebrate Ismael Ahmed’s life with us. Listen to a tribute made with love, sharing stories, music, and remembrances from those closest to him.

Ismael Ahmed: A life devoted to service

Ismael Ahmed’s life was rooted in community and guided by a belief that people are stronger when brought together. Born in 1947 to a working-class Arab immigrant family, he grew up in Dearborn’s South End, shaped by factory work, public education, and a commitment to justice that defined his life’s work

He co-founded the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS), helped establish the Arab American National Museum, and later served as Michigan’s first Arab American cabinet member. Music was central to his activism. Through founding Concert of Colors and hosting This Island Earth on WDET, Ahmed used music to break down barriers and connect people across cultures.

Ismael Ahmed died January 31, 2026. He was 78 years old.

Highlights from Ismael Ahmed’s life

• Raised in Dearborn’s South End in a working-class Arab immigrant family.
• Served his country in South Korea during the Vietnam War-era.
• Organized Arab auto workers in Detroit at a time when their voices were often overlooked
• Co-founded Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS).
• Helped establish the Arab American National Museum.
• Served in state government and higher education.
• Hosted This Island Earth on WDET, sharing music beyond borders.
• Founded and led the Concert of Colors until the day he died.
• Left a lasting mark on culture, community and public service.

Share your condolences and tributes

We invite you to share your memories and reflections by visiting wdet.org/ismael or by emailing wdetdigital@wdet.org. You may also leave a voice message through the WDET app on your phone by tapping “Open Mic” in the bottom right corner of your screen.

We’re at that point in winter where we really could use a good party! January lasted a year and dropped a lot of snow on us (and significantly dropped the temps), and now the groundhog has seen its shadow, so we’re left with the long trudging march toward…March. What we need is a laid back yet kinda wild extravaganza, or perhaps, if you will, a festival! With lots of live local music and art and, frankly, positive vibes.

Cut to: Sled Season. This Saturday night at the Tangent Gallery, the twangy indie-rock quartet known as Toboggan Man is partnering with étude Productions to arrange a lineup that features classes and workshops, an interactive art installation, live performances, local artisanal and food vendors, DJs, and a stylish themed photo booth experience.

But this is MI Local, so we’re naturally focusing on the live local music, like Toboggan Man and past WDET guests like Pia The Band, Rose St Germaine, and Checker, along with TY, New Entertainment, and Lee Cleveland & the Lefthand Band.

Toboggan Man formed during the wintertime a few years ago, which played into the naming of their band (it just beat out the next contender for a name, ‘Ski Lift Fist Fight’). Listen to the show and you’ll meet this charming band and hear a couple live renditions of their songs, a charmingly scrappy blend of garage-pop stomp and alt-country clamber through a sweetly smiling indie-frayed lens.

Before we get to the interview with Toboggan Man, you’ll hear new tracks from the local artists like the Detroit electronic duo ADULT., and the power pop maestro Nick Piunti, both of whom have new albums coming out this season. We also heard a dazzling electronic-acid-jazz track from Alice Sun, new noise-rock out of Ann Arbor from Dancers, and a pair of my favorite hip-hop artists, Leaf Erikson and Noveliss.

This week also marks my second anniversary of hosting this show! Onward to year three of MI Local! Thanks for listening!

After years of pandemic disruption, driver shortages, and declining public trust, Southeast Michigan’s transit agencies say they’re finally back on their feet.

There are new labor contracts. New buses on the way. On-demand service pilots. Even a regional transit app designed to knit a fragmented system together.

But recovery doesn’t always feel like progress… especially if you’re still waiting 40 minutes for a bus that’s supposed to come every 10.

At a recent State of Transit meeting hosted by Transportation Riders United, transit leaders struck a cautiously optimistic tone. They said the crisis is over. But questions remain about access, equity, and reliability.

Noah Kincade leads Detroit Documenters, a civic journalism program where trained residents attend public meetings and take detailed notes to help the rest of us stay informed. He joined The Metro’s Robyn Vincent to examine how transit officials are framing the system’s rebound and how those claims compare with riders’ experiences.

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

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

More stories from The Metro

Dearborn will soon use drones to serve as the very first responders in a variety of incidents where police assistance is requested. The Drones as First Responder program is the first in Michigan. It will deploy aerial drones to any part of the city within 5 minutes to provide real-time video information about situations including traffic accidents, vehicle and property break-ins and violent crimes.

The city says the footage will allow officers to respond more safely to emergencies and complex situations and improve decision-making. They say officers will be able to better assess situations before they arrive on scene.

The police department says it will make flight data available to the public on a transparency dashboard.   

Additional headlines for Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026

Dearborn Public Schools continues search for superintendent

The search continues to find a superintendent for Dearborn Public Schools. Former superintendent Dr. Glenn Maleyko, stepped down from his position to serve as the State Superintendent. Lamis Srour is serving as the interim super until the position is filled. 

The district is collecting public input about the search until Feb. 16. People can fill out an online survey available in English, Arabic and Spanish. The Michigan Leadership Institute will also host stakeholder meetings Feb. 5 at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.

The district hopes to have a new leader ready to start on July 1, 2026.  

EPA removes hazardous materials

The Environmental Protection Agency is removing hazardous materials from a former industrial chemical plant in Detroit.

The EMCO facility on Lawton Street closed in 2023. Nine months later, someone vandalized the property and set a car on fire, which spread to a storage site containing more than 400 drums of chemicals. The Detroit Fire Department put the flames out before the drums could ignite.

The EPA says it should finish cleaning up the site this summer. 

Hollier announces state senate run

Adam Hollier announced he is no longer running for Secretary of State. Instead he will run for the state senate seat for District 3. District 3 includes Hamtramck, Highland Park and the east side of Detroit. Stephanie Chang currently represents the district. Hollier served in the state senate representing District 2 from 2018-2023. 

Detroit Red program honors Malcolm X, jazz, and Detroit

A new musical performance honoring the legacy of Malcolm X, the history of jazz, and Detroit is coming to Wayne State University. Detroit Red has a 10-piece multidisciplinary ensemble composed of artists LuFuki and Destiny Muhammad. The program will include panel discussions, workshops, and performances. 

Detroit Red will be held Feb. 8th at the Valade Jazz Center at Wayne State University.  Malcolm X gave his last speech at the university’s State Hall on February 14th in 1965. The program is hosted by DREAM of Detroit and is free to the public. To reserve your spot, visit detroitred.org. 

Konjo Me has a new location

Ethiopian food pop-up Konjo Me has found a home at the Detroit Shipping Company. The space is currently under construction, but owner Helina Melaku says it will open soon, offering fresh Ethiopian food, coffee and culture to diners in Midtown. 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Since 1941 the Wayne State University Press has published over two-thousand titles that explore a number of topics from literature, to history to politics. Senior Director Stephanie Williams joined the program to discuss its offerings this season.

Notable titles

Repoliticizing the Word Through Poetry and Preaching: Early Black Christian Women’s Lives Matter  by April C.E. Langley

Weaving together the legacies of early Black Christian women, author April C. E. Langley explores how faith, poetics, and spirituality have shaped Black activism in the United States. Langley provides a dynamic close reading of the speeches, letters, poems, and sermons of three foremothers of modern Black women’s social justice movements—Phillis Wheatley, Maria W. Stewart, and Jarena Lee—and highlights the resistance strategies emerging from their use of religion as a means for imagination and potential liberation.

Dispatches from the Avant-Garage by Rebecca Kosick

Rebecca Kosick chronicles the rise, work, and legacy of the Alternative Press, a grassroots art and poetry publishing initiative founded in 1969 in Detroit, Michigan. Operated by Ken and Ann Mikolowski out of their home, The Alternative Press published original countercultural artwork and poetry by nationally renowned artists, including Alice Notley, and Robert Creeley, and Detroit-based powerhouse artists, such as Jim Gustafson, and Donna Brook.

Kosick’s research reanimates the Alternative Press’s unconventional publications with more than one hundred full-color images, while illuminating the national impact their avant-garde interventions had at the intersection of politics, art, and life in the twentieth century.

Roses and Revolutions: The Selected Writings of Dudley Randall by Dudley Randall, edited by Melba Boyd

Dudley Randall was one of the foremost voices in African American literature during the twentieth century, best known for his poetry and his work as the editor and publisher of Broadside Press in Detroit. While he published six books of poetry during his life, much of his work is currently out of print or fragmented among numerous anthologies. Roses and Revolutions: The Selected Writings of Dudley Randall brings together his most popular poems with his lesser-known short stories, first published in The Negro Digest during the 1960s, and several of his essays, which profoundly influenced the direction and attitude of the Black Arts movement.

By the Waters of Paradise: An American Story of Racism and Rupture in a Jewish Family by Clare Kinberg

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

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Affordability. That’s the word that’s been buzzing around politics. 

In November, Democrats across the country won on the promise of reducing the cost of living. 

But it’s not just liberals that are embracing an “affordability agenda.” Conservatives and libertarians are latching on as well. 

Jarrett Skorup is the vice president of marketing and communications at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, which appreciates the free market and criticizes government regulation. 

In this conversation, The Metro‘s Sam Corey spoke with him about why he thinks unregulated capitalism can help free people from the burden of rising costs.

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

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

More stories from The Metro