Daily Detroit News Byte

Earlier this week, we told you about how President Trump casually mentioned the idea of sending in federal troops to cities including Detroit ("all run by liberal Democrats," he sniffed), like he has done to quell protests in Portland, Ore. Yeah, well Mayor Mike Duggan and Police Chief James Craig have basically said thanks no thanks, we got it. "The Detroit Police Department has had the support of the Detroit community in making sure our City did not have a single store looted or a single fire started during the protests," they said in a joint statement. Also on today's show, we discuss Fiat Chrysler's expanded partnership with Waymo, the self-driving subsidiary of Google parent Alphabet Co. We also talk a bunch of Detroit demolition and development news. Later, sports correspondent Fletcher Sharpe joins us to talk all manner of sportsball, including Detroit City FC's women's team, which lost its first match 3-1 over the weekend; we give help to a listener who wants to know about streaming options for DCFC m

Laura Khalil. She's an experienced business coach and speaker who's worked with brands big and small. Plus, she's the host of the Brave By Design podcast. You can that find here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brave-by-design/id1494575902 She has some no-nonsense advice to help get through this ongoing Coronavirus crisis.  After all, it's going to be here awhile. We also talk about the implications of going completely cashless from a practical and equitable perspective. Some places are doing it for safety, but it also shuts the doors on a significant portion of our region's residents. A reminder member support is a key part of how we can keep doing this. Join us at http://www.patreon.com/dailydetroit  

On today's show: A daily Coronavirus status update and the Governor says we're at a "turning point." President Donald Trump says that Federal officers may be coming to Detroit and other "liberal Democrat" cities. This could be really bad. Detroit City Councilman Gabe Leland has been charged with felony misconduct in office, and resists resigning.  GM is rolling out an electric pickup. Will people buy it? And recycling drop-off reopens in Oakland County.  Like what we do? Become a member at http://www.patreon.com/dailydetroit

Today's episode dives into Dan Gilbert's Quicken Loans - or Rocket Companies, as they're going to be called moving forward - filing for an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange. Our guest expert is Erik Gordon, a professor at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business. He helps unpack what's happening now and what's next. It's not often that happens in Metro Detroit, so we wanted to dive in with an expert to understand the ramification for both the company and Detroit. And then we'll share a couple of our thoughts.

Today's show is a break from the serious content as of late to enjoy some Michigan-made hard seltzers. After all, while we're socially distancing, we might want something to drink in our backyards. You don't have to imbibe White Claw for low-carb, fizzy alcoholic drinks. Why not support local companies? Of course, everyone knows White Claw. But how do our local options from across the mitten state stack up? Who do you wanna look for first on the shelves? We're about to find out in Fizz Fight 2020. Thanks to Engineer Randy Walker for putting this together and seltzer connoisseur Devon O'Reilly for his help. Daily Detroit did not receive any of these samples gratis; we paid for it all ourselves. It took more than a week of work to secure all of these brands. 

On today's show: Coronavirus is back with a vengeance, and the governor says we're at a turning point with the pandemic in Michigan. Even Tom Izzo is in the Mask Up Michigan game. Fiat Chrysler and PSA Group of France announced a new name for the combined company, "Stellantis." Detroit City FC Women's soccer kicks off Friday. Fletcher Sharpe joins us for more. And a story of making a difference on the streets of Hamtramck with Frugal on the Fly's Erica Owens.

Ford finally unveiled the Bronco Family of three, new off-road SUVs on Monday, resuscitating the Bronco nameplate after more than 20 years in the wilderness via a series of videos. Here's how Greg Migliore, editor-in-chief of Autoblog, described it to us: "It was genuinely an exciting moment for Ford, for enthusiasts and for the auto industry. I think almost everybody I know who is into cars, trucks, vehicles of any sort was excited about the Bronco last night. You don't always see that." We speak with Migliore about the reimagined Bronco's nifty new features, how it stacks up against the venerable Jeep Wrangler and more. We also hear from Dave Battagello, the veteran Windsor Star reporter, on how people on the other side of the river are receiving the news of the death of Ambassador Bridge owner Manuel "Matty" Moroun, what's going on with his former company's efforts to build a twin span and the latest on the Gordie Howe International Bridge. He also tells us about how the coronavirus has affected Windsor. A

Big news in Detroit business as Manuel "Matty" Moroun, the self-made Arab-American billionaire trucking magnate and Ambassador Bridge owner, has died at the age of 93. Moroun leaves behind a complicated legacy in Detroit, rising from the son of Lebanese immigrants to a man known for throwing around lavish campaign contributions to politicians, defying government orders and for his non-stewardship of properties like the Michigan Central Station through decades of blight and decay. We discuss his not-so-rosy legacy on Detroit. Also: Protests erupt in Detroit after police fatally shoot a 20-year-old man and misinformation about the incidents spreads on social media Protestors shut down school buses in Detroit over coronavirus fears We bring you the latest COVID-19 data from the state The Clinton River Watershed Council has rolled out a new ecology-minded scavenger hunt (register here) And Jer interviews Detroit City Councilwoman Raquel Castaneda-Lopez and Seydi Sarr, the founder and Executive Director of the Af

We usually like to send you off on your merry weekend with lighthearted fare, but unfortunately, the coronavirus has roared back, and it literally touches everything about modern life. But the good news is, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer did not use her Thursday news conference to order a return to stay-at-home quarantine for Michigan. Yet. But she really, really wants you to wear a damn mask (our words not hers). So much so, there's a new executive order. On today's show, we discuss: The latest numbers and data from the state Whitmer's news conference How the state will examine toll roads as a possible solution to the hold COVID will blow in our road-repair budget The latest on whether schools will reopen this fall How coronavirus is wreaking havoc on the wide world of sports — including that head-scratching comment from Michigan Wolverines football coach Jim Harbaugh — with contributor Fletcher Sharpe And a conversation with Beaumont researcher Laura Lamb, who's part of a team that has developed a new COVID-19 test

We've talked about auto insurance reform in Michigan a few times on this show. I can remember back to a beautiful day on the porch of the Grand Hotel on Mackinac a little over a year ago, when I was with Governor Gretchen Whitmer and our legislative leaders who were hailing a deal that was supposed to save Michiganders money - which is a top concern among residents as we in Detroit and statewide pay the most for vehicle insurance in the nation. At the time, there was a lot of excitement by media pundits and politicians, mostly repeating talking points without really looking into the numbers. Lots of back-patting. Now that the reform has taken effect, it's a confusing mess. What coverage should people get? You might pay less on your auto insurance, but more with health insurance. And the reforms for equity? Sure, insurance companies can't use zip codes, but they can use territories to define your rates. They can't use your credit score per se, but they can use your credit report. And depending on your specific

Daily Detroit has learned that Chipotle Mexican Grill, the fast-casual chain known for its burritos and bowls, is planning to open a new location on Woodward Avenue in Ferndale this fall. A spokeswoman tells us the new store will open at 23123 Woodward Ave., on the corner of Cambourne Street, in the site of a former Dickey's Barbecue Pit, which recently closed. Rumors about a new Chipotle had been swirling on a Facebook group, and Daily Detroit producer Shianne Nocerini recently took photos of the shuttered storefront that showed piles of construction materials lying on the floor with the name Chipotle written on them. Also, Chicago-based chain Portillo's, known for their Chicago-style hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches, is planning to open a new location on Hall Road in Sterling Heights in the second half of 2021. Portillo's is a mostly Midwest-based chain, but it has opened locations in California, Florida and Arizona. This will be its first Michigan location. The two planned openings are a rare bit of go

Coronavirus Updates (and Detroit City Hall opens for some in-person services) Bronco launches Lincoln Continental fades away A Detroit City Council Staffer is dead in an apparent murder-suicide A group erects a billboard outside of Livonia to call out police practices Republicans lose challenge to the new anti-gerrymandering laws Petition language approves to curtail Whitmer's executive power And Sven has thoughts about Michigan's thumb and how to inject some economic life into the area.

On today's show: We track the state's official COVID-19 numbers, plus highlight a new tool to look at the situation by county across the nation from the Harvard Global Health Institute. This will help us understand things better as Michigan is a geographically large state.  Look up your county: https://globalepidemics.org/ Karen Dybis stops by virtually to talk about the Detroit Kite Festival coming up, a great way to have some fun in a socially-distanced manner. https://detroitonthecheap.com/detroit-kite-festival-encourages-this-years-participants-to-socially-distance/ And of course, we had to ask the author of a book about a drive-in movie theater about Walmart popping them up in parking lots. Karen's book: https://www.karendybis.com/ford-wyoming-drive-in Walmart drive-ins: https://twitter.com/Walmart/status/1278445015870640131?s=20 Then Sven Gustafson and Fletcher Sharpe talk upcoming Detroit City FC men's and women's team news and talk about if we should even do pro sports with the pandemic.  Follow Sven

Welcome to the holiday weekend, everybody. This is certainly a strange one, with coronavirus numbers once again on the upswing in Michigan and across much of the country, adding a complicated wrinkle to what is normally one of the busiest travel weekends of the year. On today's show, we make a house call to our friend Dr. Paul Thomas, founder of Plum Health Direct Primary Care in Detroit, for help answering your burning questions about COVID-19. We talk face masks, whether it's safe to eat at restaurants or fly on airplanes, what to make of coronavirus liability waivers and more. And we'll remind you that if you've got health-related questions about coronavirus, send 'em to us at dailydetroit@gmail.com and we'll do our best to include them in future episodes with Dr. Paul. You can even send us audio of your question and we'll try to work that audio into the show. Also, we talk the latest, dispiriting COVID-19 data from the state and how we're holding up from a mental health perspective more than three months

On today's Daily Detroit: Indoor bars across the lower half of Michigan have been ordered closed because of the coronavirus uptick. Plus: A conversation with Jarrett Schlaff, co-founder of Pingree Detroit. Their worker-owned business has some big news from a pivot - one of the recurring themes of these Coronavirus times - and they're expanding. He joins us for more. And Journalist Tiffany Esshaki of the Birmingham-Bloomfield Eagle brings us the wild story behind Bloomfield Township leaders suing social media platform Nextdoor… as well as some of the township's residents.

On today's show: A Coronavirus update, with new numbers and school start guidelines. A University of Michigan study says 1/3rd of parents will keep their kids home when the school year starts. Slaveholding former Michigan Governor and Senator Lewis Cass - his name is no longer on a state office building. It's now named after two representatives that fought for civil rights. Dearborn removes signs that used shawarma sandwiches to display distance apart from people after some pushback The nonprofit advocacy organization Friends of the Rouge River says it's won a grant to develop a large rain garden project near its headquarters in downtown Plymouth. The Motown museum in two old houses on West Grand Boulevard will reopen its doors July 15th after four months of being shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The museum will also allow you to take video inside the museum for the first time.

Hello Detroit. I'm back from Michigan's vacation wonderland and here to report about the efforts that many vacationers appear not to be taking to safeguard themselves and others against the coronavirus. Based on my experience, I'd recommend limiting your visits to businesses and other public spaces if you're planning to head Up North. And wear a mask! Other things you'll hear on today's show: The 2020 Woodward Dream Cruise is officially canceled. What does that mean? We discuss the latest COVID-19 numbers from the state of Michigan. Detroit police are investigating after one of their officers drove an SUV through a crowd of protesters over the weekend. Ford unveiled its redesigned F-150 pickup truck for 2021, while Lordstown Motors revealed its production Endurance, which aims to be the first battery-electric pickup on the market. And I add my thoughts about Rivian moving operations from Detroit to California. We discuss some of the region's most dangerous intersections from 2019, based on this post from Mic

When we can, it's important to take a break. To have something fun, to help us get away mentally from what's going on. So today, a tasting of Anteel, a Detroit-based Tequila brand - then a conversation with their co-founder, Don Ferguson.

Three segments today: First, local Coronavirus news. Cases are up, gyms are angry they can't open, the DIA is reopening, a local drive-in movie theater takes top spot in the nation, and the city of Detroit is going to crack down on n'er do wells when it comes to bars and restaurants. Then, Eater Detroit's Brenna Houck joins us to talk about progress with To-Go cocktails as well as how restaurants are dealing with the Coronavirus and masks. Pieces discussed: Michigan Legislature Passes Bill Paving the Way for To-Go Cocktails: https://detroit.eater.com/2020/6/24/21301831/michigan-legislature-to-go-cocktail-bill-takeout-liquor-passes-senate Coronavirus Cases Tied to Michigan Bar Are a Reminder of the Risks of Pandemic Dining: https://detroit.eater.com/2020/6/23/21300673/michigan-restaurants-bars-east-lansing-close-covid-19-positive-cases Finally, Nina Thekdi from Varnum talks about the impact of President Donald Trump's quick ban on H1B and some other visas, and how that's going hurt Metro Detroit's economy; e

Today's show is in two parts. First, electric automaker Rivian is moving their future operations to Irvine California. This is a big blow to investment and future jobs in our state and region. Jer breaks down the story and talks about why we need to stop promoting yes-man slappys, and make some structural changes to how business is done in Metro Detroit and the state to be competitive. And that means investing in what makes our place a better place to live instead of handing out incentives like candy. Second, sports journalist Fletcher Shape breaks down the transfer of ownership at the Detroit Lions, plus the Detroit Pistons have a new GM Troy Owens. Will the organization is going to support the new General Manager? Or will owner Tom Gores continue to be an absentee landlord of one of Detroit's beloved sports institutions?