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.

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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 you to finally wear that wild outfit hiding in the back of your closet.

We also dig into Hot Daddies, the Cougar Hunt (a true "coalition of cougars"), Pistons Pride Night, a psychic self-care evening at Boston Tea Room, and the always-popular Pokémon trivia night at B. Nektar.

More: https://ferndalepride.com/

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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/

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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 ode to the Hotel Bar (Four Vagabonds)

12:13 - Where we've been: Mexico City Mexican Restaurant

15:00 - Vote for us for Metro Detroit's best podcast on Hour

17:37 - Is it time to break up with delivery apps like DoorDash? Some Detroit area restaurants are pulling the plug on delivery

Feedback as always, dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or leave a voicemail, 313-789-3211.

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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.

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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 gaming, sports betting, and digital ads.

They connect this to what it means for Detroiters who use Medicaid and SNAP, and for Detroit's casino-based tax revenues.​

To wrap up, they share simple steps you can take to get involved, including who to call, key dates to watch, and why paying attention to budgets now can help your neighborhood later.

Feedback as always, dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or leave a voicemail, 313-789-3211.

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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.

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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 more full‑time residents downtown, not just weekend visitors and staycations.​

Finally, the show heads to the riverfront to talk about Rivertown's new Business Improvement Zone.

The new BIZ will cover nearly 300 commercial properties and could raise about $850,000 a year — almost 10 million over 10 years — for extra trash pickup, cleaning, and other services, working with the Downtown Detroit Partnership.

Norris explains why these public‑private partnerships can help neighborhoods grow, and how tools like BIZ-es might free up the city to fix up more parks and blocks across Detroit. Plus, Norris called it with his prediction that you'd see more of these in the city.​

Feedback as always, dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or leave a voicemail, 313-789-3211.

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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/

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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 matter, and how much trade will roll across once it opens.​

There also will be a multimodal path that will let you bike or walk across the border — passport in hand — and the subtle design tribute to "Mr. Hockey" himself, with pylons that echo Gordie Howe's iconic stance on the ice.​

Plus, we touch on how Canada ended up fronting the money, why toll booths will all be on one side, and more.

Feedback as always - dailydetroit -at- gmail -dot- com or leave a voicemail 313-789-3211.

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