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Opinion: Does the Democratic Party want Michigan’s Black progressives to win?

All eyes are on Tuesday’s special primary election in Michigan’s 35th. With Democrats barely holding a majority in the state Senate, the person who fills this seat will have the power to shape what Gov. Gretchen Whitmer can achieve in her final months in office.  New reporting has revealed that fundraising committees tied to powerful […]

The post Opinion: Does the Democratic Party want Michigan’s Black progressives to win? appeared first on Detroit Metro Times.

Whitmer opposes Trump’s tariffs and ICE actions

“In this episode”
  • Gov Whitmer’s approach to recent disagreements with the Trump administration.
  • Potential cellphone bans in classrooms gets bipartisan support.

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


Although Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and President Donald Trump have found some areas of common ground this year, Whitmer recently outlined key disagreements at the Detroit Auto Show, including opposition to Trump’s tariff strategy and the presence of ICE in Minneapolis. This week on MichMash, WDET’s Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Alethia Kasben discuss what Whitmer’s comments could signal about future relations with the Trump administration.

Whitmer called some Trump administration actions “an abuse of power,” adding, “I think it is a very serious and scary moment in this country. I appreciate those who are raising their voices. I worry about the people out there just trying to do the right thing.”

Roth said Whitmer’s remarks could hint at political ambitions after her term as governor ends. She also noted that much of Whitmer’s outreach to the Trump administration has focused on maintaining cooperation in Michigan’s best interest.

Later in the episode, Oakland Schools Superintendent Kenneth Gutman discusses proposed legislation that would ban cell phones in classrooms. Gutman supports the measure, saying it benefits students. “There are exceptions, and safety is one of them, but in general, do we need cell phones in classrooms? We do not. They are a distraction.”

If the legislation passes, Michigan would join states including Indiana, Louisiana, New York, and Ohio in banning cell phones in classrooms.

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The post Whitmer opposes Trump’s tariffs and ICE actions appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

Residents raise alarms over environmental risks tied to massive data center in Saline Township

State regulators are facing increasing pressure to slow down a $7 billion, 2.2-million-square-foot data center proposed for rural Saline Township, where residents and environmental groups warn the project would destroy wetlands, strain Michigan’s energy grid, and permanently reshape a farming community that opposes the development.

The post Residents raise alarms over environmental risks tied to massive data center in Saline Township appeared first on Detroit Metro Times.

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