Daily Detroit

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**Daily Detroit**

What to know and where to go in Metro Detroit! We have conversations that push Detroit forward and share local stories about restaurants, business, development, local government, policy, technology, things to do, transit and more. All in about 22 minutes a day.

Latest Episodes:

Your People Mover Dreams! Plus, China & Canada Car Industry Concerns (and more) Jan 21, 2026

Show notes

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/

A Last Lunch At The RenCen, Medusa Review, And Detroit Food News Jan 20, 2026

Show notes

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 should go now, from Tocororo to Mutiny, and tease a future Daily Detroit happy hour.

A new Pizza Cat on East Jefferson shows promise for downtown lunches even as the surrounding Jefferson/Ren Cen area struggles.

We preview Burns Night with Acroyd Scottish Bakery at Urbanrest, complete with haggis, neeps and tatties, bagpipers, and the "stabbing of the haggis."

Are you for or against laptops at coffeeshops? Roost Detroit's no-laptop policy sparks a bigger conversation about coffee shop etiquette, remote work, and who these spaces are really for.

We had a "last lunch" at the Ren Cen Burger King and reflect on the eerie, post-pandemic decline of the complex, and how demolishing two Ren Cen towers and opening the site to the riverfront could match reality better than nostalgia.

And finally, Randy gives a first-look review of Medusa in Midtown, from standout lamb and cocktails to price point, vibe, and whether it's worth a special night out.

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/

People Mover Expansion Paths, The Fake CEO, and Where's Whitmer on Hot Issues? Jan 15, 2026

Show notes

Today's show is a trifecta where we get Norris, Devon, and Jer all in the studio at once talking local stuff.

Here's the rundown:

01:43 - Shout out to Northern Lights

02:35 - There are some maybe possible Detroit People Mover expansion routes shared with the public. Where would you want to see it go?

11:17 - A fake CEO fools some in the media

19:00 - Responding to listener questions: Where is Gov. Whitmer on hot issues? She seems oddly silent lately.

Feedback as always: dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or 313-789-3211.

Saturday coffee and conversation event: https://www.facebook.com/events/850409107962992

Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/DailyDetroit

Or Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Yhv8nSylVWxlZilRhi4X9?si=df538dae2e144431

Politics, Pints Pausing, and a Park Rebrand Jan 14, 2026

Show notes

Show notes to come.

Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/DailyDetroit

Or Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Yhv8nSylVWxlZilRhi4X9?si=df538dae2e144431

Joanna Whaley on Faith, Putting People First, and Downriver's Future Jan 13, 2026

Show notes

On today's Daily Detroit, our conversations is with Joanna Whaley, a Democrat running in the primary for State House District 2, covering Allen Park, Lincoln Park, Melvindale and Southgate.

Whaley is not a typical candidate. She's a former evangelical pastor, a seminary-trained theologian, a clinical spiritual care provider in a hospital, and a trans woman who has spent the last several years doing LGBTQ+ rights work inside religious spaces across Michigan and beyond.

In this candid conversation, Whaley shares how pressure from both faith communities and local organizers pushed her from the pulpit toward politics.. and why she finally said yes.

For her, she says the job is less about making viral clips and more about showing up in rooms where people don't always agree with her — then staying long enough to hear what they actually need.

The discussion also touches on the "K-shaped" economy we're in and what that looks like in inner-ring suburbs that helped build Metro Detroit's middle class but now feel ignored by Lansing.

Whaley details what she's hearing at doors and coffee hours: workers stuck in multiple part-time jobs, ACA premiums and deductibles spiking, and residents who are wary of being left holding the bag again.

That includes a proposed AI data center near the iconic tire along I‑94.

There's a lot in about 20 minutes to unpack, and I hope you get something interesting out of it.

Her campaign website: https://www.joannawhaley.com/

Free coffee and conversation, this Saturday morning the 17th at the studio: https://www.facebook.com/share/14XWN3tcPNo/

Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/DailyDetroit

Or Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Yhv8nSylVWxlZilRhi4X9?si=df538dae2e144431

2026 Detroit Auto Show Preview (w/ Sam Klemet) Jan 12, 2026

Show notes

What should we expect at the 2026 Detroit Auto Show? Sam Klemet, the Executive Director of the event, joins me to walk through what's happening at Huntington Place.

From cars, to interactive experiences, to performances — there's a lot to look for.

The public show days are January 17-25. Tickets available here.

Then, I bring you 5 things to know around town so you're caught up and what to know and where to go for your Monday.

A shake up in the race for Michigan Governor
A proposed bill to use the Defense Production Act with the aim of building more housing
It's the end of the rack for Dittrich Furs after 132 years
MSU's Endowment has bought even more of the Fisher Building in Detroit
Mic Drop Comedy is opening in Detroit with a unique theme

Feedback as always - 313-789-3211 or dailydetroit@gmail.com

Live stream on Tuesday afternoon on our Daily Detroit YouTube, we may discuss these and other stories around town.

Free coffee and conversation, Saturday morning the 17th at the studio: https://www.facebook.com/share/14XWN3tcPNo/

Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/DailyDetroit

Or Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Yhv8nSylVWxlZilRhi4X9?si=df538dae2e144431

Logging Off Social Media (And Meeting Up In Person) Jan 10, 2026

Show notes

On a weekend edition of your Daily Detroit, we unpack how national news has pushed its way into local conversations, why we're limiting our social media lately and why it's more important than ever to get together in person.

03:37 - Minneapolis, terrible violence, and how national news and federal forces are forcing their way into local

04:13 - Why we're spending way less time on social media

08:30 - Are Happy Hours dead? Also, we're having more happy hours and in-person events

Free coffee and conversation, Saturday morning the 17th at the studio: https://www.facebook.com/share/14XWN3tcPNo/

Or on Eventbrite if you don't have the FB https://www.eventbrite.com/e/free-coffee-donuts-and-community-talking-detroit-and-the-region-tickets-1980178680739

As a heads up, it's likely that Devon's episodes will now air on Saturdays going forward.

Keep this project free for everyone else and support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/DailyDetroit

Or Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Yhv8nSylVWxlZilRhi4X9?si=df538dae2e144431

Who Pays for Local News Now? Detroit Papers Split, PBS, and Live Sports Jan 09, 2026

Show notes

Local media across America is in its most tumultuous moment in decades, and Detroit is at the center of it.

From the end of the joint operating agreement between the Free Press and the News, to shifts in public media funding, to the chaos around how you watch the Tigers, Pistons, and Red Wings, there's a lot to sort through.

I talk with longtime PR pro and media watcher Matt Friedman of Tanner Friedman Public Relations about what's really happening, what's at stake for Metro Detroiters, and why your media subscriptions matter more than ever.

The Rundown:

01:56 - People are confused in today's fast-changing media landscape.

02:58 Detroit's JOA (Joint Operating Agreement) is dissolved and the Detroit News and Free Press are separate now. What does that mean?

Matt walks through how joint operating agreements emerged in the 1980s to keep multiple daily papers alive, and how Detroit's JOA kept the News and Freep tied together on the business side while competing in the newsroom for decades. He explains why their recent split into fully separate business and news operations is such a big deal in a market many don't think is "big enough" to support two robust metro newsrooms.

We also get into the financial pressures facing local media, how Pittsburgh has lost two papers recently, how the New York Times makes more money and more profit than all of the USAToday/Gannett papers combined, and more.

18:08 The state of PBS and Public Media today: In short, it's not dead. With federal funding clawed back through a budget rescission and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting dissolved, local stations now have to replace that money through philanthropy and memberships, which Detroit has managed so far — but smaller markets may not.

22:57 The local sports TV rights business is a mess right now. There's real uncertainty about how fans will watch first‑place teams if the parent of the regional sports network can't find a buyer, and that contingency planning is already underway. Plus, might we see some games on free TV?

This was a conversation as a media nerd I was glad to have with someone who has a 360 degree view of the landscape, and I hope you get some value out of it.

If you've got feedback, email me - dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com, hit up our contact form, or leave a voicemail at 313-789-3211.

Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/DailyDetroit

Or Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Yhv8nSylVWxlZilRhi4X9?si=df538dae2e144431

Recent Favorite Food Spots; Bus Love (and more) Jan 07, 2026

Show notes

Jer and Norris talk Detroit nightlife nostalgia and a viral TGI Fridays "club" promo, a wild DDOT discipline case, where auto trends are really heading in 2026, and Jer's feature in Hour Detroit on Michigan politics and social media.

Topic list:

The last TGI Fridays in Michigan in Southfield turning into "the club" with paid booth service on a Wednesday; memories of Fridays, Club Blue, and early‑2000s happy hour culture.
"The club is dead" argument; bottle‑service pricing, booths vs dancing, and how nightlife has shifted.
Case for bringing back happy hour instead: coffee hangs at the studio, listener suggestions for meetups, and shout‑outs to Zuzu, Ema's Izakaya happy hour, Bastille bar, and Marrow in Eastern Market (including Jer's steak eview).
DDOT discipline story: Office of Inspector General report on a supervisor and driver whose on‑the‑clock romantic hookup caused a 115‑minute service delay and further issues after abandoning a running bus.
Transit talk for "bus nerds": SMART's FAST Woodward and Gratiot routes moving to 20‑minute headways between Detroit and the suburbs, plus 30‑minute headways on Nine Mile and why that actually makes the bus useful for commutes and events.
Auto talk: GM becoming the number‑two EV seller in the U.S.; Cadillac Lyriq and new EV SUVs, Ford Maverick's popularity and pricing, Lightning discontinuation, and why hybrids are quietly winning.
Are EVs "failing"? Pushback on the narrative that "people don't want EVs," with Norris talking about living with an EV and never wanting to go back to gas.
Jer in Hour Detroit/Hour Magazine: being featured alongside other Detroit voices on 2026 political outlooks, including concerns about Michigan's governor's race, U.S. Senate race, and Democrats' name ID.
Why medium‑form, edited work (magazines, newsletters, podcasts) matters more than hot‑take social media for political and civic coverage.
Rethinking social media in 2026: Daily Detroit shifting emphasis to newsletter, podcast, and live streams; gaining followers even while posting less; frustration with junky, "engagement first" content.
Norris talks about the viral fake DoorDash "backend engineer" post as an AI‑generated hoax; term "enshittification," and why platforms stay quiet even when misinformation blows up.
Community over algorithms: We're using in‑person events to build local connection instead of chasing feeds. Mark your calendars for Saturday morning the 17th of January.

Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/DailyDetroit

Or Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Yhv8nSylVWxlZilRhi4X9?si=df538dae2e144431

Designing Dignity: How a Coat from Detroit Became a Lifeline (w/Veronika Scott) Jan 06, 2026

Show notes

Today, a conversation about what happens when a clever design school project turns into something much bigger.

From a 20‑pound prototype stitched in a grandparents' bedroom to a 21,000‑square‑foot facility on Detroit's east side… and 100,000 coats later... Empowerment Plan has become a made‑in‑Detroit way of literally keeping the world warm.

These are coats that turn into sleeping bags, sewn by Detroiters who have themselves experienced homelessness and are using this job as a stepping stone to what is next.

Founder and CEO Veronika Scott is my guest, and talks about building an uplifting ecosystem around that coat.

You will also hear how feedback from people actually using the coat reshaped its design and how a product made from seconds and dead‑stock fabric ends up serving people from Detroit to more than 20 countries.

Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/DailyDetroit

Or Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Yhv8nSylVWxlZilRhi4X9?si=df538dae2e144431

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