Daily Detroit News Byte

Today, we're talking about the future of Midtown. Getting details on that new Chinatown project (and a whole lot more) with the executive director of Midtown Detroit, Inc. You'll learn a lot about this series of Detroit neighborhoods in this conversation and what's ahead for an area of Detroit so many people have so many connections to. More show notes to come. Feedback as always, dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or leave a voicemail, 313-789-3211. Follow Daily Detroit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daily-detroit/id1220563942 Or sign up for our newsletter: https://www.dailydetroit.com/newsletter/  

Ferndale Pride isn't just a single day in May. It's a months-long celebration of joym community, and giving back that has its roots in a meeting at Soho 16 years ago. In this episode, I talk with Ferndale Pride executive director and longtime listener Julia Music about how the festival started, why it has always been free to attend, and how it has already given more than $500,000 to charity while centering downtown Ferndale businesses.​ Julia walks us through what to expect on May 30 in downtown Ferndale: three stages, Reading with Royalty, 220 vendors, nine food trucks, and a footprint stretching along 9 Mile from Woodward to Livernois. But before the big day, there's a full calendar of events designed to both build community and raise the funds needed to keep Pride accessible.​ You'll hear about the Small Packages cigar-box art auction at Detroit GT Studios, Soho Leather Weekend, Junk Jewels' allergy-friendly treats at Urbanrest, and the "Out of the Closet and Onto the Dance Floor" party that invites y

New polling of Michigan voters shows a massive gap between how people feel about the state and where we actually rank. We dig into why voters think Michigan is middle‑of‑the‑pack while we're near the bottom on reading, income, and unemployment, the huge awareness gap on data centers (4 in 10 Michiganders haven't even heard of them), and what it all means for the 2026 governor's race where a new poll puts former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan in the lead (in contrast to earlier ones, putting him at just 20%).  The poll we reference is by the Glengariff Group, commissioned by the Detroit Regional Chamber, and can be found here: https://www.detroitchamber.com/feb-2026-michigan-voter-poll/ Feedback as always, dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or leave a voicemail, 313-789-3211. Follow Daily Detroit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daily-detroit/id1220563942 Or sign up for our newsletter: https://www.dailydetroit.com/newsletter/

Today, we are at the table in Techtown for a fast‑moving conversation on how Metro Detroit goes out now. We start with the closure of Mutiny Bar and ask if Detroit's modern tiki bar era has quietly ended, even as tiki continues in places like San Diego and Palm Springs.​ Norris shares a visit to Bastille Bar, praising it as a no‑frills "it's just a bar" hangout, while the crew argues that happy hour has effectively shifted to 3–6 p.m. thanks to changing work patterns and school pickups. Devon then delivers an ode to the hotel bar via Four Vagabonds at the Dearborn Inn, celebrating it as a hub for travelers' stories and local recommendations.​ We close with a debate over whether it's time to ditch third‑party delivery apps like DoorDash. We saw a number of restaurants pull the plug on delivery services, so we're asking if you are, too.  Here's the rundown: 02:13 - Mutiny Bar is done: Is Detroit's age of Tiki bars over? 06:49 - Where we've been: Bastille Bar 09:11 - Has Happy Hour moved to 3pm? 10:01 - An

Today's Daily Detroit is about being real with each other and with this city we love. Norris and I start with the passing of Rev. Jesse Jackson, what he meant to Detroit, and how his generation of civil rights leaders helped shape our city and our lives.​ From there, we look ahead to the next public meeting on the possible I‑75 cap near downtown, why it matters for how Detroit connects across freeways, and who stands to be impacted if it moves forward.​ We also dig into a listener email on Business Improvement Zones and what cleaner, better‑maintained streets could mean for the East Riverfront and beyond. ​ We end on a more personal note, talking about losing a couple of listeners this week and why this community means so much to us Feedback as always, dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or leave a voicemail, 313-789-3211. Follow Daily Detroit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daily-detroit/id1220563942 Support our work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/DailyDetroit Or sign u

It's budget season in Detroit and in Lansing, and the choices leaders make now will shape city services and state programs for the next few years. On today's Daily Detroit, we talk with Steve Watson of the consulting firm Watson & Yates about where the money comes from and where it might go.​ First, we look at Detroit's budget in Mayor Mary Sheffield's first year as mayor. Detroit's money picture is different from the suburbs, and Steve breaks it into four big "buckets": income tax from people and businesses in the city, fast-growing casino and online betting taxes, state revenue sharing, and property taxes, which rank only fourth even though rates are high. They explain how careful revenue forecasts, the lasting impact of remote work, and a growing labor force all change what Detroit can afford to do.​ Then the conversation shifts to Governor Gretchen Whitmer's final proposed state budget. There are new cost pressures from federal rule changes, and about proposed state tax hikes on tobacco, internet

On today's show with Devon, Norris and Jer talking all things Detroit: 01:04 - Where we've been: Empire in Midtown Detroit 03:21 - Where we've been: Mother Handsome in Oak Park 04:47 - Where we've been: Avenue Bistro in Wayne 09:36 - Data Centers coming to Wayne County (Van Buren Township) and Michigan with bipartisan support (but lots of people aren't happy) 17:39 - Does the City of Detroit need a Wal-Mart? Happy Valentine's Day! We'll be back on Tuesday as Monday is a Federal holiday. Feedback as always, dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or leave a voicemail, 313-789-3211. Follow Daily Detroit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daily-detroit/id1220563942  Or sign up for our newsletter: https://www.dailydetroit.com/newsletter/  

On today's Daily Detroit, Jer and Norris talk about three big changes in the city: a loved restaurant closing, a historic building maybe turning into a hotel, and a new business district along the river.​ First, Kuzzo's Chicken & Waffles is closing after more than a decade on the Avenue of Fashion. Norris shares memories of hosting events there and why Kuzzo's helped make Livernois feel like a place where the whole city could come together. Jer and Norris talk about how costs have gone up for restaurants since COVID and how other favorites like New Center Eatery and Parks' have also closed, even while some nearby spots are still doing well.​ Next, they move downtown to the Park Avenue Building by Grand Circus Park. Developer Rino Soave now wants to turn it into a hotel with more than 100 rooms, a restaurant, and other amenities instead of apartments. We get into why more projects are choosing hotels, what the coming renovation at the Renaissance Center Marriott could mean, and why Norris still wants

Today, an essay and a line-by-line reality check about recent statements about the Gordie Howe International Bridge, a link crucial for Michigan and Metro Detroit's economy. I take my 10+ years of experience watching this project, doing interviews, and keeping notes to break down what's fact from fiction from a list of grievances on Truth Social. Original post: https://www.dailydetroit.com/canada-paid-for-the-bridge-trump-wants-half/ Feedback as always, dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or leave a voicemail, 313-789-3211. Follow Daily Detroit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daily-detroit/id1220563942 Or sign up for our newsletter: https://www.dailydetroit.com/newsletter/  

On today's Daily Detroit from the floor of the Detroit Policy Conference, we're digging into what it really took to get the Gordie Howe International Bridge this close to the finish line — and what it's going to mean for everyday life on both sides of the river later this year.​ I'm joined at the table by Michael Griffie, Detroit market leader for AECOM, one of the key firms behind the massive project. We get into the nuts and bolts of a more than $4.5 billion, decade-in-the-making effort that doesn't just include the record-setting cable‑stayed span, but also the new U.S. and Canadian ports of entry and a rebuilt I‑75 interchange designed to keep trucks moving and out of neighborhoods.​ Griffie explains how engineers from two countries had to literally "meet in the middle," navigating different regulatory systems, a frozen global supply chain, and a pandemic — and still kept the delay to about a year. We talk about what makes a cable‑stayed bridge different, why the 1.2‑mile span and 770‑foot pylons mat

Are your ready for the weekend? Mr. Friday Devon O'Reilly is in and we've got some recommendations on where we've been — two cheap but good lunch spots. Plus, Devon shares a requiem for Bahama Breeze that after April 5 will leave this earth. Then, we get into the mess that is Stellantis and what might happen to some brands that have a lot of Detroit history. Here's the rundown: 01:11 - Detroit's gotten double the snow this year, and facing a national salt shortage 04:03 - Where we've been: $10 Meal 07:51  - Why Thousand Island Dressing is called Thousand Island Dressing 08:21 - Where we've been: Kitab Cafe 10:47 - A Requiem for Bahama Breeze and End of the line BD's Mongolian Grille 14:12 - What are the best Bahama Breeze dishes? 15:28 - Devon thinks BD's was overrated 17:03 - Stellantis is under stress but what about Jeep, Chrysler and all these names Detroiters know? Feedback as always - dailydetroit -at- gmail -dot- com or leave a voicemail 313-789-3211. Follow Daily Detroit on Apple Podcasts: https://podc

On your Daily Detroit, we learned that owning a tank is apparently legal in Michigan. Should we get one? Plus, Detroit's the City of the Year, Michigan Central has a new thing, and we open the floor to your ideas for attracting more career-aged and younger people to choose Michigan. 03:45 - Should we get a tank? 07:00 - Detroit is the City of the Year 09:56 - New Thing at Michigan Central 12:08 - How do we get more career-aged people to choose or stay in Michigan? Feedback as always - dailydetroit -at- gmail -dot- com or leave a voicemail 313-789-3211. Follow Daily Detroit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daily-detroit/id1220563942 Or sign up for our newsletter: https://www.dailydetroit.com/newsletter/  

Justin Onwenu is a Detroit-born organizer, environmental justice advocate, and attorney who is now running for State Senate in Michigan's newly redrawn District 1, which stretches from neighborhoods on Detroit's west side through downtown and into a number of downriver Metro communities. He's worked in environmental justice, in labor and minimum wage campaigns, and in economic development at the city level, giving him a rare view that connects workers, small businesses, and neighborhood health.​ In our conversation, we get into why he chose to jump into this insane time in politics, how he thinks Michigan can actually tackle affordability on things like housing, health care, and utilities, and what it looks like to balance development, labor, and the environment instead of pitting them against each other.  We also talk about rebuilding Michigan's economy from the neighborhood up, from transit and schools to small business support… and much more. Episodes like these are made possible by our members. Join us at

Today, we're taking you inside the Second Baptist Church of Detroit — the oldest historically Black church in Michigan, a former last stop on the Underground Railroad, and now a hub for human trafficking awareness and free STEAM education for Detroit kids. I'm joined by Pastor Lawrence Rodgers to talk about nearly 190 years of history, how Greektown is transforming, and what it means to build a beloved community in Detroit right now. At the start of Black History Month and in a moment when it's tempting to gloss over or sanitize our past (or even preferred, by many) it feels especially important to me to lift up institutions that didn't just witness history, but made it — and are still doing the work right now.  Feedback as always - dailydetroit -at- gmail -dot- com or leave a voicemail 313-789-3211.  Follow Daily Detroit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daily-detroit/id1220563942 Or sign up for our newsletter: https://www.dailydetroit.com/newsletter/  

Devon, Norris, and Jer tackle three topics live at the Detroit Policy Conference. First, we get into lunch spots we like and are disappointed by recently. Then, there's a proposal to provide transit to all of the cities in Wayne County, as currently a number of communities have no connecting service. We talk about hwo this is the base layer to the cake of transit. Then, there's some ideas around overhauling the city of Detroit's tax structure, including a possible excise tax in greater downtown to provide more money for the neighborhoods. Today's show was recorded live at the Detroit Policy Conference put on by the Detroit Regional Chamber. Feedback as always - dailydetroit -at- gmail -dot- com or leave a voicemail 313-789-3211. Follow Daily Detroit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daily-detroit/id1220563942 Or sign up for our newsletter: https://www.dailydetroit.com/newsletter/  

The rundown: 02:07 - Michigan's population is growing, we discuss 05:13 - Amazon Fresh fizzles out in Metro Detroit, leaving a number of empty potential storefronts 09:11 - MOCAD is reopening in April after renovation  Feedback as always, dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or leave a voicemail, 313-789-3211. Follow Daily Detroit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daily-detroit/id1220563942 Or sign up for our newsletter: https://www.dailydetroit.com/newsletter/  

Today's conversation is in two parts. First, we dig into USA Today (formerly Gannett) buying the Detroit News - just a month after a joint operating agreement ended between the two papers and bringing the Detroit Free Press and news under the same ownership umbrella. They say they'll continue as separate publications, but based on the track record of those involved, we have our personal skepticism. We also get into the precarious state of local news in America. Then, a personal conversation on the events over the weekend in Minneapolis, Minnesota. We get into the aftermath, the Orwellian nature of it all, how Norris isn't surprised it happened, and the near death of actual conservatism as a political force in America. Feedback as always, dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or leave a voicemail, 313-789-3211.  Follow Daily Detroit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daily-detroit/id1220563942 Or sign up for our newsletter: https://www.dailydetroit.com/newsletter/  

What was Detroit like 10 years ago?  On today's Daily Detroit, inspired by the trend on social media, we're taking a warm walk through a very specific era: Detroit in 2016 and how it stacks up to 2026.​ Jer, Norris, and Devon remember a city that still felt like a secret to everyone else. When it felt like the creative class was driving the narrative, loft parties were happening in half-abandoned buildings, and you could still find a decent apartment for under $1000. We talk about how that energy shifted as big development showed up faster than expected, squeezing some creatives to the margins.​ You'll hear stories of the stomp‑clap‑hey era, bottomless mimosas and DJ brunches, nights at City Club and the after‑hours scene, plus memories of Great Lakes Coffee, Union Street, Cliff Bell's jazz brunch, and neighborhood classics like Tom's Tavern. Jer shares the excitement of watching the first QLINE streetcars be delivered, and everyone offers a key 2016 memory that marked a new chapter in their lives.​ Th

On today's show: 00:28 - Dittrich Furs ran out, but found more furs: Is fur a cultural garb of Detroit? 03:20 -China is about to break into the Canadian car market, that hurts Detroit 11:02 - Michigan canabis market shrinking 14:34 - MAILBAG: Expand People Mover to Grand Boulevard? Feedback as always - dailydetroit -at- gmail -dot- com or leave a voicemail 313-789-3211. Follow Daily Detroit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daily-detroit/id1220563942 Or sign up for our newsletter: https://www.dailydetroit.com/newsletter/  

Coming to you from the studio at TechTown after a long weekend, today's show is all about what's happening in Detroit's food and drink world — the good, the bad, and the "wait, that closed already?" I'm joined by our engineer of both audio and alcohol, Randy Walker, to dig into some big changes at longtime favorites, why some promising spots didn't make it, and where you should actually spend your money right now. We'll talk rum bars, laptop bans at coffee shops, the future of the Ren Cen, and Randy's first impressions of Medusa in Midtown. The topics: Hygrade Deli in Southwest Detroit is in receivership after loan defaults and building issues, putting the longtime corned beef spot's future in doubt.​ We unpack why some well-regarded restaurants like Carajillo in Ferndale close within a year, from price perception to competition and capital.​ Randy talks about how Port in Ferndale shifted from laid-back rum haven to trendier, simpler drinks and how that changed the vibe.... plus where serious rum fans shou